ABSTRACT
Despite the earnest and best efforts of Government and Big Pharma, the ever-present threat of the unforeseen always looms. This chapter provides an overview of most of the topics covered in this Book. Each surfaces many times and is examined in much more detail. The study of a society and its goals is imperative for anyone who intends to operate in the health system which the society has developed. Health professionals frequently express concern over an increasing Government role in the financing and direct provision of health care. Government, with influence from a variety of sources, identifies problems and opportunities affecting the People. In 1977, Dr. George Pickett, then President of the American Public Health Association, distinguished between rights and privileges. Federal Government Policy, with respect to the development of new Drugs, is not describable as a single item but, rather, is a collection of policies. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts in this book.
