Surgery Godfather-Chapter 1966 - 1340: The Professor’s Wrath (Part 3)

Zhang Lin quickly jotted down: "Understood, shift the focus from ’our decision’ to ’the consequences resulting from their actions’."

"Tang Shun, Song Zimo," Yang Ping continued, "Closely monitor any contact signals from official channels of these countries. If there are any, respond uniformly: Principles remain unchanged. K Therapy is an integral part of the System Regulation Theory and cannot be separated. Either fully accept the theory and establish a fair, scientific cooperation and regulatory framework, or lose it together, with no middle options, regardless of the reasons."

"What if they only want K Therapy and continue to reject other parts of the theory?" Tang Shun asked.

"That would show they still don’t understand the essence of System Medicine, and the basis for cooperation doesn’t exist," Yang Ping answered without hesitation, "K Therapy is not a magic bullet; its success relies on understanding and regulating the entire patient system. Once detached, it becomes another tool liable to misuse, and may even harm patients from misuse. We cannot start down that path."

Subsequently, public opinion indeed shifted dramatically as Yang Ping had predicted.

Initially, it was a deep-dive report by the Wall Street Journal, titled "Abandoned Patients: When Cancer Therapy Becomes a Hostage of Geopolitical Academic Disputes." The article offered detailed interviews with Alex Carter and another unnamed Wall Street executive, illustrating their journey from renewed hope to desperation and anger upon facing treatment interruptions. The article skillfully described K Therapy as "the most groundbreaking cancer treatment development in recent years," blaming its withdrawal on "complex international academic politics and rigid regulatory systems."

Following that, the Washington Post published a signed op-ed by Walker, with harsh wording:

"We are witnessing a tragedy: the world’s wealthiest countries, because of bureaucratic arrogance and the shortsightedness of vested interest groups, are willfully abandoning cutting-edge medical technology that could save the lives of their own citizens. K Therapy is not science fiction; it has already proven its value in my body. Now I am told that due to some arguments unrelated to its efficacy, I will lose it. This is unacceptable. The FDA, NIH, and those agencies pushing restrictive policies from behind the scenes must explain to Congress and the public: what is more important, the life of a patient, or the financial statements of certain pharmaceutical companies?"

The BBC aired an urgently produced short documentary "Discontinued," following a British late-stage osteosarcoma patient, documenting her collapse and struggle upon learning her treatment was about to stop. The documentary ended with a silent tearful scene of the patient facing the camera, accompanied by the narration: "Science is supposed to transcend borders, but now, an invisible wall is dividing the hope of survival."

On social media, hashtags like BringBackKTherapy and MedicalHostage became trending. People stopped discussing the complexities of System Regulation Theory; they only saw an effective cancer treatment being taken away. Patient organizations, family groups, and even some previously neutral doctors and scholars began to speak out, applying pressure that surged like a tide towards governments and regulatory bodies across countries.

Horton and the pharmaceutical giants tried to fight back, publishing articles in industry media emphasizing "unverified safety," "unknown long-term risks," and "the importance of not shaking overall regulatory principles because of certain individual cases." But this time, their voices were drowned out by a much stronger wave.

The reaction from the capital markets was the most direct and cruel. As public opinion fermented and rumors circulated about the involvement of Colbert’s hedge fund through short-selling firm reports, previously rising pharmaceutical giant stock prices began to turn downward. Investors realized that the exit of K Therapy not only hadn’t eliminated competition but might instead trigger enormous political and reputational risks, possibly even leading to the bankruptcy of these companies’ credibility in the minds of top clients and talent. Worse still, if government policy was pressured to change, their previous lobbying efforts would have been in vain, or could even backfire.

The pressure began to transmit upwards along the chain of authority.

Tang Shun received an informal call from a senior official at the HHS. The tone was unprecedentedly courteous, even with a hint of urgency.

"Doctor Tang, we have noticed some recent communication difficulties surrounding K Therapy. The Secretary is very concerned about the welfare of American patients, especially those benefiting from this therapy. We hope to find a constructive way to ensure continuity of treatment."

Tang Shun responded according to the established line: "Thank you for your concern. The interruption in treatment continuity arises from the absence of a complete cooperation environment of System Regulation Theory. We have always maintained that any solution must be comprehensive, based on mutual respect and scientific principles."

"We understand your concerns about theoretical recognition. Perhaps we could begin discussions by extending the emergency authorization for K Therapy? It’s an independent medical product..."

"I’m sorry," Tang Shun gently but firmly interrupted, "K Therapy is not an independent product; it is an application practice of System Regulation Theory in the tumor field. Dismantling it is like asking to use only the engine while refusing the entire car’s schematic and safety standards. We cannot accept such a fragmented authorization."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. "...I understand, I’ll pass it on."

Similar informal probes also came from the British Ministry of Health, Australian Ministry of Health, and other channels. The rhetoric became softer, the bottom line began to blur. They began talking about "reassessing the regulatory framework," "holding expert hearings," and "establishing special approval channels."

But Yang Ping’s team’s response remained consistent: all, or nothing.