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The United States

Canadian government spend more than $1 bil-

many countries use abortion to eliminate

lion annually on health care in this country.31

problem pregnancies. For example, Michael

drives much of

Moore cites low infant mortality rates in Cuba,

Moreover, the United States drives much

the innovation

yet that country has one of the world's highest

of the innovation and research on health care

and research on

abortion rates, meaning that many babies with

worldwide. Eighteen of the last 25 winners of

health problems that could lead to early deaths

the Nobel Prize in Medicine are either U.S.

health care

are never brought to term.25

citizens or individuals working here.32 U.S.

worldwide.

companies have developed half of all new

When you compare the outcomes for spe-

major medicines introduced worldwide over

cific diseases, the United States clearly outper-

the past 20 years.33 In fact, Americans played

forms the rest of the world. Whether the dis-

ease is cancer, pneumonia, heart disease, or

a key role in 80 percent of the most impor-

tant medical advances of the past 30 years.34

AIDS, the chances of a patient surviving are far

higher in the United States than in other coun-

As shown in Figure 2, advanced medical tech-

tries. For example, according to a study pub-

nology is far more available in the United

States than in nearly any other country.35

lished in the British medical journal The Lancet,

the United States is at the top of the charts

The same is true for prescription drugs.

when it comes to surviving cancer. Among

For example, 44 percent of Americans who

men, roughly 62.9 percent of those diagnosed

could benefit from statins, lipid-lowering

with cancer survive for at least five years. The

medication that reduces cholesterol and pro-

news is even better for women: the five year-sur-

tects against heart disease, take the drug.

vival rate is 66.3 percent, or two-thirds. The

That number seems low until compared with

countries with the next best results are Iceland

the 26 percent of Germans, 23 percent of

for men (61.8 percent) and Sweden for women

Britons, and 17 percent of Italians who could

both benefit from the drug and receive it.36

(60.3 percent). Most countries with national

health care fare far worse. For example, in Italy,

Similarly, 60 percent of Americans taking

59.7 percent of men and 49.8 percent of

anti-psychotic medication for the treatment

women survive five years. In Spain, just 59 per-

of schizophrenia or other mental illnesses are

cent of men and 49.5 percent of women do.

taking the most recent generation of drugs,

And in Great Britain, a dismal 44.8 percent of

which have fewer side effects. But just 20 per-

men and only a slightly better 52.7 percent of

cent of Spanish patients and 10 percent of

women live for five years after diagnosis.26

Germans receive the most recent drugs.37

Notably, when former Italian prime minis-

Of course, it is a matter of hot debate

ter Silvio Berlusconi needed heart surgery last

whether other countries have too little medical

technology or the Unites States has too much.38

year, he didn't go to a French, Canadian,

Cuban, or even Italian hospital--he went to the

Some countries, such as Japan, have similar

Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.27 Likewise, Canadian

access to technology. Regardless, there is no dis-

pute that more health care technology is invent-

MP Belinda Stronach had surgery for her breast

cancer at a California hospital.28 Berlusconi and

ed and produced in the United States than any-

where else.39 Even when the original research is

Stronach were following in the footsteps of

tens of thousands of patients from around the

done in other countries, the work necessary to

world who come to the United States for treat-

convert the idea into viable commercial prod-

ment every year.29 One U.S. hospital alone, the

ucts is most often done in the United States.40

Mayo Clinic, treats roughly 7,200 foreigners

By the same token, not only do thousands of

every year. Johns Hopkins University Medical

foreign-born doctors come to the United States

Center treats more than 6,000, and the

to practice medicine, but foreign pharmaceuti-

Cleveland Clinic more than 5,000. One out of

cal companies fleeing taxes, regulation, and

every three Canadian physicians sends a

price controls are increasingly relocating to the

United States.41 In many ways, the rest of the

patient to the Unites States for treatment each

year,30 and those patients along with the

world piggybacks on the U.S. system.

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