As doctors, we rely on the pharmaceutical industry to produce medications, from everyday paracetamol to advanced targeted cancer therapies. The industry faces constant pressure to innovate and create profit for shareholders, while governments face pressure to approve and fund these medicines from patients and clinicians.

What we are seeing is a rise in medicines spending. People are living longer, with more disease and requiring more medications. The newer medicines are costing exponentially more while sometimes providing only small incremental benefit when compared to older and cheaper medicines.

When we only have a limited pot of resources to fund our healthcare system, we need to start asking the question of how effective is this spend and who seeks to benefit? And if we continue promoting a sickness system that is heavily reliant on pharmaceutical silver bullets, will we create a happier, healthier nation?

Joining me on this episode is Dr Mike Murphy, an emergency doctor, and clinical director of medicinal cannabis clinic, Cannaplus. Having been involved in clinical trials, Mike understands the costs, process and drivers of developing new drugs. Together we unpack the complicated relationship doctors have with big Pharma as well as holding a hopeful but sceptical eye on emerging psychedelic therapies.

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