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January 6, 2006
Good and Bad News
Just a quick post to point out a couple stories I came across in the Times. First the good news. Then the bad.
The good. It looks like a promising vaccine for Rotavirus is close at hand. Rotavirus is the leading cause of deaths from diarrhea among infants, killing around half a million children a year worldwide. It's certainly nice to see momentum behind a drug that can save lives of those afflicted by a disease not very common in the developed world. My preferential option for the poor approach to medicine surely smiles on this news. [Now, for a shameless plug.] This is a good spot for me to mention an association I've recently begun to get involved with, UAEM. In medicine there exists what is often referred to as the 90/10 gap--90% of the biomedical research is directed at ailments that affect only 10% of the world's population. Good to see Rotavirus might be controlled by fruits of research from that last 10%. I'm certainly praying this plays out and that Merck & Glaxo make it available cheaply for those in need of it.
Next link is to some bad news concerning Medicaid. (Sorry, it's an op-ed and thus only available through Times Select, so I'll summarize.) Looks like some Republican (surprise, surprise) congressmen want to make those wishing to receive treatment under Medicaid present some form of government identification to be eligible. The approach claims to eliminate the "problem" of illegal immigrants receiving the care they need under Medicaid coverage. In addition to the egregious insinuation that non-citizens in this country are secondary as humans and do not deserve medical coverage, this is troubling because there currently is no large problem of undocumented immigrants receiving health care under Medicaid. Yet government accountants indicate that this requirement will save $700 million. At the expense of whom? The poor in this country eligible for Medicaid unable to present newly required ID. Despicable. That's all for now. Back to studying on my thriller of a Friday night.
Posted by mattalexander at January 6, 2006 11:32 PM
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Comments
So does this medicaid thing mean that my pregnant illegal immigant lover will not be able to give birth to our daughter because medicaid won't cover it? man i'm funny. In a related story, i'm only a little more than 9 months off of 18!! then the CW and MA (and BA too if she agrees to make sandwiches) connection can tear up the NY.... Conan here i come!
Posted by: Carl Wright at January 7, 2006 10:41 PM
