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Biotech / Medical : SARS and Avian Flu -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Maurice Winn who wrote (1839)12/1/2004 3:18:12 AM
From: Amy J  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 4232
 
RE: "With 70% mortality, that would give 60 million dead Americans. That's about 20,000 times as many as 911 which was considered a major upset."

Congress is asleep at the wheel.

RE: "human nature?"

I think it's cultural. Our society focuses on intervention after a medical problem arises, not before. The hero in our society isn't the guy that prevents a disaster from happening, but the guy that saves the day with a cure after 60M have died.

It's much easier to throw money on RND after 60M have died, than before.

It's also more visible to fight a tangible military war, than combat a virus through less tangible research for a vaccine.

Sad but true.

Regards,
Amy J



To: Maurice Winn who wrote (1839)12/1/2004 10:16:33 AM
From: Giraffe  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 4232
 
>> With 70% mortality, that would give 60 million dead Americans.<<

How much disruption would that cause? Compared to other events in the last century nothing comes close.

WWI: 15 million (world wide)
Stalin's regime (1924-53): 20 million (Russia)
WWII: 55 million (world wide)
Mao Zedong's regime (1949-1975): 40 000 000 (China)

users.erols.com

AIDS: 25 million (world wide) 40 million more infected
news.bbc.co.uk