553: Killer Patents & Secret Science Vol. 2 | Forbidden Medical Cures

The Why Files: Operation Podcast

The history of medicine goes back to the dawn of mankind when ancient healers used special herbs to treat illnesses.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, laid the foundation for modern medical practice: observation, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. His work set the stage for centuries of medical progress.
In the 19th century, Edward Jenner created a smallpox vaccine, and Louis Pasteur proved microorganisms caused disease. The 20th century brought antibiotics, medical imaging, and organ transplants. In the past 400 years, the human lifespan has doubled.
But something happened to medicine along the way. It became an industry. A profitable one.
President Eisenhower warned against creating a "military-industrial complex" because if you make war profitable, you'll always have war. He was right.
So, here's a cynical question: If you make illness profitable, will you always have illness?
In recent years, trillions have been spent on cancer research and therapies. That's a lot of people getting rich from a disease that's already been cured.