The Politicization of Science: No Good Deed Goes Uncriticized

This is unbelievable: Malaria is a terrible affliction that takes the lives of millions. To their great credit, Bill and Melinda Gates, through their foundation, have poured wheel barrows full of money ($1.2 billion) to fight the disease. And what is their thanks? Dr. Arata Kochi, a World Health Association official accused them in a memo of creating a "cartel" for malaria research, criticism echoed by some other scientists! From the New York Times story:

In a memorandum, the malaria chief, Dr. Arata Kochi, complained to his boss, Dr. Margaret Chan, the director general of the W.H.O., that the foundation's money, while crucial, could have "far-reaching, largely unintended consequences."

Many of the world's leading malaria scientists are now "locked up in a 'cartel' with their own research funding being linked to those of others within the group," Dr. Kochi wrote. Because "each has a vested interest to safeguard the work of the others," he wrote, getting independent reviews of research proposals "is becoming increasingly difficult."...

There have been hints in recent months that the World Health Organization feels threatened by the growing power of the Gates Foundation. Some scientists have said privately that it is "creating its own W.H.O."

So what? I guess it's okay if WHO has the monopoly? Please.

It is shocking the extent to which politics and ego drive the leadership of the scientific/medical community these days. This seems more about turf protection than anything else. No good deed goes unpunished.