These are two questions that I've spent quite a bit of time pondering.

What's stopping pharmaceuticals from creating viruses and bacteria, unleashing them on the general populace and then generating billions of dollars by selling drugs to treat the illnesses they created?

In fact, I believe drug companies are already doing this to an extent to help generate profits.

Also, why would a drug company create a vaccine or a cure for an illness that a person would only have to use once, when they can create treatments that neutralize the symptoms of the illness, making the sick person just well enough to live but requiring them to use the treatment for the remainder of their lives?

In this instance Magic Johnson comes to mind. Here's a man who tested positive for HIV. He began taking a huge daily cocktail of pills that have, to this point, kept his HIV in check. He still has HIV but for all intents and purposes he feels fine as long as he forks over the cash to get his pills.

Generally, I don't buy into many conspiracy theories but this just seems too perfect to me. In my opinion, pharmaceuticals are the most powerful companies in the world because they hold the world's health in the palm of their hand. If pharmaceuticals keep the world sick, they'll never run out of business. It's as simple as that. Aside from ethics, I can't see a single thing that would stop these companies from doing this if they aren't already.

I think that it's only a matter of time before they're extorting us all.

I think you are correct in you assumption, If one controls the product as well as the need for said product then there you have it...Monopoly!! so what do you propose is the answer to this delema, should we do away with the FDA so as not to allow for the rouge pharm companies to run amok or press for homeopathic remedies to which some if not most desises would not even treated by? Good topic BTW I'll flag it.

Cause a problem so you can provide the solution? You betcha!

Become our customer or die, sheeple.

As one who is dependant upon meds for survival, I agree. I don't think the pharm. companies are the ones who are hands on in the creation process, but I do think they are funding same, and providing tech to those who are actually doing the work. It's a perfect setup. Have you seen the price of drugs lately? Just a few days ago I watched as a nice old lady spent more that 1/2 of her S.S. check to buy her needed drugs. Makes me sick to see this. And, while I am on the subject, why does it take an hour to count out 30 pills and place them in a bottle?

your dead on!!!!

also many don't realize,,, the same companies who make all the pesticides and nasty chemicals are the same one's making the so called safe drugs that supposedly save our lives

so they kill bugs and save people----a little weird if you ask me

I wrote a paper on this in college. I've done more research into this subject than I care to remember, and I'll add that pharmacom is but one arm in this coop of wrong-doers. They are a corporation, just like any other. They are most widely affiliated with so-called insurance companies, hospitals and doctors offices all across this nation. NO medication makes the gamut of FDA requirements unless it has side effects. It is these side effects that are their main cash crop.

Nosebleeds, diarrhea, stomach aches, the shakes, hot flashes, gall bladder infections, drowsiness, depression, manic depression, bi-polar disorder, attention deficit disorder, anxiety, racing heart, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, inflammation of one of a dozen glands, blood-born infection, blurred vision, loss of hearing ability, loss of lung capacity, dry mouth, constipation, fecal impaction, hormonal disorders, bereavement, dementia and cancer are but a small slice of the side effects currently rendered by medications commonly prescribed for and advertised with beautiful background music to take care of such immutable ailments as chemical imbalances, dislocated joints, heart trouble and colds, among other social-ailments such as wrinkles, loose skin and aging. Are people so concerned with their current state of health or persona that they would knowingly accept the risk of some, or even one, of these very common side-effects? Have we not paid the price for our characteristic wrinkles?

Haven’t we tolerated this uncaring degradation put forth by our health care guardians and pharmaceutical companies long enough? Are there other ways of taking care of ourselves rather than running the “risk” of side-effects? Of course there are, but more natural ways of taking care of ourselves require us to get off our collective butts and eliminate laziness, for as modern inventors already know as cash crop, allowing more laziness is the most efficient way of making money today. We won’t even get up to change the channel anymore – let alone exercise or eat within healthy reason. It is painfully obvious that a time to rethink our deceptively comfortable habits and our deceptively comfortable pharmaceutical companies is upon us.

Within the bounds of correct nutrition, the human body will naturally regenerate itself, in turn, fueling our extreme lifestyles quite adequately. However, as long as we keep eating the way we do, relying on health care professionals to prescribe a quick cure the way we do, and totally disregarding our temples in laziness the way we do, we continue to allow the money makers to keep their pockets bulging with their carefully thought out plan of ensuring every American as utterly dependant drug addicts who need a further fix to fix their fix’s side-effects in the most lazy way possible. Indeed, in neglecting to fuel our naturally regenerative properties and allowing strangers to help us fight our battles, we run the risk of destroying what we hold in highest regard – our very existence.

Nice theory ....... but.

In many EU countries, we the consumer do not pay anywhere near the price of the drugs we get on prescription. It is subsidised by the Government and taxpayer. If there is a 'scam' going on, dont you think the Government would know about it?

Lagnar - Doctor offices??? Yes i can imagine those sneaky bastards in white (anti-ninja) going through the city at night and poisoning wells.Hard stuff, this is why they learn in college for so long i guess.
Come on!
And in general (sarcasm - off) there could be something like this, in the background. But if it exists - then it is not viruses/bacterias. All those are acutic drugs - taken only when needed. Not maximizing profits. Blood pressure,diabetes, asthma and tons of other chronic problems are source for real money. People need to buy it for life. So if in imaginary scenario a certain firm invested several billions in drug A and is going to sink, they can in potential create conditions of higher consumption of this drug. This plan needs quite a few evil-to-the-bone individuals though but is doable.