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Health for Peace

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,

Comments (3)

Dear Earon, Thanks for writing. The story of stuff piece is awesome and frightening! I agree with you about health diplomacy being a necessity, and the corruption in corporate alliances must be exposed and overcome. Be peace, Susan Corso

posted by Susan Corso on 1/22/2008 8:25 am

Wonderful ideas. There are some things that almost everyone can agree upon. Having sufficient clean water and nutrutious foods, clean air to breathe, shelter from the elements, and good health are some of those.

Unforutnately, health aspects related to reproduction can engender political and religious conflicts that discourage these calls for cooperation. Infant mortality is important to everyone, but sexuality, contraception and abortion can become politicized to the extent that cooperation breaks down, especially under fundamentalist administrations. And the high costs of many procedures and medications, and even policies about the use of infant feeding formulae can price people out of the market for health.

Further, there are concerns that increasing research projects overseas are a means for exploiting foreign citizens rather than of offering them more and better health care options. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are important partners in the exchange of information and cures throughout the world, but there also must be accountability that the information and cures are safe and effective and that foreign subjects are treated with the same research protocols as American citizens, for example.

Local health problems around the world are also related to pollution and the exploitation of workers, both by local employers and multinational corporations. There is a fine film on the indirect costs of western consumerism at www.storyofstuff.com.

Health diplomacy is a worthy goal. And all of these problems can, and must, be overcome.

Peace,

Earon S. Davis, J.D., M.P.H., L.C.M.T.

posted by Earon on 12/24/2007 10:46 pm

For a nice list of Famous Health Quotes visit:

www.rxpop.com/quotes.asp

Enjoy!

posted by RxPop on 12/20/2007 3:02 am

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