Update regarding “Drugs: U.S. versus Mexico”

Earlier I posted that Mexico would pass a bill decriminalizing drug use.  Late last night, howeer,  President Vicente Fox decided not to approve the Mexican law which would have decriminalized minor drug use.  The Chicago Tribune (“Mexico’s Fox retreats…“) implied that this reversal was due significant pressure exerted by the U.S. on Mr. Fox.

Drugs: U.S. versus Mexico

Less than two weeks ago, the New York Times (“Report Illumintes Wide Divide…“) reported that FDA has denied that there are any medicinal benefits to marijuana. The article continues stating: While it has always been the drug enforcement agency’s policy to enforce laws against marijuana, [DEA spokeswomen] Ms. Waite said, “now it’s clearly out there,…

Corruption in the FDA

Pharmaceutical companies spent hundreds of millions of dollars in order to gain FDA approval for their products. A biologist at the FDA headquarters makes between $38 and $86 thousand.  The diffeence between these two sums is emormous; thus, it would not be surprising if the FDA was ripe with corruption. Sure enough, the New York…

Dubai Healthcare City

My friend and General Electric financial analyst Matt Janner is currently working in Dubai.  He has sent me some wonderful articles about the emirate and one of its newest investments: “Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC).”  Here is a brief summary of what I have gleaned from these articles. Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities…

Markets at work in rural India

What happens to farmers in developed nations when they or their family members get sick? Typically, much of a farmer’s savings is tied up in illiquid assets (land, crops, fertilizer, etc.) and the farmer turns to the town money lender. Since there is less competition for loans in rural areas, the money lender can charge…

Pro-Life Nation

“On ‘Meet the Press’ in October 2004, when Tim Russert, the host, asked Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican representative then in the middle of what turned out to be a successful campaign for the U.S. Senate, to explain his position in favor of a total ban on all abortion procedures. DeMint was reluctant to…

Should Non-Profit Hospitals get a Tax Break?

Of course they should! Non-profit hospitals treat the poorest patients in the most underserved communities using a bare bones administrative budget…right? According to the New York Times (“Nonprofit Hospitals Face Scrutiny Over Practices“), the traditional view of non-profit hospitals as altruistic institutions may be flawed. The commissioner of internal revenue, Mark W. Everson, said tax…

California’s stem cell initiative a waste?

In November 2004, California passed Proposition 71 which allocated $3 billion over ten years to stem cell research. Many of my friends–especially those in the medical field–strongly supported the bill. While I support stem cell research, I do not approve of the referendum system by which this bill was enacted. Spending $3 billion on unproven research…

H&R Block misfiles taxes?!?!?!

H&R Block, one of the largest tax services businesses in the United States, has incorrectly filed its taxes in 2003 and 2004.  The tax error understated H&R Block’s tax liability by $32 million.   Oh the irony!!!  Check out the complete article in BusinessWeek (“H&R Block falls on 3Q results, tax issue“).