Bleeding Out American Citizens - Yash Yagnik

 Yash Yagnik

Professor Horgan

HST 401

12 February 2025

Bleeding Out American Citizens

60% of America has already signed their death warrant, are you next? The American healthcare system, once considered one of the most advanced in the world, has increasingly prioritized profit over patient well-being. Nowhere is this more evident than in the decline of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for crucial medical research and the rise of unregulated pharmaceutical alternatives marketed as solutions to widespread health issues. A 2021 CDC national survey found that 64.8% of adults (18+) reported taking prescription drugs, and a 2023 KFF survey echoed similar results, showing that around 61% of U.S. adults rely on at least one prescription medication. This dependence on medication is no accident, it is the result of a system designed to milk profits rather than cure illnesses. These two examples highlight how corporate interests and government policies have fueled the decline of public trust in the healthcare industry, leaving American citizens financially and physically drained.

One of the most concerning issues is the reduction in NIH funding, which has historically played a pivotal role in groundbreaking medical research. The Trump administration imposed a 15% cap on NIH funding, limiting resources available for critical research projects. This cap has and will significantly hamper efforts to find cures for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other life-threatening conditions. The decreasing trust in NIH’s ability to directly fund research stems from funds being funneled into administrative costs rather than into scientific breakthroughs. Of the $35 billion awarded to grants in 2023, $9 billion (26%) went to “indirect costs,” per the NIH. Without adequate government support, medical research is increasingly reliant on private investors who prioritize profitable treatments over outright cures. This shift leaves patients with expensive, long-term treatment plans rather than permanent solutions, reinforcing the cycle of financial burden within the healthcare industry.

Philip Ball’s article, “How Life Really Works,” offers an insightful look into how scientific funding and research theories influence our understanding of biology and medical treatments. Ball explores the complexities of biological processes, arguing that many solutions within healthcare are oversimplified for commercial viability rather than developed to achieve an understanding of human health. This mirrors the current issue with NIH funding—when financial motives take precedence over scientific integrity, research becomes constrained to projects that are most likely to generate profit rather than those that can lead to groundbreaking advancements in medicine.

Similarly, John Horgan’s column, “Gene-Whiz Science Is Dead. Yay!” critiques the overreliance on genetic determinism in medicine and biotechnology. Horgan argues that our understanding of health should move beyond purely genetic solutions and instead embrace environmental and systemic factors. This perspective aligns with the concern that healthcare funding is often directed toward highly marketable genetic and pharmaceutical solutions rather than preventive and systemic approaches to health along the lines of ayurvedic medicine. As NIH funding is reduced due to suspicious money management, it opens the door for private pharmaceutical companies to showboat their newest products in the most profitable areas, often at the expense of broader, more impactful health solutions.

The rise of profit-driven pharmaceuticals was in full effect as demonstrated in the recent Hims & Hers Super Bowl commercial. The ad began promisingly by acknowledging obesity as a major health crisis but then presented an all but familiar solution: a new range of weight-loss pills and needle-injected drugs. Promoted as life-changing: these pills are not FDA-regulated and essentially function as a "bootleg Ozempic," a diabetes drug repurposed for weight loss. The absence of proper oversight raises serious concerns about safety and effectiveness, yet these products continue to flood the market because they are highly marketable to a gullible American audience that Hims & Hers pointed out is 42% obese. The pharmaceutical industry thrives on creating demand for new, and often unnecessary treatments rather than addressing the root causes of health issues while also blowing through as much money as they can. This approach not only misleads consumers but also endangers public health by promoting untested and potentially harmful substances.

The emergence of these alternative pharmaceuticals demonstrates a shift in healthcare from evidence-based treatments to consumer-driven demand. Unlike regulated medications that undergo rigorous clinical trials, these new drugs bypass traditional oversight by positioning themselves as lifestyle enhancers rather than medical necessities. This allows companies to market their products aggressively while avoiding the scrutiny of government agencies like the FDA. As a result, consumers are left vulnerable to unsafe treatments that prioritize corporate profit over patient health.

The healthcare industry has strayed from its mission to heal and has become a profit-driven enterprise that exploits public health crises for financial gain. Though it may be argued that some companies are trying to better serve the American community by providing the next generation of medicine, the reduction in NIH funding signals a loss of government trust in medical research, while at the same time, private corporations capitalize on the void by pushing unregulated, ineffective treatments. This shift is especially devastating for those who suffer from chronic illnesses, and who face expensive, recurring treatments instead of meaningful cures. These companies market their drugs as if they are guaranteed to save lives, but where desperate citizens see hope, corporations see an opportunity to prey on individuals willing to sacrifice every last penny to their name, selling false promises wrapped in expensive treatments. 

Enforcing stricter pharmaceutical regulations and preventing misleading marketing practices are essential steps in demonstrating that healthcare can prioritize patient well-being over profit. In order to restore faith in healthcare, the U.S. must increase NIH funding, but to achieve this, we must first rebuild trust in a system where confidence is at an all-time low. It’s an interesting catch-22, one that presents you with 2 tough questions: “Who do you trust? And are you willing to bet your life on them?”


Sources:

Ball, Philip. How Life Really Works. Nautilus. https://nautil.us/how-life-really-works-435813/.

Fierce Biotech. "NIH Cuts Biomedical Research Grants, Says Capping Indirect Costs Will Save $4 Billion a Year." Fierce Biotech, 2023. http://fiercebiotech.com/biotech/nih-cuts-biomedical-research-grants-says-capping-indirect-costs-will-save-4-billion-year.

Horgan, John. "Gene-Whiz Science Is Dead. Yay!" Cross-Check, https://johnhorgan.org/cross-check/gene-whiz-science-is-dead-yay.

Mayo Clinic News Network. "Nearly 7 in 10 Americans Take Prescription Drugs, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center Find." Mayo Clinic, 2013. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/nearly-7-in-10-americans-take-prescription-drugs-mayo-clinic-olmsted-medical-center-find.

SingleCare. "What Percentage of the Population Takes Prescription Drugs?" SingleCare, 2024. https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/prescription-drug-statistics.

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. "Prescription Drug Use in America." Georgetown University, https://hpi.georgetown.edu/rxdrugs.

Hims & Hers. "Hims & Hers Super Bowl 2024 Commercial." YouTube, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5l6QMNnqoc.

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