The Objective Standard Blog

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Socialized Medicine Kills by Don Watkins

Posted by ARI Media at 11:10 pm

A new study that compares international cancer survival rates demonstrates what opponents of socialized medicine have been saying for years: socialized medicine kills.

The study finds that Britain (whose much-touted "universal health care" system is held up by the left as a model for America) has among the lowest cancer survival rates in the West—drastically lower than the United States, which has the world’s highest survival rate.

Researchers attribute Britain’s dismal numbers primarily to late diagnoses and lengthy waiting lists for treatment. But long lines and waiting lists are necessarily endemic under socialized medicine. Just as a "free" grocery store would not be able to keep its shelves stocked, a "free" health care system necessarily lacks sufficient resources to adequately treat all those seeking care. The result is thousands of unnecessary deaths—and millions of grief-stricken families.

Rather than adopt Britain’s deadly socialized health care system, we should end the government interference which is increasing the costs and reducing the quality of U.S. health care, and increase freedom in medicine.

Copyright © 2007 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.

Posted in: Health Care, Individual Rights and Law