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"A lab at a biotech company two hours away by bullet train extracts T cells from the blood." Two hours away by bullet train... Something you don't hear in the

"A lab at a biotech company two hours away by bullet train extracts T cells from the blood." Two hours away by bullet train... Something you don't hear in the US. A 21st century infrastructure paying dividends.

refurb 9y ago
Yes, because the US doesn't have any infrastructure that could support the rapid transport of lab samples.
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  This. Related, China has a huge problem with volunteer donor organ transplants because they have no easy way to get it from the donor to donee in time (they would have to take on a train or fly it in economy with china’s famous aircraft delays, no helicopters or air courier services). Part of the reason why predictable condemned prisoner donations were so important... Now that they can’t rely on condemned prisoners anymore (at least they’ve promised the ban is for real this time), bullet train infrastructure is quite useful.
  - thinkloop 9y ago
    More on this in case anyone was interested: https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/resources/ethics/the-ethics-of-organ-donation-from-condemned-prisoners/ https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/resources/ethics/the-ethics... > prisoners be given the option of donating organs upon their death > another suggests that condemned prisoners be offered the option of trading a kidney or their bone marrow in exchange for a commuted sentence of life in prison without parole > Application of the death penalty is spasmodic and seemingly discriminatorily applied, which would suggest that these types of proposals would be coercive to particular classes of individuals--minorities and the poor. There are so many things that would be sensible policy (i.e. using organs of dead people) were it not for the surrounding hazards they create: incentive to give death penalties, wealthy people abusing, greater chance of weak defenses, etc. If we could solve the slippery slope problem, so may things would be possible.
- samplatt 9y ago
  Cruise-missile payload, maybe?
leemailll 9y ago
That's not too far. Less than 600 km in distance

refurb 9y ago

Yes, because the US doesn't have any infrastructure that could support the rapid transport of lab samples.

seanmcdirmid 9y ago
This. Related, China has a huge problem with volunteer donor organ transplants because they have no easy way to get it from the donor to donee in time (they would have to take on a train or fly it in economy with china’s famous aircraft delays, no helicopters or air courier services). Part of the reason why predictable condemned prisoner donations were so important... Now that they can’t rely on condemned prisoners anymore (at least they’ve promised the ban is for real this time), bullet train infrastructure is quite useful.
- thinkloop 9y ago
  More on this in case anyone was interested: https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/resources/ethics/the-ethics-of-organ-donation-from-condemned-prisoners/ https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/resources/ethics/the-ethics... > prisoners be given the option of donating organs upon their death > another suggests that condemned prisoners be offered the option of trading a kidney or their bone marrow in exchange for a commuted sentence of life in prison without parole > Application of the death penalty is spasmodic and seemingly discriminatorily applied, which would suggest that these types of proposals would be coercive to particular classes of individuals--minorities and the poor. There are so many things that would be sensible policy (i.e. using organs of dead people) were it not for the surrounding hazards they create: incentive to give death penalties, wealthy people abusing, greater chance of weak defenses, etc. If we could solve the slippery slope problem, so may things would be possible.
samplatt 9y ago
Cruise-missile payload, maybe?

leemailll 9y ago

That's not too far. Less than 600 km in distance