The Heinz Dilemma

Summary

In a tragic turn of events, H's wife is on the brink of death due to a rare cancer. A potentially life-saving drug, discovered by a local pharmacist, offers hope but comes at an exorbitant price, ten times the production cost. With the pharmacist refusing to lower the price or allow payment later, H, desperate and out of funds, faces a moral dilemma: should he steal the drug to save his wife's life?

Takeaways

• 💊 The wife suffers from a rare type of cancer that could potentially be treated with a specific drug.
• 🔬 The drug in question is a form of radium, recently discovered by a local pharmacist.
• 💰 The production cost of the drug is $200, but the pharmacist is selling it for $22,000, a 10x markup.
• 🏥 Hines' wife is in critical condition and the drug is seen as a last hope for her survival.
• 💸 Hines is financially incapable of affording the drug, having already exhausted his resources.
• 🤝 Hines attempts to negotiate with the pharmacist, to no avail, as the pharmacist is adamant about profiting from his discovery.
• 🚫 The pharmacist refuses to lower the price or allow payment on credit, prioritizing financial gain over a life-saving intervention.
• 🔓 In desperation, Hines contemplates breaking into the laboratory to steal the drug for his wife's treatment.
• 🤔 The script poses a moral and ethical dilemma: whether the ends justify the means in the face of life and death situations.
• 📚 It raises questions about the ethics of profiteering from essential medicines and the responsibility of medical professionals.

Q & A

What was the medical condition of H's wife?

H's wife was dying because of a special kind of cancer.

What was the potential treatment for H's wife's cancer?

The doctors believed that a form of radium might save her.

Who discovered the drug that could potentially save H's wife?

A local pharmacist had recently discovered the drug.

What was the cost of the radium used to make the drug?

The pharmacist paid $200 for the radium.

How much did the pharmacist charge for the drug?

The pharmacist charged $22,000 for a small dose of the drug.

Why was Hines unable to purchase the drug for his wife?

Hines had already run out of money and could only collect about half of what the drug cost.

What did Hines request from the pharmacist regarding the drug's price?

Hines asked the pharmacist to sell the drug cheaper or at least let him pay later.

What was the pharmacist's response to Hines' request?

The pharmacist declined, stating that he discovered the drug and intended to make money from it.

What desperate action did Hines take to obtain the drug for his wife?

Hines broke into the pharmacist's laboratory to steal the drug.

What moral dilemma does the story of Hines and the pharmacist present?

The story presents a moral dilemma of whether it is justifiable to break the law to save a life, especially when faced with exorbitant pricing of a potentially life-saving drug.

What broader issues does the script raise about the cost of medical treatments and access to them?

The script raises issues about the ethics of pricing life-saving drugs and the challenges faced by patients who cannot afford such treatments.