Malaria vaccines and true leadership

Farrar: The truth is, global health has been an absolutely phenomenal success story. Over the last few decades, the transformation in people’s lives around the world has been nothing short of remarkable.

Really? 

Farrar: Consider just one example: Between the turn of the century and 2012, 700 million people did not contract malaria, and 3.5 million lives were saved from the disease because biomedical research advances were developed with and for the communities affected.

On the other hand: Consider just one other example - Covid. Between the turn of 2020 and Oct 2021, 5 million lives were lost - potentially - because of biomedical research advances.

Let’s put that aside, i’m still interested as to what biomedical research advances exactly proved to be nothing short of remarkable in the fight against malaria?

Farrar: Science—bed nets and artemisinin combo therapy—were brought together with communication, with the embracement of society and with true leadership.

True leadership - that being you of course.

Let’s examine the truth of that statement from a true leader. 

Firstly: Bed nets is not a breath-taking biomedical research advance - it’s common sense. I went to Africa in the 80’s - they had bednets - and Hydroxy - and insecticide. The advance was to soak the bednets in insect repellent.

But how about the other part of the combo therapy?

Artemisia: a traditional Chinese medicine for malaria (so not a modern bio-research advance either). Yes, it was synthesized into a drug - which seemed to ruin its centuries-old efficacy coz it worked for five minutes - then malaria developed resistance. As Harald Noedl, MedUni Vienna, noted: We were way too optimistic.

The truth is, the 3.5 million lives saved were from distributing more bednets soaked in insect repellent and increased spraying of insecticide in breeding places. Great. Not bio-medical advances, though.  

Unfortunately even these simple measures - they’re important - but not solutions in themselves. Malaria shows resistance against insecticides - which are carcinogenic poisons basically, and bednets only protect you when you’re in bed. 

Like a lot of diseases, malaria is caused by:

 corruption 

Billions of dollars are spent each year on downstream technological-solutions to malaria but the upstream cause, man-made corruption, is left untreated. 

Malaria is a terrible, but preventable disease. It flourishes where there’s poor sanitation - which is caused by corrupt governments - in Africa - and four other continents - corruptly draining the resources of humanity’s motherland - without giving back to its citizens. To the tune of $40 bil a year.

Aisha Dodwell: This research shows that what African countries really need is for the rest of the world to stop systematically looting them.

But we can’t talk about that coz we’re taking the politics out (along with the resources &/or organs).

NIH Record: Citing several other conditions (other than malaria), he (Farrar) said the scientific community nevertheless cannot rest on its (bednet) laurels but must be more vigilant to see that gains are not lost.

Farrar: As these diseases are disappearing from many parts of the world through vaccination (bednets/artemisia are not vaccines, Jeremy) and as people lose that personal experience or connection to these diseases, things like the anti-vaccine movement become more powerful.

Hang on, one minute we’re talking about the great bio-medical advance of bednets - the next you’re railing against your favourite hobby-horse - the vaccine-hesitant movement. 

Which you’re afraid will become even more powerful? 

Last time i checked, vaccine-hesitant people were being tear-gassed/bashed/maced/fined/jailed/banned from earning a living/travelling/shopping - all based on:

the advice from the health experts. 

But even with all that power to crush, you’re still afraid? That’s telling. 

Judging by the growing protests around the world, i can see why you would be, though. People are told they need to take multiple doses of experimental vaccines (or face ex-communication from society) - due to Covid. But you won't tell us what Covid was due to.

You know but you won't say.

If you want to restore the public's faith in Science, it's quite easy - simply #dacktheredactions from your Science discussions around the Feb 1 teleconference - show the public that we can trust the experts who dictated the western world's response to Covid. Why not?