5 ms·

I suspect it would have been much better for them to simply partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where they're actually curing diseases. They've li

by SEJeff 10y ago

I suspect it would have been much better for them to simply partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where they're actually curing diseases. They've literally almost eradicated polio globally[1]. [1] http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Polio

xixixao 10y ago
And Bill just walked onto the stage :)
melling 10y ago
Did you know that the vaccine for polio has existed for decades.
- SEJeff 10y ago
  I did. Did you know that much of Africa didn't have access to said vaccine due to funding shortages? This was one of the efforts where the Gates foundation literally just threw money at the problem until it went away.
  - melling 10y ago
    Sure, I know that. The point of the new effort is trying to cure diseases. That's a completely different type of effort. Getting people together to travel to different parts of the world to make sure people are vaccinated, for example, requires a different group of people than scientists researching cures for diseases. Both groups are needed, of course. But you giving the example of "curing" polio as an example of what the Chan Zuckerberg foundation is trying to accomplish is inaccurate.
    - SEJeff 10y ago
      Ah I see the semantics of your argument and you're right. I just think other than the prestige argument (which is likely what this is) they could actually do more work working with someone who literally spends more on this than the entire USG.
      - deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
maxerickson 10y ago
Largely by funding the effort. http://www.polioeradication.org/Portals/0/Document/Financing/HistoricalContributions.pdf http://www.polioeradication.org/Portals/0/Document/Financing... Which I don't mean as a criticism, it's just that they aren't really driving the effort, they are participating by providing a lot of resources.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- SEJeff 10y ago
  Based on that link, the Gates foundation is providing $2.86 billion. The second biggest donor is the US Government at $2.64 billion. I'd consider the entity with the most money in the game as the driver of really anything.
onewaystreet 10y ago
> I suspect it would have been much better for them to simply partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Based on what? The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has plenty of money. Better for the Zuckerbergs to focus on other areas.
- SEJeff 10y ago
  Based on the Gates foundation's existing accomplishments on eradicating diseases, of which Malaria and Polio are shining examples. While we've had Polio vaccines and Malaria pills for years in much of the western world, much of the poorer parts of the world aren't so lucky. So instead of duplicating something that already exists and works well, partner with them and get it done faster together. References: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Neglected-Tropical-Diseases http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Negl... http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Polio http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development... http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Malaria http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Mala...
  - melling 10y ago
    They aren't duplicate efforts. You keep missing that point.
    - SEJeff 10y ago
      "Cure all diseases" is a bit hand wavy just like a static code analyzer claiming to "find all software defects". What is the point that I'm missing? They don't really want to cure all diseases?
      - melling 10y ago
        Hey, Bill Gates is pretty excited. Maybe you could tweet him and ask him what you don't get? “Thank you mark, it’s an honour to join you all after this incredible milestone. The Chan Zuckerberg initiative is already doing some very promising work in terms of improving education for all students (and so) that is a really thrilling thing. And it is amazing that today they are taking on another bold challenge, this idea of curing and preventing all diseases by the end of the century. That’s very bold very ambitious, and I can’t think of a better partnership to take it on,” Bill Gates said.
ams6110 10y ago
Well honestly that's a much easier task. Polio is a solved problem. The vaccine has existed for decades. It's just a matter of money to get it out to enough people. Curing "all" disease is a bit more ambitious. Not to say that in the end, Gates isn't helping more people today.

by SEJeff 10y ago

xixixao 10y ago

And Bill just walked onto the stage :)

melling 10y ago

Did you know that the vaccine for polio has existed for decades.

SEJeff 10y ago
I did. Did you know that much of Africa didn't have access to said vaccine due to funding shortages? This was one of the efforts where the Gates foundation literally just threw money at the problem until it went away.
- melling 10y ago
  Sure, I know that. The point of the new effort is trying to cure diseases. That's a completely different type of effort. Getting people together to travel to different parts of the world to make sure people are vaccinated, for example, requires a different group of people than scientists researching cures for diseases. Both groups are needed, of course. But you giving the example of "curing" polio as an example of what the Chan Zuckerberg foundation is trying to accomplish is inaccurate.
  - SEJeff 10y ago
    Ah I see the semantics of your argument and you're right. I just think other than the prestige argument (which is likely what this is) they could actually do more work working with someone who literally spends more on this than the entire USG.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]

maxerickson 10y ago

Largely by funding the effort. http://www.polioeradication.org/Portals/0/Document/Financing/HistoricalContributions.pdf http://www.polioeradication.org/Portals/0/Document/Financing... Which I don't mean as a criticism, it's just that they aren't really driving the effort, they are participating by providing a lot of resources.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
SEJeff 10y ago
Based on that link, the Gates foundation is providing $2.86 billion. The second biggest donor is the US Government at $2.64 billion. I'd consider the entity with the most money in the game as the driver of really anything.

onewaystreet 10y ago

> I suspect it would have been much better for them to simply partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Based on what? The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has plenty of money. Better for the Zuckerbergs to focus on other areas.

SEJeff 10y ago
Based on the Gates foundation's existing accomplishments on eradicating diseases, of which Malaria and Polio are shining examples. While we've had Polio vaccines and Malaria pills for years in much of the western world, much of the poorer parts of the world aren't so lucky. So instead of duplicating something that already exists and works well, partner with them and get it done faster together. References: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Neglected-Tropical-Diseases http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Negl... http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Polio http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development... http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Malaria http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Health/Mala...
- melling 10y ago
  They aren't duplicate efforts. You keep missing that point.
  - SEJeff 10y ago
    "Cure all diseases" is a bit hand wavy just like a static code analyzer claiming to "find all software defects". What is the point that I'm missing? They don't really want to cure all diseases?
    - melling 10y ago
      Hey, Bill Gates is pretty excited. Maybe you could tweet him and ask him what you don't get? “Thank you mark, it’s an honour to join you all after this incredible milestone. The Chan Zuckerberg initiative is already doing some very promising work in terms of improving education for all students (and so) that is a really thrilling thing. And it is amazing that today they are taking on another bold challenge, this idea of curing and preventing all diseases by the end of the century. That’s very bold very ambitious, and I can’t think of a better partnership to take it on,” Bill Gates said.

ams6110 10y ago

Well honestly that's a much easier task. Polio is a solved problem. The vaccine has existed for decades. It's just a matter of money to get it out to enough people. Curing "all" disease is a bit more ambitious. Not to say that in the end, Gates isn't helping more people today.