Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2011-06-11]: The Global Alliance of vaccinations and Immunization calls on donors to give more money to extend the vaccination program in Africa and other poor regions of the world [source: BBC News]. According to the Alliance the main causes of pneumonia and diarrhea – the leading causes of death for children under 5 years old in Africa – can be prevented by vaccination. So… Wait a moment! Pneumonia? Diarrhea? When was I vaccinated for these things?!?!? The success rate of a vaccine rarely (if not never) is announced publicly. Figures with the number of lives “saved by vaccines” are almost always reported from pharmaceutical companies. And most importantly: we often confuse the effectiveness of vaccines with the effectiveness of simple changes in our lives – such as hygiene, pesticides or… availability of clean water! Africa wants development and access to food and water. Access we do not allow her to have. Pretending to be philanthropists and giving them vaccinations which we are deciding how much “effective” they are, could lead to a continuous increase in the debt of the African countries but it is not the solution they want…(c) Philosophy WIRES - Commenting world news from philosophy's perspective...
