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Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

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Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#61

Post by mrfusion »

IMTDb wrote: post #19
hannob wrote: post #10

So I'm no expert in medical sciences, but have some basic knowledge. Here's what I think: You're basically proposing a form of vaccination. Essentially everyone knows that a vaccine would be the way out of this mess. There's loads of research on Vaccines for Covid-19 right now. Your idea isn't exceptionally surprising, as you write yourself it's close to how some of the early vaccines worked. I am reasonably convince…

> Given that you want to give it to potentially almost everyone on the planet, you want to be really sure. This is why I have a hard time with the current crisis. We are in what is now universally called a "global health crisis". Measures are being taken to help prevent the virus that are incredibly costly for the economy, which will cost hundreds of thousands of jobs, and that will indirectly kill thousands of peopl…

I hear you. I hope we overhaul the fda when this is over.

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#63

Post by 93po »

m33k44 wrote: post #57
danieltillett wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes in an ideal world I should just be able to write to Bill and he will have the time to consider my proposal seriously. In the real world the only way to get the attention of someone like Bill is to have someone he takes seriously bring it to his attention. Hence the post here.

In the last AMA on Reddit he did provide information about the people to whom he listens. I am posting the link to the AMA again here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill... Dr. Trevor Mundel[0], who leads the Gates Foundation’s global health work, and Dr. Niranjan Bose[1], Bill Gates' chief scientific adviser. [0] https://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Informati... [1] https://ww…

Sounds like these people would be much more likely to see a message and would be plenty capable of passing it on to Bill if they see merit in it.

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#64

Post by peterburkimsher »

IMTDb wrote: post #19
hannob wrote: post #10

So I'm no expert in medical sciences, but have some basic knowledge. Here's what I think: You're basically proposing a form of vaccination. Essentially everyone knows that a vaccine would be the way out of this mess. There's loads of research on Vaccines for Covid-19 right now. Your idea isn't exceptionally surprising, as you write yourself it's close to how some of the early vaccines worked. I am reasonably convince…

> Given that you want to give it to potentially almost everyone on the planet, you want to be really sure. This is why I have a hard time with the current crisis. We are in what is now universally called a "global health crisis". Measures are being taken to help prevent the virus that are incredibly costly for the economy, which will cost hundreds of thousands of jobs, and that will indirectly kill thousands of peopl…

"Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make" - Lord Farquaad, Shrek (2001)

Regardless of the ethical dilemma, it's a politically untenable position. Vaccine-derived poliovirus [1] affected less than 800 people, compared to 6.5 million if vaccination was not pursued. [2] However, even such few cases were exploited by false teachers (anti-vax, religious groups) to oppose the vaccination efforts entirely. [3] China's economy is recovering already. Although the economic consequences of the lockdown are serious, it's not worth jeopardising trust in public health authorities.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polio_eradication#Vaccine-deri...

[2] http://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-prevention/the...

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polio_eradication#Opposition_t...

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#65

Post by danieltillett »

sjg007 wrote: post #58
danieltillett wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is actually extreme simple. You suggestion of injecting virus into people’s gluts is a vaccine, just one that is unlikely to work well and be dangerous as well. I have explained why vaccines are not the answer.

It might be a lower risk to innoculate in the the glute then getting a primary infection in the lung first. We do not know yet and that's what vaccine trials are for. We know that the spike protein is probably the target though. That protein and fragments can be amplified and expressed and tested as vaccines. Your search for a live attenuated strain would probably take 18 months minimum and probably longer. You need…

No it won’t take long. We already have the samples (they are what has been sent in to labs) and with modern genomic tools you could sequence 100,000 samples for under a million dollars in a couple of weeks at most.

The mutation rate is just an average - anyway we are looking for one specific mutation and in the 6 months SARS-CoV-2 has been around there has been plenty of time for the right mutant strain to have arisen.

It doesn’t matter who the cohort is - all that matters is the strain has the right mutation.

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#66

Post by danieltillett »

93po wrote: post #63
m33k44 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the last AMA on Reddit he did provide information about the people to whom he listens. I am posting the link to the AMA again here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill... Dr. Trevor Mundel[0], who leads the Gates Foundation’s global health work, and Dr. Niranjan Bose[1], Bill Gates' chief scientific adviser. [0] https://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Informati... [1] https://ww…

Sounds like these people would be much more likely to see a message and would be plenty capable of passing it on to Bill if they see merit in it.

Yes to get to someone like Bill will be a two jump exercise.

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#67

Post by danieltillett »

mrfusion wrote: post #60
danieltillett wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn’t which is the reason why the idea is more than an idea for another vaccine. Even if it did it, it would be a ecological solution that would mean we could stop vaccinating in the future - a bit like how we were able to stop vaccinating for smallpox once the attenuated viral vaccine drove it to extinction in the wild.

Why would it need less trials than a vaccine? Are there special regulations?

Because it is natural. You don’t need permission from the FDA to catch a natural virus.

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#68

Post by danieltillett »

hirundo wrote: post #62

Variolation is a good idea with or without attenuated virus. That just improves on it. http://www.overcomingbias.com/2020/03/variolation-may-cut-co... I'd like to sign up for it either way, assuming medical supervision.

This suggestion is not really variolation. Real variolation involved infecting a person with an attenuated strain of smallpox, not just a low dose. While the idea by Robin might help to build herd immunity relatively safely those infected will still be a hazard to the vulnerable around them and it won’t lead to a long term solution.

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#69

Post by danieltillett »

mrfusion wrote: post #59

This is a great idea! But why it would be any faster than a vaccine. We already have vaccines, the slowness is testing them. Wouldn’t this method need just as much testing?

Because it is a natural virus. You don’t need approval from the FDA to be infected with a natural virus.

Re: Ask HN: How to get Bill Gates's attention?

#70

Post by mrfusion »

danieltillett wrote: post #67
mrfusion wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would it need less trials than a vaccine? Are there special regulations?

Because it is natural. You don’t need permission from the FDA to catch a natural virus.

Aren’t a lot of vaccines just weakened versions of natural viruses?

Insulin is natural, would not they require testing before it could be used to treat a new disease?

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