| Clinical trials are not the same thing as reasonably effective, proven treatment. We are seeing an 80% death rate for people on ventilators. This means when the worst happens, most people die, even with heroic measures and the most advanced technology available. When they have a more reliable means to treat people in serious distress, I think people will be more amenable to easing the lockdown. Until then, it's a big fat fuck you to people in high risk categories. I am hearing that doctors are comparing it to high altitude sickness and trying to come up with a more accurate mental model that may yield more effective treatment than ventilators. I hope that happens rapidly. A big breakthrough in that area, where we know what the hell to do for you when things get really bad, would make a very big difference in this situation. Edit in reply to your edit: I don't think that's at all what is going on. I think I have some idea of what would help. It's mostly not more serious drugs. As a former homemaker, no one much cares what I think. But just as one human to another in a stupid online discussion, I'm all for blaming big pharma for a lot of things, but not this time. |