Times Are A Changing

You may have noticed I've not been in the holiday mood nor quite so prolific with posting new entries of late - and this will probably continue for the foreseeable future. I will be trying to comment as much as I can but will probably not be writing as much.

Why?

Things have become rather difficult of late - finances have become squeezed and things at work continue to be slow - the effort required to help keep a small computer consulting firm that focuses on the Pharmaceutical industry, specifically new drug development work, afloat has taken its toll on me both in terms of creative energy and health.

As evidenced with the over 58,000 people being recently laid off by drug companies large (such as Merck and Co., Pfizer, Eli Lily, and Johnson and Johnson) and small, there is a lot cutting back and retrenching going on in the industry. The consultant is usually the first to go and the last one invited back.

And while we desire so many illnesses to be cured "someday", illnesses like Cancer in every form, Alzheimer's disease, and Diabetes, a great many drugs produced today do not cure anything at all. Too many drugs are "take them for life" and "work" by suppressing the symptoms and do nothing at all to address and terminate the underlying cause of the disease. I don't like this situation - I feel these sorts of drugs come from the unspoken market dictate, "we want to sell pills - not cure anyone". I am struggling with the inner confict this has caused me.

The largest growth market for "drug company" consultants like me, at the moment, seems to be assessing, analysing, and figuring out how to take on the ever increasing and ever changing regulatory burdens imposed by the U.S. Government.

This burden is imposed through the governments ever increasing minions at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, The Health Care Financing Administration (Medicare), National Academy of Sciences/Institute of Medicine, the National Cancer Institute and (too) many others.

As with many other US businesses, the productive (i.e., someone that makes something other than paperwork) workforce labors under a multitude of productivity-stifling laws, regulations, and other forms of "official-ese" and as you can see with the examples of GM, Ford, and Chrysler, the cost of this burden may well lead to a company's demise.

Do not misunderstand me, I feel that both drug and job safety as well as job security are very important. Competing with countries with little to no regard for safety or security (e.g., China) however, has become nearly impossible. I guess there is a lot of safety but no security with staying home away from dangers at work because one is unemployed.

Moreover the self-injuring US public speaks when it votes with its wallet - and goes to places like Walmart and buys cheaply made, inexpensive products from China. This seemingly sensible behaviour has severely exacerbated this country's economic woes.

I do understand the feeling that "big business" in the USA needs to be watched - the hunt for the almighty dollar most certainly causes all sorts of bad behaviour. It seems to be wishful thinking that big business will be a "good citizen" just because of some ordinary "innate" desire to do the "right" thing. Unrestrained capitalism has led to over-exploitation at every level including environmental and the workforce.

I find it really ironic that "communist" China is the powerhouse of Capitalism in the world today.

At any rate, my focus over the foreseeable future will be "reinventing" the company for which I work in order to find some business niche(s) that will generate income and failing that, filling in the unemployment forms and filing them. My brother, as the owner of the business does not even have this "luxury" - for him the endgame is working through bankruptcy proceedings. So I am absorbed with helping him avoid this at all practical costs.

I welcome any reasoned and practical suggestion(s). As stressful and strained as the times are - I am blessed with knowing I've support, even if its just in the form of "ineffectual" words. Believe me - you probably will never know just how effective those words of yours may be.