Descartes Meditation One Essays - Epistemology, Ren Descartes

Descartes Meditation One I am going to discuss Descartes Meditation One: Concerning those things that can be called into doubt. I will analyze and explain what Descartes was trying to do, and explain why (In my personal opinion) that this is nothing but a few wordy paragraphs that have no real value or point to them. In Descartes first meditation he discusses that he has come to the conclusion that many of his beliefs and opinions he had as a child are doubtful. Descartes decides that in order to find out the "truths" he must disprove his current "knowledge." Descartes goes about this by trying to disprove the principles that support everything he believes in, using his Method of Doubt. Descartes Method of doubt is his way of doubting everything that has even the slightest possibility of not being fact. Descartes does not necessarily doubt everything that he brings up. Descartes does believe that whatever can not be doubted for the slightest reason must be true. For that reason is why I think that his argument is weak, and I will explain later why I think that this is the case. Descartes spends meditation one trying to disprove his fundamental beliefs. First Descartes doubts that he can trust his senses because they are occasionally wrong. An example of this are a longed haired man may look like a woman from far away. Descartes then states that there are no definitive signs for him to tell weather he is awake or asleep. Since he cannot trust his senses he concludes that there is no way to determine whether he is awake or asleep. But he admits that there are certain "truths" that are consistent weather he is awake or asleep. For instance two plus three equals five, and that a square has four sides in his sleep, and while conscious. To disprove these beliefs Descartes abandons the idea of a supremely good God like he has believed in all his life and brings up the argument that God is an all powerful, all clever evil genius who's entire purpose is to deceive Descartes. With these three arguments, each larger than the next, Descartes is satisfied that he has adequately disproved the previous argument. Since he has done this he is now ready to lay down a new foundation of knowledge and find the "truth." This passage reminds me of the movie "The Matrix", in that God acts as the computers did in the Matrix. Descartes is trying to free his mind as Neo had to do because the computers only let Neo see what they wanted him to by altering his senses, just like Descartes believes God is doing to him. The reason why I don't particularly like this essay by Descartes is because I feel that his argument is weak and ridiculous at the same time. Descartes claims, or at least says for purpose of argument that in order to find the real truth he must not trust anything that he was taught or knows because his senses deceive him. Fine lets assume that our senses do deceive us, and that there really is a big, all powerful, evil genius of a God. It would be impossible to ever find out the truth and thats what bothers me about this argument. Our senses deceive us. Everything we see, taste, smell, hear and feel are all false. If this were the case it would be impossible to ever find out the"truth" because every piece of information and every belief, thought, and emotion comes from one of our senses. And if on top of that, if God was all powerful and deceiving there would be absolutely nothing we could to obtain the truth. Something that is all powerful, has control over every thought, belief and idea that we have. And if Descartes believes this then he must believe that this deceiving God is putting the idea in his brain that if he ignores his senses he will obtain truth. If his God is deceiving and all powerful then he will never discover truth. Descartes tries an alternative way to look at reality, the initial idea and the concept as a whole (looking at reality from a different perspective) is a very interesting one. But the way he goes about explaining it was not particularly impressive. There are just too many holes in his explanation and he constantly contradicts himself and his points seem to work against themselves, as opposed to supporting his hypothesis. I also am

Economics1 essays

Economics1 essays The aim of this essay is not to agree with or refute the statement made by Douglass North. The purpose of this essay is to identify the key points of the statement and discuss with relation to the institutional evolution in the Australian financial and labour Markets. With this, it will attempt to conclude whether the statement has a relevance to the evolution of the financial and labour markets. The passage, taken from Norths paper Institutions has a relevance to Australias Financial and Labour Markets. Its relevance can be shown by analysing the key points of the statement. These being, institutions are humanly devised, institutions provide constraints to the market, institutions provide economic incentives and institutional change leads an economy towards its success or failure. Norths statement regards Institutions as being humanly devised . Institutions are devised for the purpose of protecting the various groups effected by the market. This is done by imposing corrections on a market ( subject to failure). A market failure occurs when the market is unable to determine the use and allocation of resources in a way society most desires. ( Kirkwood, Cronk, Swiericzuk intervention in a market occurs due to imperfections in the market and is an attempt at ammending such imperfections. The key institution within the financial system is the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). In January 1960, legislation was passed to create the RBA, hiving off the central banking functions of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). The induction of the RBA in1960 was due to growing concern from the private banking sector of a commercial bank maintaining the functions of a central bank (Lewis ensure that monetary and banking policy of the bank is directed to the greatest advantage of the ...

Career Aspirations and Reflection on Skills Development Essay

Career Aspirations and Reflection on Skills Development - Essay Example This paper examines the author’s long term career plan as to be able to open and establish his own string of SPA and Wellness Centers in London. The researcher envisions himself as a successful entrepreneur, managing and operating not only one, but several shops, even to the point of offering low cost franchise for those who have aspirations to attain financial freedom and stability through opening their own business. To accomplish this dream, the researcher sees himself building the necessary resources to open his own business in the city. Apart from the financial requirements, he also has to be equipped to establish and oversee his own SPA and Wellness Centre. So the author could be trained thoroughly in business management, his medium term goal is to be able obtain a management position as an Operations Manager in one of the top SPA and Wellness Centers in London. The researcher’s first step towards achieving these goals is first, to obtain his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Business Management. The researcher considers this his short term career goal, as this will serve as his stepping stone towards his dreams. The author is now juggling both his studies and a job within the same industry, which to him, are perfect training grounds both in his chosen field of studies and his personal development as well. A SPA and Wellness Business Manager should have excellent leadership skills, superior people skills and extensive knowledge on the SPA business. Successful careers are deemed not to be based on academic qualifications alone, but more importantly, on the person’s ability to demonstrate strong leadership skills in the workplace (MIB – Master of International Business in Hotel, Resort and Spa Management 2011). In this sense, I must be able to develop strength in character, and solid decision making skills to I could eventually lead my own team towards a prosperous business venture. Leadership skills are essentially the ability to motivate a group of people towards particular goals (Leadership 2011). I would only be able to do this if people have reasons to look up to me. The SPA and Wellness business is lucrative business, which has gained immense popularity on the global front simply because of the growing interest in holistic wellness. More than going to the doctor for treatment of particular diseases, people have embraced the concept of prevention. Release from tension and stress allows us to become healthy individuals (Spas and the Global Wellness Market: Synergies and Opportunities 2011). Just like any other industry, the trends are evolving. Technology plays a big part in the development of this segment. And so to be able to be an effective SPA and Wellness Manager, I must be constantly in touch with the developments on a global level. I must know, understand and more importantly, enjoy the specifics of this business to succeed. People skills are one of the most important qualities that a SPA and Wellness Business Manage should have. The Wellness industry is a service-oriented vocation. The products are all about pleasing people and giving them good levels of health and wellness services. There should be a strong connection between the service providers and the customers. The people behind this service should be able to understand the demands of the market and be able to come up with ways to deliver

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 15

Interview - Essay Example The interview perused on issues relating to team management for instance, how I ever managed a team project in the past, difficulties I encountered, decisions I undertook, how I managed the group members, how I met deadlines, and organized the team to work as one. In preparation of the team building questions will give me confidence when going for the interview. I also believe that there are a number of questions which I did not find relevant in the mock exam, for instance, the question asking about situations when I missed deadlines while carrying projects and what I could have done different. I believe such a question is irrelevant in this content. I felt more prepared when questions relating to goals was asked. Ever since I was a young person, I had always been taught about the value of always planning ahead, through having short and long term goals. In addition, I was more prepared when it came to team project management issues since I had experience with it. In school, we used to be grouped in groups of 8 and each group accorded group leader in rotation for each task. As a group leader and project manager, I managed to get some skills in relation to how to make a team stronger and more focused. I felt least prepared in the question which talked about describing some aspects about the company, since i had not research about it well. I also found the question about the most difficult course that I took in school absurd, because I found all to be equally easy. I learnt a lot about myself after the mock interview. I realized that I had a lot to learn and prepare for the real exam. First of all, I realized I would get an average or a fail based on the level of prepared at the mock interview. In order to score highly for the real interview with the company, means I have to prepare well. I also realized the value of being prepared all round as some questions are not directly related to class work, but come as practical examples, like for

Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Education - Assignment Example Additionally, Rose indicates that her mother is intelligent an aspect that is indicated by how she sequences and groups her task. Additionally, the mother was in a position to handle problems that occur among the workers or during the working process (Mackintosh 25). Another issue that depicts the level of intelligence possessed by mother is that she was able to analyze the mood of the workers, customers as well as those of the managers. In this way, she was able to create positive working relationship with all stakeholders. Joe Meraglio is also intelligent. Despite having left the school in the ninth grade, Mike Rose indicates that Joe is able to handle new problems regardless of their nature. In addition, Joe is able to come up with new products that make the working process in the plant to be smooth. For example, through redesigning of the nozzle, Joe was able to eliminate the high costs be incurred by the plant while at the same time ending the unhealthy spray. Another theme that is covered by Mike Rose is education. As indicated by the author, college education changed his life. Through his 40 years in the teaching career, Mike indicates that his experience is not all that unusual. Despite that Mike’s mother was not extensively educated, Mike indicates that he was able to get adequate education even though his academic record was dreary at the initial stages. As indicated by the book, formal education results to intelligence that makes individuals to handle various problems. One of the key benefits of education is that it results to economic development. For example, individuals who are educated are in a position to know how the machines they are working with operates. As noted by the Mike Rose. Joe is a good instructor but he is not aware of how the machines in his plant operate even though he is able to effectively work with them (Blue Collar Brilliance 3). The author indicates that for those people who are

Generics Medicines Regulation Comparison

Generics Medicines Regulation Comparison Chapter 1 Executive Summary This research will look at the adoption of generic medicines in specific three countries in Europe (The Netherlands, Poland and Portugal). These three countries have a significant difference in adoption; the reasons for this adoption difference can be explained by several regulations which are implemented by these countries. In previous research it is proven that regulations have a direct effect on the adoption however, this research will have a closer look which regulations in specific are important to stimulate generic medicines in the market. Results show that too much regulation around the entry of generic medicines in the market will lead to slow growth adoption in the market compared to countries which adopt less regulation. Recommendations to stimulate the generic medicines in the market will be presented in the last chapter. The problem background A lot of research has been done on the introduction of generic medicines. Examples include the obstacles to generic substitution in Sweden (Anderesson et al. 2005) and the use of generic medicines and the implications for the pharmaceutical market (King Kanavos, 2002). However, there is limited cross-country research examining the relationship between the implementation of regulation, the effects of incentives given to pharmacies and physicians and consecutive adoption of generic medicines. The available research is limited to one of these elements, there has not been made a direct consideration between these elements which influence the adoption of generic medicines. In 1995 the European Medicine Evaluation Agency (EMEA) offers a EU- wide authorization process which replaced the ongoing single authorization process of each country separately, this means that regulation is harmonized regarding the entry of generic medicines The EMEA will approve the generic entry of a medicine before it can be presented on the European pharmaceutical market. This centralized procedure has decreased the approval delays for generic medicines in the EU resulting in the fact that patent regulation and approval procedures for medicines no longer have a large effect on the development of generics (Danzon, et al. 2003). National regulation still has an impact concerning price and reimbursement approval which has to be authorized by national authorities. Moreover, it is examined that generics have had more success in countries with more flexible pricing policies (Garattini Tediosi, 2000) and previous research has shown that the prescription of generic medicines is dependent on the incentives given to pharmacist, and other parties (Hellerstein, 1998). However, with recent reforms in the national regulation systems across European countries, flexible generic pricing policies and incentives given by the national governments are no longer the main determinants of successful entry of generics on the market. Obligatory generic substitution systems and other regulations implemented by European governments have become at dominant factor in explaining the adoption of generic medicines as a consequence that incentives for physicians, pharmacists and patient have decreased due to the obligatory system (Timonen, et al. 2009). This thesis gives an overview of the relation between the adoption of generic medicines and the regulation in three European countries: The Netherlands, Portugal and Poland. These countries are chosen because they have different implementations in regulation concerning generics and the adoption rate in these countries differs significantly. Recommendations for European countries and a conclusion about the most effective method to increase the use of generic medicines in relation with regulation will be exposed. The problem statement The differences among three countries; (The Netherlands, Portugal and Poland), concerning the adoption of generic medicines in relation with regulation and influencing incentives in these European countries. The motive to present these specific three countries is resulting from the fact that the adoption level of generic medicines differs significantly. Therefore a clear image can be provided between the differences of adoption connected with the accompanying regulation adopted in that country concerning generic medicines Dependent variable: adoption of generic medicines Independent variable 1: regulation of generics medicines Research Questions Research question 1: What are the differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines among the Netherlands, Portugal Poland? Research question 2: What is the role of these regulations on the adoption of generics? Relevance The thesis should give European countries and in particular public policy makers, a clear image on the effects incentives can have concerning the adoption of generic when prescribing these medicines, and which type of regulation is the most effective for the increase in adoption of generics. Managerial perspective The prescription of generic medicines is intensively regulated. This results in many implications for pharmaceutical companies especially, concerning the implementation of generic medicines in the market. Considering, the fact that the regulation of the prescription of generic medicines has a direct effect on the use of generic medicines. Therefore the adoption level for generic medicines is likely to change when the regulation changes. Pricing strategies for pharmaceutical companies have a diminishing effect due to the strict pricing regulation implemented by public policy makers. Branding strategies are also complicated to implement in the pharmaceutical industry because of the many regulations adopted. However, branding strategies are very important; they can strengthen the bond between the buyer and the seller (Blackett Robins, 2001). Pharmaceutical companies have to make important decisions regarding the implementation of the generic medicines in the market. They should be aware of all regulation to be able to compete in the pharmaceutical industry. Academic perspective Country-specific results have been presented in several papers how regulation influences the use and adoption of generic medicines. However, a cross-country research on the effects of regulations implemented, in relation to the adoption of generic medicines. More specifically, the effects of incentives, given by policy makers, to pharmaceutical companies and the accompanying marketing strategies implemented by pharmaceutical companies, have not been examined earlier. Overview of the Rest of the Chapters Chapter 2: This chapter gives an overview on the question: What are the differences in adoption of generic medicines between the Netherlands, Portugal and Poland? These three countries will be investigated carefully; previous literature studies will give a clear image about the actual adoption of generic medicines in these countries. Background information will be presented to understand the structure of the chosen countries and the differences in adoption. Chapter 3: Data will be gathered to come to an answer to the research question 1: What are the differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines among the Netherlands, Portugal Poland? Chapter 4: Chapter four will explain the role of regulation on the adoption rate of generic medicines (research question 2). Chapter5: Public policy makers are in general in favour of increasing the use of generic medicines, because of the market advantages. Chapter 5 will give an overview of the most effective policy which is used among the three countries presented earlier in the thesis. Further recommendation to the public policy makers and limitations of the research will be dealt with in this chapter. A conclusion of this research will be presented. Chapter 2: differences in adoption of generic medicines This chapter will give an answer to the differences concerning the adoption of generic medicines between the Netherlands, PortugalandPoland. The level of generic medicine adoption differs significantly across Europe. This chapter will have a look at these differences and the resulting factors that have lead to these differences in adoption. Other implications such as different policy regulations and incentives given to pharmacist by the policy makers will be dealt with in chapter 3. They will be dealt whit in a separate chapter because they are dominant factors in the adoption of generic medicines. A distinction can be made between mature generic markets and developing generic markets (Simoens, 2009). The level of adoption of generic medicines in these countries differs from less than 10 per cent to more than 40 per cent. The share value in the market for generic medicines is 8.8 per cent for the Portugal, 19.8 per cent in the Netherlands and Poland ranks the top with 65.2 per cent (â€Å"A Review on the European†, n.d.). Comparing these figures with other European countries, Portugal falls in the lower range of adoption and Poland is situated in the upper range of the adoption level of generic medicines in their market. According to Simoens and Coster, (2006), Poland and the Netherlands are seen as mature generic markets in Europe, while Portugal is seen as a developing market. There are several factors (historical background and cultural elements), which have influenced the adoption rate of generic medicines in these countries. Clarifications of these elements are stated below. Historical background An explanation for the differences in adoption of generic medicines can partially be explained by the historical differences between the Netherlands, Portugal and Poland. In Western Europe, pricing and reimbursement policies naturally developed as an evolutionary economic process. However, this was not the case for Central and Eastern Europe states (CEE) which are now members of the EU. These CEE countries used to have a socialistic type of economy, and after the fall of the Berlin wall (1989) many of those countries faced political and economic bankruptcy. Large-scale reform was necessary in every single sector to guarantee their economical and political well being. The health care system was also a part of this sector and even today, ongoing reforms are taking place. There is still a lot that has to be done in the CEE countries, specifically within the health care system. Hospital decentralization, modernization and privatization and pricing and reimbursement policies are some examples of areas where further development is preferred (Kazakov, 2007). These necessary reforms and changes are also applicable to Poland. The Netherlands and Portugal do not suffer from these reforms, due to fact of not having a communistic history. Another implication of this socialist history is the fact that Poland was already used to adopt generic medicines, as brand medicines were not available in these countries due the absence of product patents until early 1990s (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Cultural elements Cultural sensitivity is one of the most widely accepted principles among public health (Resnicow, et all. 2000). According to Resnicow (2000), cultural sensitivity indicates â€Å"The extent to which ethnic/cultural characteristics, experiences, norms, values, behavioral patterns, and beliefs of a target population as well as relevant historical, environmental, and social forces are incorporated in the design, delivery, and evaluation of targeted health promotion materials and programs† (page 272). The relation between the pharmacist and the pharmaceutical representative can have a huge impact on the prescription of medicines and therefore on the adoption of generic medicines. Historical developments in Poland have created a positive attitude towards prescribing generic medicines, as prescribing generic medicines has been a common practice in Poland until the early 1990s. In the Netherlands, on the other hand, generic substitution is more driven by the pharmacist (Simoens de Coster, 2006). On average a pharmaceutical company will spend twice as much on marketing to the pharmacist and the public than on research and development (Zipkin, et all. 2005). A more detailed view about the adoption rate of generic medicines concerned the three countries (the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal) are presented below: The Netherlands The Dutch generic market has grown rapidly over time; public expenditure has increased from 185 million euro in 1994, resulting in a market share value of 8.5 per cent. In 2004 the market share has increased to 17.7 per cent; this means that the value has almost doubled. The market share increased also dramatically from 19.9 per cent in 1994 to 44.3 percent in 2004 (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Results from an EGA survey conducted in 2007; show that the market share of generic medicines has increased to more than 50 per cent (see figure 2 and 3 in appendix B). Poland Due to historical implications mentioned before, Poland has a very mature generic market. In 2006 the market shares of Poland were 60 per cent by value and close to 80 per cent by volume (see figure 2 and 3 in appendix B). Portugal In the 1990s the generic medicines adoption in Portugal did not exceed more than 1 per cent. An introduction in the generic policy in the year 2000 caused for an increase in market share of 8 per cent measured until 2004. An explanation of the generic policy will be provided in chapter 3 (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Recent results from an EGA survey implemented in 2007 show that the market share has slightly increased to almost 10 per cent (see figure 2 and 3 in appendix B). Chapter 3: differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines What are the differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines among the Netherlands, Portugal Poland? There are several domains in regulation which will eventually influence the structure of the market and determine how the pharmaceutical companies can operate most effectively in this pharmaceutical market. This thesis presents the most important domains where regulations are implemented; market authorisation, pricing, incentives, and marketing implications. Market authorisation In Europe, the process regarding market authorisation is very complex. Market access for generic medicines may differ from country to country; this holds there is little transparency regarding the entry of generic medicines in Europe. A pharmaceutical company may receive market authorisation to enter the market in a specific country. However, other regulations regarding the reimbursement and price of the generic product still need to be determined by the government. This means the process, concerning the entry of the generic medicine, can be delayed up to three times (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.). The EU directive was introduced to create a better system regarding the entry of generic medicines in Europe. There is a transparency directive, 89/105/EEC, which specifies that there is a 90 day limit regarding the reimbursement and pricing decision. However, the time delays vary from country to country (Garattini Tediosi, 2000). The table below (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.) gives an overview of the times delays per country for price approval to enter the market. With respect to the countries in this thesis, the table above (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.). shows the following: Poland does not have a time delay because the pricing and reimbursement approvals are granted together with the market authorisation of the generic medicines. In the Netherlands, we can see a delay of between 10 and 15 days which could be defined as a relatively efficient time to approval compared to other countries in Europe. Portugal is very inefficient with the entry of the generic medicines, the status of pricing and reimbursement will only be given after a 90-day delay (â€Å"A Review on the European†, n.d.). Pricing Price regulations are only applicable when the generic medicines will be reimbursed. The most effective regulation is a price restriction on the maximum reimbursement of that specific medicine or a maximum price that pharmaceutical companies may charge the medicine users (Danzon Keuffel, 2007). Most European countries, including the countries in this study, have introduced a reference price system. A reference price system entails that there are regulations which will restrict the reimbursement level of generic medicines, but that the price of the generic medicines itself will be uncontrolled. Under the reference price system, groups are clustered into certain reimbursement level, based either on the same compound or different compounds but with the same mode of action or with a similar name. All products that are placed in the same group are reimbursed at the same price per daily dose, which is also called the reference price. In general, the reference price in a group will be set at the level of the cheapest medicine or the median in that group. If pharmaceutical manufacturers price their product above the reference price, the user of the generic medicines needs to pay the outstanding amount above the reference price. There are two different pricing systems in Europe: a generic free pricing system and a generic price-regulated system. Both systems determine the degree of adoption of generic medicines. In a generic free pricing system companies can decide on the height of the price of a new generic medicine introduced in the market themselves, in contrary to a price regulated system (Simoens, 2010). The reference pricing system has three levels of implementation, the higher the level of the system is, the more the prices are regulated. Poland has a low reference pricing system, the Netherlands could be defined as a medium reference pricing system and Portugal uses a high reference pricing system. As presented in the table below (Bongers Carradinha, 2009), one can see which European countries fall in a regulated price system and have no free pricing system. Consumer implications The patients themselves (the demand side) play an important role in the prescription of generic medicines. Physicians and pharmacists and other contributing parties will prescribe generic medicines to reduce the costs for the payer, which is in this case the consumer of the medicine. Patient co-payment Pricing and reimbursement systems play a role for the patient. The patient will contribute to the financing of the health care system, in particular with the co-payment arrangement. This is a common practice in all European countries (with the exception of Malta), but the implementation of co-payment differs significantly across countries. Nevertheless, in all countries that employ a co-payment arrangement a financial contribution is made by the medicine user. Patient co-payment arrangements can strongly influence the end decision of the patient on which medicines to take (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.). The reimbursement of generic medicines is taken care of through an insurance model; however the co-payment arrangement is based on a percentage of the cost of the medicine (Kazakov, 2007). Pricing regulation related to the countries in the thesis; The Netherlands uses an enforcing pricing regulation, which sets a maximum for the pricing of medicines. In 1996, this system was implemented. In general, it led to a decrease of 15 per cent of the average medicine price in the market (Simoens de Coster, 2006). However, the prices of generic medicines in the Netherlands still tended to be higher compared to other EU countries. Mediation in short-term pricing strategies such as implementing similar pricing systems, have increased and stimulated the share in the markets for generic medicines, where competition already existed (Bongers Carradinha, 2009). Polish medicine prices tend to be lower compared to other EU countries. They work with a price regulated system for generic medicines. The pharmaceutical companies want to be absorbed in the reimbursement list for medicines. The reference price in Poland is set just below or just above the cheapest generic medicines in the Polish market (Simoens, 2009). Pharmaceutical companies may price their product above the reference price, taking into account that as a result they will not be placed on the reimbursement list (Kazakov, 2007). Portugal established a regulation which says that the minimum price difference of generic medicines and brand medicines should be a least 35 per cent in 2001. In 2005 Portugal agreed to reduce the overall medicine prices by 6 per cent. Of that 6 per cent 4.17 per cent had to be reduced by the pharmaceutical company and the other 1.93 per cent had to be reduced by the wholesalers and pharmacists. The reference price system was introduced in 2003 where the reference price was set at the level of the most expensive generic medicine (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Despite the fact Portugal has a developed market, the market share concerning generic medicines is still relatively low compared to other countries in Europe. Regardless, of the fact that companies producing generic medicines provide affordable treatments to patients, other savings can only be achieved if government supply side policy initiatives are designed to increase the competitiveness of generic medicines in the market (Bongers Carradinha, 2009). Incentives To establish a generic medicine market, the supply side (pricing system) needs to be supplemented by demand side policies which create incentives for physicians, pharmacists, and patients to use generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). The Netherlands Instruments to promote generic medicines have been in place for a long time and have been widely accepted in the Netherlands (Vogler Schmickl, 2010). Incentives for physicians The Dutch government has stimulated physicians to prescribe generic medicines, which is supported by an electronic prescription system. In the Netherlands it is customary to develop and implement guidelines and treatment protocols on how to prescribe generic medicines in order to efficiently increase the adoption of generic medicines. An important feature is that there are no sanctions for physicians who do not prescribe generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for pharmacists Generic substitution is allowed for the pharmacist when the physician and the patient agree with it, however, it could be indicated by the physician that generic substitution is not permitted due to health reasons. This means that when a branded drugs patent has expired pharmacists are allowed to distribute a generic substitution unless indicated otherwise by the physician. Health insurers have also agreed upon several targets for the pharmacist in distributing generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Generic substitution has been connected to financial incentives for the pharmacist for a long time, however these incentives have been abolished since 2004. Nevertheless, the adoption in the market of generic substitution has not decreased (Vogler Schmickl, 2010). Incentives for the patients In the Netherlands the patients do not have a financial incentive to buy generic medicines because there are no patient co-payments arrangements. Nevertheless, patients do have to pay the outstanding amount when the price of the medicines is above the reference price, which is set by the government (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Poland Incentives for physicians Physicians are not intensively encouraged to prescribe generic medicines. Due to the historical background physicians are already accustomed with the use and prescription of generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for pharmacist Generic substitution is allowed by pharmacists; whenever a branded drug is prescribed a pharmacist may replace this by a generic substitution. Pharmacists are obliged to inform the patients about the generic substitution. Price reductions implemented by pharmaceutical companies encourage pharmacists to prescribe generic medicines (Simoens, 2009). Incentives for the patient There are four levels of reimbursement for the patient. The first level includes a fixed amount per prescription which will be reimbursed when these are essential medicines. The second and third level consist of supplementary medicines which will be charged to the patient through the co-patient system. The patients have to pay 30 to 50 per cent themselves. The fourth level holds that other prescribed medicines which are not on the reimbursement list will be fully paid by the medicine user (the patient). However, initiatives to inform the patients about generic medicines have not been presented (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Portugal Incentives for physicians In 2002, a regulation was implemented in Portugal which formulated that from that moment on physicians would be obliged to prescribe a generic medicine if possible. However, physicians and pharmacists are free to add brand medicines to prescriptions that include more than one medicine, of which at least one is generic. The physicians are to inform the patient about other generic medicines and the accompanying price differences. Even though guidelines are available, the system has not been fully implemented. An explanation for this is that the physicians and the pharmacists are neither being rewarded for prescribing, nor being punished when not prescribing generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for pharmacists Physicians can indicate whether they permit generic substitution on the prescription form. In the cases that generic substitution is allowed by the physician, the pharmacists have to prescribe the cheapest generic medicines available. Pharmacists do not have any financial incentive to prescribe generic medicines as the generic margins for pharmacists have been dramatically low since the introduction of the regulation in 2005 (the overall reduction of generic medicines prices) (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for patients Portugal has 5 different levels of reimbursement. In the first level 100 per cent of the medicine will be reimbursed when they are classified as life saving. The second level holds that 95 per cent of the medicines will be reimbursed, the third level holds 70 per cent, the fourth level 40 per cent, and the fifth level holds a percentage of 20 per cent. Patients with a low income will receive a 15 per cent additional compensation on the stated reimbursement level. Until 2005, patients were rewarded with a 10 per cent additional reimbursement when they asked for a generic substitution. However, with the abolishment of the reward system of 10 per cent, the patient will now only receive a price reduction of 6 per cent for the use of generic medicines. The patient does not have an incentive but rather a discouraging effect to use generic medicines. Nevertheless, pro-generic campaigns have been introduced by the government since 2006; the effects of these campaigns are not yet clear (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Previous research shows that the patient co-payment arrangement in Poland and Portugal plays a visible role in stimulating the use and adoption for generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). For an overall overview of the regulation implemented across these three countries a table is presented below. Marketing implications A generic medicine should appear under the international non-proprietary name (INN). This entails, that a generic medicine should be marketed without a commercial brand name but in fact, three categories there can be distinguished; branded generics (copies of generic medicines with their own brand name), semi-branded generics (products marketed under the INN following the name of the manufacturer of the medicines) and medicines marketed under INN (Garattini Tediosi, 2000). The EU directive 65/65/EEC was established, to approve marketing of a drug. An allowance for introducing a generic medicine and detailing these medicines should be supported by several data available of the generic medicines (for example clinical data.) There are a lot of restrictions concerning advertisements and promotion activities of pharmaceutical products. These are presented by the The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (2004) .Together with price regulation, advertising plays an important role in the pharmaceutical market. In general patients are uninformed about the most effective and available treatments, they depend on the diagnosis and treatment suggestion from the physician. Since the physician will prescribe the medicine it can be stated that they will directly affect the extent of competition between different treatments and medicines available. Therefore it not remarkable that the physician is the target of huge advertisement campaigns and that detailing in the pharmaceutical industry is mainly focused on physicians (Kà ¶nigbauer, 2006). The volume of detailing in the pharmaceutical market depends on several factors such as: the prevalence of the disease, the amount of competition for the medicine, the number of physicians who might prescribe the generic medicines, and like any other product in a market, taking into account the product life cycle of the product (Berndt, et al 2007). Chapter 4 What is the role of these regulations on the adoption of generics? Market authorisation Approval of generic medicines The success of a gene

Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia in Beetal Goats Essay -- Health, Ou

Abstract Seroprevalence, clinical findings and lesions of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) in Beetal goats were recorded during an outbreak. The overall seroprevalence of CCPP was 32.50%. Confirmation of Mycoplasma mycoides in serum was carried out using counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) technique. The highest CIE positive cases were recorded in the older goats (51.72%) as compared to young ones. Nasal swabs were collected from 39 goats showing respiratory signs were found positive for Mycoplasma. The most and consistent clinical findings were mild to severe cough, purulent nasal secretion, emaciation, dysponea, increased respiration rate and pyrexia. Mortality due to CCPP was 9.17%. Consolidation of lungs exhibited the highest frequency (100%) followed by alveolar exudation (90.90%) and pleural adhesion (72.72%). Among the microscopic lesions, septal peribronchiolar fibrosis exhibited the highest frequency (81.81%) followed by fibrious pleuritis (63.63%) and peribronchio lar cuffing of mononuclear cells (54.54%) in lungs. From these results, it can be concluded that contagious caprine pleuropneumonia under subtropical conditions has great prevalence in Beetal goats and leads to significant mortality. Keywords: Beetal goat . Pakistan. CCPP . Seroprevalence . Pathology Introduction At present, there are 58.3 million goats in Pakistan and their population is increasing at the rate of more than 3% per annum (Afzal, 2010). Pakistan is the third largest goat producing country in the world after China and India. The goat farming in Pakistan is threatened by the prevalence of many infectious and non infectious diseases. Among the infectious disease, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia is a major threat to goat population... ...us pleuropneumonia in the acute stage were also observed in sheep (Momani et al. 2006). Similar lesion were also reported in animal suffering with CCPP from a longer duration exhibited chronic pleuropneumonia or chronic pleuritis (Gelagay et al. 2007). Histopathologically lungs tissue showed mucopurulent to fibrinopurulent exudates accumulation in the aveoli, septal peribronchiolar fibrosis, dilated hyperplastic bronchi, alveolar exudates was dominated by macrophages and with a variable component of neutrophils, and pulmonary fibrosis peribronchiolar mononuclear cuffing were also observed in present study. Similar histopathological changes with lesser intensity were also reported in sheep and goats (Goncalves et al. 2010). Clinico-pathological findings and seroprevalence of disease provided evidence and the presence of CCPP in beetle goats in district Faisalabad.

Betrayal: Best Friend

Being betrayed by your best friend is one of the most difficult things you might have to deal with. I suppose that I wouldn't really know anything about that due to never considering myself as my best friend. I guess the worst betrayal one can go through is betraying yourself. I have gone through that many times, it's awful and it hurts when it does happen. You never think that you can actually hurt yourself so terribly that it would affect your life until it happens. I've learned over the past years that you cannot sit there and think that you have a best friend unless you realize that you are your own best friend. You have to learn to love and trust yourself before you can love and put trust in a â€Å"best friend†. So I've recognized that the people I thought were my best friends throughout these years were actually just people I was associated with, acquaintances. This also shows how you can not rely on people. You always find something new about that person and some may never show their true colors. Some people may think that you can't be best friends with yourself but if you love and trust yourself you can. This is actually a good thing, it teaches you to love and care for yourself; depend on yourself and to make sure that you don't have to depend on others for advice when really you can solve the problem yourself. When I did I realized how dreadful awful I betrayed myself and also the people around me I saw how much it hurt. I told myself that I would never do it again and that I needed to learn to love myself so I could grow up and acquire a best friend the right way. One may trying to do best by not treating themselves that way anymore and to straighten up completely make sure you don't betray myself anymore. I feel that it's a lot more harmful a person to betray themselves than it is to betray another person. I have also learned that not everyone feels the same way as you, there for do not know how bad they hurt you. Most teenagers seem to think lacking empathy makes them â€Å"cool. â€Å"

Show, Dont Tell The Simple Guide for Writers

Show, Dont Tell The Simple Guide for Writers Show, Dont Tell: What You Need to Know You’ve heard it a thousand times from writing mentors, and you’ll hear it a thousand times more: Show, don’t tell. But what does it mean? If you struggle with the difference between showing vs. telling, you’re not alone. Once you’ve got it, it seems simple. But until you do, this maxim causes as many questions as anything in the writing world.    Is it really that important? You bet it is. If you want your writing noticed by a publisher or an agent- and for the right reasons- it’s vital you master the art of showing. So let’s see if I can solidify the concept in your mind right here, right now. I want to supercharge your showing vs. telling radar- and make it simple. Need help fine-tuning your writing?  Click here to download my free self-editing checklist. The Difference Between Showing vs. Telling When you tell rather than show, you simply inform your reader of information rather than allowing him to deduce anything. You’re supplying information by simply stating it. You might report that a character is â€Å"tall,† or â€Å"angry,† or â€Å"cold,† or â€Å"tired.† That’s telling. Showing would paint a picture the reader could see in her mind’s eye. If your character is tall, your reader can deduce that because you mention others looking up when they talk with him. Or he has to duck to get through a door. Or when posing for a photo, he has to bend his knees to keep his head in proximity of others. Rather than telling that your character is angry, show it by describing his face flushing, his throat tightening, his voice rising, his slamming a fist on the table. When you show, you don’t have to tell. Cold? Don’t tell me; show me. Your character pulls her collar up, tightens her scarf, shoves her hands deep into her pockets, turns her face away from the biting wind. Tired? He can yawn, groan, stretch. His eyes can look puffy. His shoulders could slump. Another character might say, â€Å"Didn’t you sleep last night? You look shot.† When you show rather than tell, you make the reader part of the experience. Rather than having everything simply imparted to him, he sees it in his mind and comes to the conclusions you want. What could be better than engaging your reader- giving him an active role in the storytelling- or should I say the story-showing? Show, Dont Tell Examples Telling: When they embraced she could tell he had been smoking and was scared. Showing: When she wrapped her arms around him, the sweet staleness of tobacco enveloped her, and he was shivering. Telling: The temperature fell and the ice reflected the sun. Showing: Bills nose burned in the frigid air, and he squinted against the sun reflecting off the street. Telling: Suzie was blind. Showing: Suzie felt for the bench with a white cane. Telling: It was late fall. Showing: Leaves crunched beneath his feet. Telling: She was a plumber and asked where the bathroom was. Showing: She wore coveralls carried a plunger and metal toolbox, and wrenches of various sizes hung from a leather belt around her waist. â€Å"Point me to the head,† she said. Telling: I had a great conversation with Tim over dinner and loved hearing his stories. Showing: I barely touched my food, riveted by Tim. â€Å"Let me tell you another story,† he said. Is Telling Ever Acceptable? Yes, it’s a mistake to take show, don’t tell as inviolable. While summary narrative is largely frowned upon, sometimes it’s a prudent choice. If there’s no value to the plot/tension/conflict/character arc by showing some mundane but necessary information, telling is preferable. For instance, say you have to get your character to an important meeting and back, before the real action happens. Maybe he has to get clearance from his superiors before he can lead a secret raid. Rather than investing several pages showing every aspect of the trip from packing, dressing, getting a cab to the airport, going through security, boarding the plane, arriving at his destination- you quickly tell that this way: Three days later, after a trip to Washington to get the operation sanctioned by his superiors, Casey packed his weapons and camo clothes and set out to recruit his crew. Then you immediately return to showing mode, describing his visits to trusted compatriots and getting them on board. Why the Book Is Usually Better Than the Movie    The theater of the reader’s mind is more powerful than anything Hollywood can put on the screen. Well-written books trigger the theater of the mind and allow readers to create their own visual. Your writing can do the same if you master showing rather than telling. Need help fine-tuning your writing?  Click here to download my free self-editing checklist. Have another question about showing vs. telling? Ask me in the comments.

How Geographic Differences Influenced American Artists essays

How Geographic Differences Influenced American Artists essays How Geographic Differences Influenced American Artists Grant Wood and Fredric Remington were both American artist who painted on oil and canvas during the early part of the twentieth century. Grant Wood is best known for depicting American farmers during the 1930s. Fredric Remington is best know for painting the American West during the late ninetieth and early twentieth centuries. Their subject matters and painting techniques are vastly different. The oil on canvas painting Parson Weems Fable was painted by American Artist Grant Wood. Wood was an American artist who through his depiction of outdoor scenes combining a bright Fauve palette and a loose, impressionistic style. Wood painted during the early part of the twentieth century. Raised by Quaker parents his accessible, representational paintings showed reassuring American subjects tied to enduring myths about the perfection of agrarian life. Woods paintings reflected his surroundings as a young child. The painting looks as though you are being shown the subjects through the window by the man pulling the drapes back. The painting has abstract details such as the miniature The various shades of bright colors show many details. The various shades of green create detail and emphasis in the painting. The gray clouds moving in on the blue-sky emphasiss the idea of the calm before the storm. The shadows of the characters in the paining add detail. The vivid colors used on Washington and his father let the viewer know their importance. The man showing the painting is wearing a gray jacket. The paint thickness is the same throughout the paining. The brush strokes are smooth and do not take away from the message of the painting. The angle created by the two colors of the green grass creates a vocal point on the tree. The angle of the side of the building creates a diagonal line towards the tree. The ...

Development and Poverty Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Development and Poverty - Term Paper Example The concept, however, has been in existence in the West for centuries. Modernization, Westernization, and especially Industrialization are other terms people have used when discussing economic development. Although no one is sure when the concept originated, most people agree that development is closely bound up with the evolution of capitalism and the demise of feudalism.† (University of Iowa's Center for International Finance and Development) To improve the economic stability, the government of a country must aims at directing its policies in the right directions. It should endeavor to achieve some basic objectives, such as price control, increasing employment and trade opportunities. The government should strive hard to improve the civil and social infrastructure, like highways, affordable housing for its people, so that the overall economy of the country booms and its benefit is transferred to the people at grass root level. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a compound a nd complex guide to rank the countries of the world by their level of human development. It differentiates the countries into four categories, which are "very high human development", "high human development", "medium human development", and "low human development" countries. ... Poverty The unavailability of material possession, finances and basic human need such as shelter, food etc refers to the poverty of the people of a particular country. Basic human necessities, such as food, water, shelter, education, health, nutrition etc are the responsibility of the government. But when the government fails to provide its people these facilities then the people are forced to live a life of poverty. The poverty threshold or the poverty line is the minimum level of income which is required to access these basic needs. People who are not even able to access these fundamental needs are said to be living a life below the poverty line. It is estimated that about 1.7 billion people across the globe are living their lives below the poverty line. Poverty is the worst form of violence. (Mohandas Gandhi)   There are many ways of measuring the poverty of the people of a particular region. Among them are the Gini Coefficient and the Headcount Index. The Gini Coefficient was d eveloped by an Italian statistician Corrado Gini. It is a measure of the statistical dispersion and measures the inequality of a distribution. It tells how wealth is distributed in a particular region, or among the different classes living in the society. The Headcount Index gives the proportion of the people who are forced to live a life below the poverty line. If â€Å"p† people are considered to be living below the poverty line in a population of â€Å"n†, then the Headcount Index â€Å"H† can be calculated as H=p/n. To calculate the Headcount Index, the estimates of the individual economic condition and the poverty line of that particular region is required. Poverty in South America South America is a region of the world which has a very high poverty rate even

Time Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Time Management - Research Paper Example Notably, time is constant and scarce and hence this topic seeks to define the need and methods that help college students to develop effective strategies to manage their time for purposes of balancing the conflicting demands of study time, working hours, leisure time, and other endeavors that limit study time. In college education, time management is significant in revising for examinations, attending lectures, and participating in sporting activities. I chose this topic because traditional students always lack enough time to do everything they need in college. As such, this topic will inform the students on the need and methods of planning and controlling the amount of time spent on certain activities with an aim of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their academic pursuit. This topic is significant in that it informs the students on the benefits of proper time management as well as the academic problems. Proper time management in college may involve future planning, monitoring the allocation of available time, goal setting, and prioritizing tasks. Numerous tools, skills, and techniques will help the students to accomplish their goals and tasks within the set deadlines. Such methods may include goal setting, prioritizing tasks, monitoring the academic pursuit, creating a list, organizing a work schedule, and limiting procrastination. Through effective time management, college students will enjoy certain benefits that may include good performance, establishing conducive learning environment.