DISCUSSION #1: Eradicating infectious diseases around the world
As you have now been introduced to viruses, bacteria and protozoans, I would like to pose to you a discussion topic related to these organisms in human disease. Specifically, the availability (or lack) of economical treatment for the diseases that are devastating many third world countries. Read this article from The Guardian newspaper. After reading the article, my question to you is this: do we, as a wealthy, developed country who leads the world in biomedical research, have an altruistic responsibility to the rest of the world to help eradicate disease? If so, to what lengths? Should our federal government and private enterprise fund research for diseases not relevant to the U.S., but cause the death of millions world wide?