General > Kayaking
Liffey drop
Skelly:
Do you guys believe everything the irishfreestyle board tells you? Its publicity for kayaking, we dont get it that much
Ritchie:
well, personally i think its unfair to point the finger of blame squarely at "Novartis" for all the 3rd world troubles. Novartis is not by far the worst pharmaceutical company out there;
pfizer - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1517171.stm (pretty disturbing)
johnson&johnson 'a family company' - http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/152/29/
and in gereral - http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/pharma.htm
If you read the original article AlanC explains how the event will help support medical students (who no-doubt will be working for Novartis & promoting THEIR drugs) in developing countries... do you thing a company like Novartis will give the 3rd world a discount on thier drugs - I think not!!!
......personally i dont want to support any pharmaceutical company, and i think i'de by-far prefer to keep my soul than sell it for some picture of me paddlin in some medical mag..... but thats just me
my $0.02 cents.
kmck:
Alan was a member of UCDCC for a short time until he realised that doing a PhD is like getting slowly killed by a thousand paper cuts. The event is a charity event; the rules regarding corporate sponsorship in Ireland are fairly strict. The rules regarding drug advertising are even stricter. This event is just to raise awareness of a medical condition. Nowhere will it be used in advertising for Norvartis beyond word of mouth.
There will be a separate campaign using paddlers that Alan will be involved in. I don't think it has been portrayed fairly, certainly not when it comes to Alan's intentions.
The issue of cheap generic drugs is not a simple one. Companies want to make money; they spend millions/billions in developing a drug, testing it and then brining it to market. Yes there is a whole load of moral issues involved in depriving someone from medication and suing companies who make the generic product.
The question is would you feel that Intel suing a Chinese company for using trademarked chips should be equally hounded for depriving people from a learning resource?
Anyway I think if you are available you should do it. As Skelly said there are very few opportunities to promote the sport on a national scale. If however you really feel strongly about the generic drug issue then educate yourself about both sides of the argument. Then boycott as you see fit.
david:
I've discovered the cause to everyone's problems: Medical students.
With out medical students there'd be no doctors, with out doctors there'd be no pharmasuiticals.
Bex, I'm boycotting the hell out of you!!!!
Ritchie:
"kmck" unfortunately, in the present world we live in, the word "charity" and the wword "pharmaceutical co." don't go hand-in-hand in the same sentence.
Firstly, i dont think its important whether AlanC went to ucd / joined ucdcc or not and the issue isnt over AlanC.
Secondly, i do understand that the day isnt a pubicity stunt for Novartis. The day is to raise awareness and also support med students who will be sent off to set up medical clinics in 3rd world countries.
--> These students will be sent off on behalf of novartis, helping the poverty stricken people but at the same time also promoting Novatris drugs above any other brand (dispite whether their drugs work or not). Thus forming a monopoly in the region/country producing large returns of capital for Novartis <---- this is what i have a problem with
....its similar to pfizer in cork, apparently they'll only accept students from UL if the lecturers there have promoted thier products and drugs
....... plus, this stunt +sponsorship will be several thousands do you really thing a pharmaceutical company will do it as a kind gesture??
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