Re: What is the state of global medicine today?

Everyone deserves quality health care, and to live (as much as possible) free from the burden of disease, but progress towards these goals is, at best, patchy. Economic disparities appear to be the main hurdle. Market driven health-care systems value the life/health of poor people far less than that of the rich. Thus, in the US a lucky few get wonderful high-tech care from physicians of their choice, yet tens of millions effectively get no health care. Between rich and poor countries the gap is even more marked. Diseases prevalent in the developing world receive little attention from drug companies who can't see the profit, or from researchers with funding tied to health issues of the (aging) rich. Disparity between health care systems also robs poorer countries of the medical professionals they trained. Our global community must re-focus on eliminating/ preventing/ treating the most common and severe diseases. Extra investment can pay off: healthy people are more productive.