Would this world cope with a cure for cancer?

shaolinpunk · Sep 20, 2013

If, hypothetically, tomorrow it was announced that a cure for all cancers had been discovered and would be made available for free to everyone, what would that mean for the world at large? If suddenly 7m+ fewer people died each year, would our resources cope with the population boom?

The cynical and conspiracy theorist parts of me suspect that, if a cure has been/is found, it'll be buried because a) there's more money in ongoing care and b) there are fears that we won't cope with the extra bodies on the food chain

strings · Sep 20, 2013

This is an interesting issue. The improvement in health care over the last 50 years has resulted in a pension book that the Government can hardly afford (most of us will be working longer to pay for this) and also a massive increase in costs for the NHS.

I read the other day that some scientists believe that the first person to reach 200 years old has already been born.

Janbha · Sep 20, 2013

Im sure those people with cancer and thier families would welcome the cure , and let the major sort out the increased attendance issue later .

strings · Sep 20, 2013

Janbha said:
Im sure those people with cancer and thier families would welcome the cure , and let the major sort out the increased attendance issue later .

I have to agree with this. When someone in your immediate family gets cancer (especially when it isn't caught in the early stages), you would do anything to help them. A horrible experience.

I do agree with the conspiracy theory in the first post though, if a cure for cancer were found I am not convinced it would be made widely available.

shaolinpunk · Sep 20, 2013

I'm not raising the question in an emotive context - many millions of lives would be much happier without the influence of cancer - but more of a logistical one

Husty · Sep 20, 2013

shaolinpunk said:
I'm not raising the question in an emotive context - many millions of lives would be much happier without the influence of cancer - but more of a logistical one

But how many millions more would suffer as a result of a decreased death rate, particularly in the west?

sparkie · Sep 20, 2013

shaolinpunk said:
If, hypothetically, tomorrow it was announced that a cure for all cancers had been discovered and would be made available for free to everyone, what would that mean for the world at large? If suddenly 7m+ fewer people died each year, would our resources cope with the population boom?

The cynical and conspiracy theorist parts of me suspect that, if a cure has been/is found, it'll be buried because a) there's more money in ongoing care and b) there are fears that we won't cope with the extra bodies on the food chain

Who is to say there is not another disease down the line that effects most 130 year olds, or 150 year olds? We clearly haven't needed to worry about that one yet.

Robdinho · Sep 20, 2013

It wouldn't be the case that 7m people fewer died every year, everyone still dies eventually, those people would all eventually die of something, so the effect would be temporary.

Buzzer · Sep 20, 2013

shaolinpunk said:
The cynical and conspiracy theorist parts of me suspect that, if a cure has been/is found, it'll be buried because a) there's more money in ongoing care and b) there are fears that we won't cope with the extra bodies on the food chain

I used to work for Cancer Research HQ in London and travelled frequently to their labs in Cambridge also and trust me, everyone there is fanatical about trying to find a cure for cancer and would rather give the cure away free than hold it back for some nefarious reason.

Gazwag · Sep 20, 2013

A cure would never be free, the pharmaceutical industry would never allow it, especially as there would be major losses following the scapping of all the existing treatment drugs.

Tricky Dicky · Sep 20, 2013

Buzzer said:
I used to work for Cancer Research HQ in London and travelled frequently to their labs in Cambridge also and trust me, everyone there is fanatical about trying to find a cure for cancer and would rather give the cure away free than hold it back for some nefarious reason.

In these days of t'internet, there is no way you could suppress it anyway, if it existed.

Philzo-93 · Sep 20, 2013

Come on people, did anyone SEE I Am Legend?? That's what's going to happen!!!

Philzo-93 · Sep 20, 2013

shaolinpunk said:
If, hypothetically, tomorrow it was announced that a cure for all cancers had been discovered and would be made available for free to everyone, what would that mean for the world at large? If suddenly 7m+ fewer people died each year, would our resources cope with the population boom?

The cynical and conspiracy theorist parts of me suspect that, if a cure has been/is found, it'll be buried because a) there's more money in ongoing care and b) there are fears that we won't cope with the extra bodies on the food chain

If we, WE, create the cure that works. Then surely we can just sell it on in exchange for the resources we need to cope with the boom

Mellotron · Sep 20, 2013

strings said:
This is an interesting issue. The improvement in health care over the last 50 years has resulted in a pension book that the Government can hardly afford (most of us will be working longer to pay for this) and also a massive increase in costs for the NHS.

I read the other day that some scientists believe that the first person to reach 200 years old has already been born.

Went to an investment seminar recently and at the end as a bit of a treat they had a "futurist" scientist chap on to talk about the expected technologies etc of the next 50 years. He said with 1000% certainty that his daughter - born recently - will live until 130 years old "at a very pessimistic estimate", he said. Was fascinating some of the things he talked about.

BLOCK F · Sep 20, 2013

Mellotron said:
Went to an investment seminar recently and at the end as a bit of a treat they had a "futurist" scientist chap on to talk about the expected technologies etc of the next 50 years. He said with 1000% certainty that his daughter - born recently - will live until 130 years old "at a very pessimistic estimate", he said. Was fascinating some of the things he talked about.

Not if she steps in front of a big red bus she won't.

BLOCK F · Sep 20, 2013

shaolinpunk said:
If, hypothetically, tomorrow it was announced that a cure for all cancers had been discovered and would be made available for free to everyone, what would that mean for the world at large? If suddenly 7m+ fewer people died each year, would our resources cope with the population boom?

The cynical and conspiracy theorist parts of me suspect that, if a cure has been/is found, it'll be buried because a) there's more money in ongoing care and b) there are fears that we won't cope with the extra bodies on the food chain

Thankfully,I believe the cynical and conspiratorial parts of you are way off the mark.

Mellotron · Sep 20, 2013

BLOCK F said:
Thankfully,I believe the cynical and conspiratorial parts of you are way off the mark.

To be fair to him, it's already happening with electric cars being held back massively as it is in very powerful rich people's interest for us to keep using petrol.

Seagulltonian · Sep 20, 2013

I'd love a cure for all cancer's to have been found, as it has touched 50% of my family.

It would have been good not to see all the crap my Sister and Dad went through whilst they coped with the disease. :glare:

and I would hate to witness anyone else go through the same thing in the future.

I agree with the OP, in the fact that I think some cure's have possibly been found, and they will never be released, as it would put this little planet of ours under even more stress on population numbers.

On the flip side, I think it would take a big pressure off the NHS, as people would be cured, and wouldn't be using the services until their final time, if that makes sense?

BLOCK F · Sep 20, 2013

Mellotron said:
To be fair to him, it's already happening with electric cars being held back massively as it is in very powerful rich people's interest for us to keep using petrol.

Hmm,don't quite go along with that.There are still too many problems to overcome with leccy cars before they become practical and affordable modes of transport for the masses.
Additionally,if you go along with the 'powerful and rich' theory,what is to stop another load of equally powerful and rich people from taking up the reins and making a killing?

Nibble · Sep 20, 2013

People dying of cancer does not bring the world's population down in real terms. People, clever people who research stuff already know this.

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