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Steve Cochi is a 63-year-old physician and epidemiologist who thinks its time to totally wipe out Measles:
[F]or the past 25 years, Cochi has been pushing one of the boldest—and some might venture foolhardy—ideas in public health. He wants the world to undertake a huge new effort to eradicate measles. Not just tame the virus or control the outbreaks re-surging across the globe, but to obliterate it, wipe it off the face of the earth, as has only been done once for a human pathogen, smallpox, in 1977, and as the world fervently hopes will happen soon with polio.
Measles is the most contagious virus on Earth, infecting virtually everyone who is not vaccinated.
It would cost a lot of money. And a large percentage of people, when presented with the idea think Measles is not worth the cost or the effort, because measles is, in their opinion, only a nuisance. Indeed the CDC has stated that Measles was eliminated in the US in the year 2000. Subsequent outbreaks earlier this year served as a brief wake up call, but nobody died, and people have largely written it off and attributed it to anti-vaxers.
But more than half of the estimated 10 million infected with measles each year in the developing world fare far worse. The virus suppresses the body's defense system, especially in those already immune-compromised or with malnutrition or vitamin A deficiency, leaving them vulnerable to secondary bacterial infections. The problems are compounded by a lack of health care. Pneumonia is the most common cause of death; diarrhea and dehydration is a close second. Measles is one of the top five preventable causes of blindness. Deafness is common. Inflammation of the brain can cause seizures and sometimes permanent brain damage. In poor countries, the fatality rate is 2% to 15%, soaring to 25% in the worst outbreaks.
In 2013, there were 145.700 measles deaths globally – about 400 deaths every day or 16 deaths every hour.
The article appearing on Science Mag's site outlines the problems involved, and the heartbreak of having Polio almost beaten, only to see it linger. It has a full discussion on why it should be doable, and why there are pitfalls.
Original Submission
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Tuesday June 02 2015, @04:36PM
That happens every time they play in the dirt then touch their mouths. Hell, that's what you're doing every time you *feed them*. Are you a chemist? Do you have a lab in your basement where you test every single object that they ever come into contact with?
Of course not. You trust others to do that testing, right? So why are vaccines the ONE THING where that doesn't hold?
(Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday June 03 2015, @12:57AM
Why? I played in the dirt and touched my mouth constantly. I'm not a clean freak or some scared parent that can't let their child be exposed to *anything*. However, we aren't talking about the possible statistical likelihood of a pathogen or toxic chemical in dirt. We are talking about the likelihood that a product deliberately contains the pathogen, or known dangerous chemical(s), since government corruptly cleared it for the masses, and some executives actively made the decision to keep pushing it.
Not the same kind of risk, or situation.
I don't trust others to do the testing. Not at all. Not even remotely. Not anymore. Almost all testing is accompanied by the preferred results, and monied interests ready to punish the incorrect results. Maybe a little cynical, but my answer is a firm no to your question. For most things, the harm may be slight, and the odds may be low. Kind of like how the urban poor has consistently more damage to their DNA than the rich. Just those little differences adding up over time, and that from chemicals of all things in the cheaper and lower quality processed foods :)
Vaccines are not the "one thing" that doesn't hold, it's just the "one thing" where there has been a HUGE amount of information that shows you CANNOT trust them to do the testing. Even if the tests are accurate, we've seen where they were deliberately ignored for the sake of profit.
Man, this isn't new, or even remotely isolated to the pharmaceutical industry either. It's just a hell of a lot more risky and emotional when that statistic about to happen, that allows an executive to live better than the rest of us, happens to be a little boy or girl to be affected for the rest of their lives. THAT, is NOT SUPPOSED to happen under a DOCTORS CARE.
If you trust them to do the testing, that's fine. I'll respect your decision over your risks, I only ask you to do the same for me please, as I don't trust them to do the testing, which is not an unreasoned position by any stretch.
The only difference between us and China, is that China really will just drag those fuckers out into the street and shoot them as an example to the rest. Over in the U.S.A, the executives don't go to jail, but are transferred by limo the civil courthouses to hear statements from the victims instead during their trial where the executives typically lose nothing themselves, and probably not even sleep.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.