Chapter 530: We Can Not Be Too Selfish

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Liang Ruoxu did not know much about clinical medicine, but she immediately realized the seriousness of this issue.

“It should be a rare disease, right? With Huaxia’s medical standards, can it be treated?”

“It’s a rare disease, but it can be cured.”

“That’s good.” Liang Ruoxu said, “Although the child is a little young, as long as it can be treated, it won’t be a big problem.”

“It is technically curable, but it’s not really possible right now.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“The treatment for SMA costs 700,000 yuan per session. Even if it’s the mildest symptoms, it’ll take at least four shots to recover.” Lin Yi looked at Liang Ruoxu. “How do you want them to treat it?”

Liang Ruoxu was stunned, and her expression fell silent.

When they met just now, this couple had introduced themselves.

They came from a county city to work in Zhonghai.

According to current standards, if the two of them worked hard without eating or drinking, they could earn 200,000 yuan a year.

If he didn’t eat or drink for three and a half years, and even if he worked hard to earn money, he could only afford one session.

If it was treated according to the mildest symptoms, it would still take at least fourteen years.

Even if they could persevere, the child might not be able to.

Just as Lin Yi said, this illness could be cured, but this particular case was not really possible.

“If the diagnosis is confirmed, will you choose to help them?” Liang Ruoxu asked.

“I won’t.”

Lin Yi shook his head. “I’m a human, not a G.o.d. There’s a disease that’s even rarer than SMA in Huaxia. Do I have to help anyone who comes? Even if I have such thoughts, I can’t help.”

“I understand what you mean,” Liang Ruoxu said. “Do you want me to help gather funds to help them?”

“I don’t want it either.” Lin Yi looked at Liang Ruoxu.

“You’re a magistrate. You have to know your position better than me. Sometimes, people have to be cold-blooded. Otherwise, the world order will fall into chaos.”

About half an hour later, Sun Dawei walked in from outside.

“How’s the situation?” Lin Yi asked.

“I only did a preliminary examination. I took the results and did a simple video consultation with a few other directors. It’s basically confirmed. It’s SMA, spinal muscular atrophy,” Sun Dawei said.

“When the doctors from the other departments arrive tomorrow, we’ll get them to do a comprehensive checkup and the diagnosis will be completely confirmed.”

“What are you going to do about this?”

Sun Dawei shrugged. “I can’t help them even if I wanted to. After the diagnosis is complete, I’ll let them go back. It costs 700,000 yuan to treat SMA. Moreover, it hasn’t been included in their medical insurance. With their conditions, they definitely can’t afford it. There’s not much we can do. Sigh, I pity that child.”

“Alright.” Lin Yi said.

“Let’s just do our best. There are many things we are unable to do.”

“That’s right.” Sun Dawei said, “I just sent away such a patient half a year ago. Now there’s another one. I can’t treat him at all.”

Lin Yi nodded. “Then let’s do it the normal way. I’ll get going first.”

“Alright, come out and drink if you have nothing to do.”

“Okay.”

After leaving the office, the two of them walked toward the parking lot.

“Why is this medicine so expensive?” Liang Ruoxu asked.

“Did they monopolize the market like Pfizer?”

“They do have a monopoly, but they’re different from Pfizer. They’re completely different.” Lin Yi said.

“Pfizer’s ibuprofen has many similar medicines on the market, but their effects are not as good as theirs. Other than that, this is a regular medicine for cardiovascular diseases. They have to take it every day, so the research and development costs are distributed to a large number of patients. In reality, it’s not much money. That’s why I dared to bargain with them openly at that time.”

“But treatment of SMA is different. As far as I know, it takes an average of about thirteen years to develop this rare drug. After that, you have to account for the research that might cost as much as $1.8 billion. And most importantly, even if you invest, the time and money spent might not lead to anything.

“From the selection of the target to the screening of the leading compounds, to the 123rd episode of clinical optimization, and finally the application the release to the market. After more than ten years of R&D, the final success rate will be less than 4%. If anything goes wrong, all the investment will be wasted.”

“Moreover, 1.8 billion USD in 13 years is only for successfully researched drugs. There must have been countless failures before this, and these failures also cost money. This is why it’s so expensive. Moreover, it treats rare diseases, so it’s naturally expensive to sell.”

Although Liang Ruoxu was an outsider, she understood the reason after hearing Lin Yi’s explanation.

The pharmaceutical company was not wrong. Compared to a fresh life, 700,000 yuan was not expensive. However, not everyone could bear this cold weight.

“There are many rare diseases in the world. The medicines used to treat those are even more expensive.”

“Indeed, it’s even worse when it comes to the other medicine used to treat SMA. That one cost 15 million per bottle. The original price of Nosinogen Sodium which we are recommending now was 870,000, but now it’s reduced to 700,000. That’s quite big discount.” Lin Yi said.

“On top of that, the drugs used to treat LPLD are sold for $1.21 million, for UCD, $790,000, for Pompe Disease, $620,000, for hyperammonemia, $580,000…

“There are countless rare diseases. Their treatment costs are astronomical to the common folk. We can’t blame the pharmaceutical companies for being mercenaries. That would be too selfish.”

“Phew…” Liang Ruoxu took a deep breath. “But to us, this will always be a problem.”

“That’s right.” Lin Yi shrugged with a calm expression, as if he was used to facing such things.

“With my current financial resources, it’s not a problem to help one person, or even a hundred. However, when looking at such a huge population, the number of people who suffer from these rare diseases is not a small figure. I really won’t be able to help.”

“This seems to be the only way.”

In truth, Liang Ruoxu and Lin Yi were facing the same problem.

They all had super impressive personal abilities. It was not a problem to help one or ten people, but they could not help everyone.

Just as Lin Yi had said, everyone was human, not a G.o.d.

“That’s the only way forward. Let’s put this matter aside for now. Don’t think too much about it.” Lin Yi opened the car door and said.

“I have other things to do. I’ll leave first. I won’t accompany you anymore.”

“I gave you such important information today. Don’t you want to express your grat.i.tude?” Liang Ruoxu looked at Lin Yi.

“Come to my house some other time. I’ll cook for you. We can have a candlelight dinner by the pool. What do you think?”

“That doesn’t sound that great.”

“Let me tell you, ordinary people would never be able to eat my cooking. You have to cherish this opportunity I am giving to you.”

“Stop talking nonsense with me. You just want to see me in my swimsuit!”