FDA, WHO, centralizing research, less pollution and faster results
By vanny
@vandana7 (100282)
India
August 9, 2021 10:04pm CST
My thoughts this morning.
My cousin said he is possibly arriving by month end from the US.
But he hopes by then there are pills to cure COVID. Me too bro, me too.
So it got me thinking. We have reached a point where we know we are connected to one another in many issues. Does it not make sense to centralize research then?
I mean, here is a scientist in India, using same reagents same quantities at same temperature and same concentration, to realize ..hey this is not working against covid virus. So dump it in the drain...next compound...so on and on.
Same action in the US. Same action in France. Same in Australia. Same in China. Same in the US. Same in UK. Same in Germany...and wherever..not meant to say others are not doing any research but to highlight how much of compound we waste, how much of time we waste, how much we pollute. And then we cry...climate change, climate change...pollution, pollution.
A set of stuff will give set of reactions...so if you use zinc and pour HCL on it, it will release hydrogen. Why on earth this experiment has to be repeated in front of every student in Chemistry class... extracting zinc and preparing HCL causes pollution. It uses power and many reactions release heat. Aren't we heating the environment ..don't we desire entirely the opposite?
So kinda...why don't we centralize research...let the countries do it in their labs, no issues. But share their knowledge.
After all, even if COVID virus survives in any corner of the world, it can still land at our doorstep. Haven't we realized that?
19 people like this
18 responses
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Aug 21
I had typed out a long boring response but worried that my point would be dismissing your thoughts or make you think I didn't like or agree with your thoughts.
In fact, you make perfect sense. It was well reasoned. Your points are in order and you offer a solution that would benefit every single person on the planet.
But.
I don't believe it's possible.
Greed. Humans are greedy. Research groups are greedy. Nations are greedy.
Everyone wants the 15 minutes of fame or some terrible affliction named after them.
Funding for research is often done with private sector monies.
Success brings more funding and the investors gain returns on success.
I think that greed is a huge roadblock to your idea.
Please forgive me if I've made your cereal soggy.
7 people like this
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
10 Aug 21
I would want to read that "boring" response...I like to think of solutions. :)
I had thought of solution to greed....too.
So if J&J invests 10000 USD, Procter & Gamble another 10000 both would share royalty equally. The researcher gets the facility because of the companies. So he or she would be rewarded as per the company's norms. Yes, credit would be given to the person, and fame too because that line of thinking is what struck him or her.
But royalty aspect would have to disappear slowly and steadily. Other nations can then spend 40000 or even 80000 collectively, buy it all out. Once and for all. The knowledge there in becomes like open source.
3 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
10 Aug 21
@vandana7
Greedy people will quickly jump on "private labs" and research exclusively with investor funding.
Much like J&J and P&G combining to share research costs and facilities, other partnerships would form to compete.
The pressure to achieve results would turn into a competition to find it first between each partnership.
With success, comes bragging rights.
You would have to have one agency worldwide take control of all the labs and dictate that no one person is above the others.
Even then there would be underground labs with researchers seeking their 15 minutes of fame.
Greed ruins everything.
I'm sorry if I sound cynical but people here had fistfights and tug of wars and screaming matches over toilet paper. They HAD to get as much as they could.
3 people like this
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
10 Aug 21
@Vikingswest1 Our ICMR has said ..3 months after first jab of COVISHIELD, if we take COVAXIN, as the second jab, it offers immunity against all the variations known for now.
ICMR, FDA...we have multiple bodies...some vaccines approved at your end, and not at our end, seems to be odd...why must we spend time and resources retesting J&J? And why should you all spend monies retesting AstraZeneca (COVISHIELD)?
That is competition between vaccine manufacturers and researchers.
If that competition factor is removed, it will help I think.
Trust can be re-established I think. I agree WHO has failed, and China being biggest donor could have influenced it.
That said, even if 4 lives are saved out of 10 instead of none, I am a game. WHO can give ranking...based on results with it... FOR EXISTING PRODUCTS.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137257)
• United States
10 Aug 21
vanny for world president! Tell all the other leaders, including pony, they are out of a job!
3 people like this
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
11 Aug 21
@DaddyEvil Gosh...I will kill you ..if you keep defending Americans like that...for once appreciate me.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137257)
• United States
11 Aug 21
@vandana7 Dearheart? That wasn't in pony's defense... That was a comment on the American experience. There is a reason many of us are apolitical. We know nothing we say or do will make a difference to our government.
@DaddyEvil (137257)
• United States
11 Aug 21
@vandana7 pony is realistic and knows nothing we do will affect things...
2 people like this
@CuriousGab (3292)
• India
11 Aug 21
What an great idea
All intelligent people form different parts of world coming together and thinking for humanity will definitely lead to best reuslts.
The lockdowns,health system,etc have blown all countries economy ..so isn't it good if all share the knowledge and make the virus go away soon
But why everyone put their personal benefits ahead?
Making virus vanish will only boost the economy which has slowed down.
If noone shares the knowledge...there will be delta,Gama,beta virus and their knowledge won't work either..
All intelligent people form different parts of world coming together and thinking for humanity will definitely lead to best reuslts.
The lockdowns,health system,etc have blown all countries economy ..so isn't it good if all share the knowledge and make the virus go away soon
But why everyone put their personal benefits ahead?
Making virus vanish will only boost the economy which has slowed down.
If noone shares the knowledge...there will be delta,Gama,beta virus and their knowledge won't work either..1 person likes this
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
12 Aug 21
@CuriousGab Frankly, no...it would benefit them too.
If we combine research, we would not be repeating some activities. This saves time, resources, and cost of scientist's time or need for more lab assistants...is that not substantial saving?
Then premises costs ... laboratories occupy room, require permission, and lots of things like gas connections centrifuges....equipment is expensive? Real estate is expensive!
Aren't they saving on that?
Some things have to be imported. We Indians export some of those reagents. If we let our laboratories undertake the tests related to those reagents, we don't have to ship them? No transportation costs. No excise and other taxes.
On the whole, this would be a win win situation for everybody if planned well.
1 person likes this
@CuriousGab (3292)
• India
12 Aug 21
@vandana7
Yes,I agree it will benefit all the people
it will only be non beneficial to those who want more.
Who can't be satisfied with a little amount of profit
those who want more for themselves rather than for everyone
1 person likes this
@Miladmalik (322)
•
10 Aug 21
It takes time, slow but sure that is better than nothing progress
3 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (89882)
• Arvada, Colorado
10 Aug 21
Yes that makes sense to me, perfect sense Vanny.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (89882)
• Arvada, Colorado
11 Aug 21
@vandana7 Welcome thank you for understanding me too Vanny
@wolfgirl569 (106226)
• Marion, Ohio
10 Aug 21
Because there are too many power mad people on the world. Each country has someone who wants to claim the victory
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
11 Aug 21
I was for uniform set of laws framed by the UN, to which each nation can add its own set. That way we all have to learn very little about laws of different countries. Sections vary numbers vary...so we have to memorize different laws...entirely. Same thing with research.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (19949)
• United States
10 Aug 21
I agree. But like vikingswest said it's greed and being first to come up with the idea. It's also politics too. The US is divided and some would refuse to talk to certain countries.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
11 Aug 21
We can come up with a way that losses, if at all would be negligible. See, there are always imports or some activities are more expensive in some regions. Why not have centralized scientists delegating in optimal fashion so that nothing needs to move from one country to another. No taxes, no transport costs, minimal recruitment costs, etc. It can be worked on if all are keen to do so.
1 person likes this
@ThatDisha (4010)
• India
10 Aug 21
Now, i am so much fade up of this pandemic that i do not even care about what's happening around the world
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47308)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
10 Aug 21
I have a friend who believes if you take vitamins C and D and zinc tablets you won't get covid.
1 person likes this
@YuleimaVzla (1505)
• Maracaibo, Venezuela
10 Aug 21
I am going to rescue important points from what you have said, the time and money factor and also the environment. All this is a cocktail of pure problems that all countries are facing but In order not to affect the corporations What are they who are sponsoring are simply drowned in a glass of water
1 person likes this
@josie_ (10034)
• Philippines
10 Aug 21
Even during normal times, Big Pharma is about making money for their shareholders. This pandemic only means an opportunity to cash in on the misfortunes of others. We have seen how they zealously guard their patent rights and vehemently lobby against generic substitutes.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
10 Aug 21
The method I have in mind will help them make whatever they are making now by reducing costs on skilled manpower, utilities, chemistry lab consumables, interest to banks, proportionate lab rental costs, etc. Effectively, their margin will take less hit but the world will benefit. Surely, such proposal is worth considering.
@LindaOHio (178568)
• United States
10 Aug 21
I thought countries did share research?
1 person likes this
