From 2b6cc90a5829349ddd3807f5255d4d0385e3e491 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Holden Rohrer <hr@hrhr.dev>
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2020 23:23:35 -0500
Subject: Wrote the project proposal!

It was due on Nov 1. But thank God this piece is over.
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+\documentclass[12pt]{article}
+\usepackage[letterpaper,headheight=15pt]{geometry}
+\geometry{top=1.0in, bottom=1.0in, left=1.0in, right=1.0in}
+\usepackage{setspace}
+\doublespacing
+\parskip=0pt plus 2pt minus 2pt
+\usepackage{times}
+\usepackage{fancyhdr}
+\pagestyle{fancy}
+\rhead{Rohrer \thepage}
+\cfoot{}
+\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
+\renewcommand{\footrulewidth}{0pt}
+\setlength{\headsep}{0.5in}%top of page to bottom of header
+\addtolength{\headsep}{-12pt}%max height of header
+\usepackage{xcolor}
+\usepackage{hyperref}
+\hypersetup{
+    colorlinks,
+    linkcolor={red!50!black},
+    citecolor={blue!50!black},
+    urlcolor={blue!80!black}
+}
+\newcount\secnum\secnum=0
+\renewcommand\section[1]{\advance\secnum by 1%
+\medskip\noindent{\number\secnum. #1}\medskip}
+\begin{document}
+{\parindent0pt\obeylines
+Holden Rohrer
+Markley
+English Composition II
+1 Nov 2020
+}
+\centerline{\large\bfseries Project Proposal}
+
+\section{Defining an object}
+
+Insulin is a hormone that helps absorb sugar from blood into fat,
+muscle, and liver cells.
+A lack of insulin characterizes the disease diabetes which, until the
+early 20th century, was essentially a death sentence.
+Early work by University of Toronto scientists discovered that insulin
+derived from animal (now mostly pork) pancreases can substitute human
+insulin for diabetics.
+But porcine insulin is an imperfect substitute for human insulin.
+In the past few decades, synthesizing insulin has become the
+manufacturing method of choice.
+Genetically engineered bacteria, typically {\itshape E.~coli}, can
+mass-produce ``biologic insulin,'' a category of drugs with similar
+effects to the insulin produced by non-diabetic pancreases.
+I will be focusing on a specific biologic insulin, insulin glargine,
+under the Lantus brand made by Sanofi.
+The genetic code inserted into the bacteria is different for this
+compound in such a way that it lasts for 24--36 hours rather than the
+2--3 of standard human insulin.
+
+Unfortunately, this medicine isn't widely available: at \$306 per 10ml
+vial, diabetics are forced to pay thousands just to stay alive.
+Sanofi can charge this much because of patents: the US government has
+given them a legal monopoly on insulin glargine and the surrounding
+processes until 2027.
+Most other insulins suffer from the same issue.
+Diabetics get the choice between generic versions of older, less
+reliable insulin with expired patents and paying through the nose.
+The price gap isn't a fundamental issue with the drug industry either:
+the manufacture cost is estimated as, at most, \$133 per patient per
+year.
+% might venture too much into take, but ehh
+
+\section{Crafting a ``take,'' story, or thesis}
+
+Pharmaceutical companies are accurately described as giants, funneling
+billions in annual revenues through research, marketing, lobbying,
+management, all in service of shareholder profits.
+The United States especially, but not exclusively, has an exceedingly
+beneficial ``regulatory environment.''
+Long-lasting patents, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act on devices
+like pumps and implants, research subsidies, preventing Medicare from
+negotiating, a large uninsured population (i.e. without advocacy), and
+industry price-fixing have all enriched pharmaceutical companies at the
+expense of their customers.
+Insulin is the ``poster child for the wider problem of high drug
+prices,'' and I want to focus on the historical development of this
+issue alongside the development of insulin and auxiliary technologies.
+
+% kinda meh
+In the way of Steven Johnson's ``consilient thinking,'' I want to look
+closer at the medical side of insulin.
+I think the resource struggle of a diabetic might be similar to the
+resource struggle of an individual cell.
+I also hope to find evidence of the inefficiencies of the corporatist
+system affecting the government, corporations themselves, or even
+medically---to build the case of market inefficiency in the industry.
+I will focus on this lens of market inefficiency, which I'm going to
+frame as a result of the power these companies hold.
+
+\section{Generating a Video}
+
+My video is going to use a video essay style.
+I am going to make a slideshow focused on visual illustrations and
+images, mostly external images from Creative Commons sources.
+However, I probably won't include any long-form written content because
+imagery or, even better, animated or other video content, (if I could
+find any) are more captivating without distracting from my speaking.
+However, emphasizing certain words by repeating them visually may help
+with technical or otherwise important terms.
+I will record myself presenting the script of the video, and I'm going
+to focus on maintaining cadence in my tone and enunciation, especially
+after editing.
+With respect to editing, I will avoid splicing different recordings in
+one segment, but I will probably use different recordings per segment,
+as necessary.
+Because of the medium (video), I will probably include impressions of
+different characters to strengthen the narrative and maintain a
+chronology (insofar as that's the central structure).
+To distinguish different characters, I will use cues, nonverbal (tone
+and cadence) and visual (possibly some sort of animation).
+For visuals or minor animations, I'm probably going to need to create
+some if I can't find what I need, and I'll make these during the editing
+stage as needed.
+
+\section{Research Plan}
+
+To support my framing, I'm going to need a deeper understanding of the
+medical side of insulin/diabetes.
+I'll also need knowledge of the manufacturing process so that I can talk
+about the products reasonably.
+For these, I will look for some medical research or summaries of
+relevant information.
+I'm also going to look into the variety of medical devices surrounding
+insulin for evidence of inefficiency and anti-consumer behavior.
+
+To develop a sense of history for this product, I'm going to look into
+the history of Sanofi.
+Various leadership teams, major research, and mergers or pivots are
+relevant to their current behavior.
+I'm going to look at corporate press releases and general news about the
+company to determine lobbying activity, if any, and build a narrative.
+I'm also going to build on my cursory understanding of recent trends in
+antitrust (monopolies are restricted less and less) and where pharma
+companies fit in.
+My research will probably emphasise intellectual property, and I'll be
+looking at the legal system, so legislation and case law will probably
+fit into some of my research.
+
+I've already looked into a few editorials and anecdotes about insulin
+pricing and the underserved market for ``looping,'' (using blood sugar
+data to time insulin infusions) but more should be valuable.
+The perception of the general public or the average diabetic will help
+tell the story with a personal focus, although specific persons'
+experiences may be more valuable.
+
+\section{Timeline}
+
+I only have this proposal as of November 17, %make sure that's accurate
+so I will have the annotated bibliography on the 18th, the
+script/slideshow by the 19th, and I'll finish recording by the 22nd,
+when I'll start editing.
+
+\end{document}
-- 
cgit 

