The Tao of Politics

One of my main concerns is: how can I make a difference? There are thousands of political blogs out there. It’s easy to get lost in that ocean. So I may blog about politics on occasion, or I may blog about health issues, depending on where my interests lead me, and where I feel I can contribute something of significance.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Bird Flu

President Bush wants "every American to have a vaccine in the case of a pandemic, no matter what the virus is." This is like the Strategic Defense Initiative, or Star Wars: Let's put a shield up so that it kills all incoming threats. Sounds good, but is it plausible?

A vaccine is only as good as the disease it kills. When the disease changes or mutates, you need a new vaccine. Are we saying that we are going to pump our bodies full of vaccine every time a new flu virus comes along? Though that may be good for the corporations manufacuring the vaccines, it somehow doesn't seem good for the humans being injected with the stuff. Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University says, "The notion is that prevention beats therapy." Of course he's referring to vaccination as prevention, and I agree up to a point, but vaccination should only be one approach. Some things in China and other countries must change if the world is to prevent this continuous onslaught of Asian diseases.

1 Comments:

  • At 10:22 AM, Blogger Carl said…

    I posted a bit more about this "defense" on my blog today, Ed. I'm really furious at the handwringing that Bush is suddenly undergoing on this.

     

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