From 2b6cc90a5829349ddd3807f5255d4d0385e3e491 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Holden Rohrer 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. --- markley/proposal.tex | 160 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 160 insertions(+) create mode 100644 markley/proposal.tex (limited to 'markley/proposal.tex') diff --git a/markley/proposal.tex b/markley/proposal.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b767c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/markley/proposal.tex @@ -0,0 +1,160 @@ +\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