Suppressed Scientific/Medical Advances?

Question

Does anyone here believe that corporate or governmental interests have suppressed scientific or medical advances that would be beneficial to humanity? Perhaps for profit or repressing the populace? Just curious about peoples' thoughts on this. If you do believe that has occurred, can you give examples, please?

Answer 1

No. That makes no sense.

How is suppressing medical advances going to gain profit when such advances themselves tend to be very lucrative for the researcher, the doctors, the hospitals, AND the government alike?

This is what we call a conspiracy theory.

Answer 2

I know of one such device that is a high efficiency air conditioner that uses water and a vacuum (airless container) that produces cool air at a fraction of the energy cost it takes to run a regular air conditioner - the guys who I know personally tried to get the local power company to invest in its mass production, but they told them flat out..."Why would we want to do that? Then people would use less of our power..."

I assure you this is very real...so really there are neat technologies out there, but the little guy who invents them is either bought out with a non-disclosure and the product is shelved, or it sits dormant until someone who can/wants to invest in the startup.

In a way it's kind of a greed conspiricy, but it's really a lack of money and marketing that holds us back. Most of the time it is caused by people wanting to remain uneducated.

Answer 3

Well, all of the people who claim to have unlocked the energy secrets of permanent magnets or water are quacks and scam artists.  They all claim that the big oil companies are trying to stop their goodness to mankind and therefore please make an investment to this international paypal account.  

But why don't we have better transportation?  Conspiracy?  there was a big vote in Seattle to put in a mass transit, light rail system and it got voted down because it would increase taxes.  There was another initiative to lower all licence tab fees to $30, and that one passed and now all the libraries, busses, and firefighters are strapped for basic cash.  If you ask me, it's general greed and stupidity of fostering an imaginary "american way of life" that includes the right to commute alone in however many hummers you can afford to buy.  Taking the bus is considered low class and much as we hate to admit it, our personal image and immediate gratification is more important than our environment.  

We are big oil, and we suppress innovation in environmental infrastructure because it costs us money and time and freedom.

Answer 4

Not really, sometimes an industry that monopolizes something (like the oil companies) will stall innovation if it benefits them, but generally advancements and improvements are welcome, especially in a free market economy.

Advancements that are improvements only stand to make money, these entities crave money, why would they suppress an advancement?