Bernie probably sounded the death knell of his quest for the Room Without Corners when he bravely pronounced mild praise for the social accomplishments of the Castro regime. Those are undeniable,
{20.02.08} as are the human rights abuses committed by the Cuban revolution. Cuban doctors and Cuba's socialized health care system are respected around the world. Not only do they regularly assist developing nations with health care, but they engage in ground breaking research. Here is one more example.
In September 2011 a Chinese news agency (notably not a western source because after all nothing good can come out of communist Cuba) reported that Cuban doctors had developed a vaccine for inoperable lung cancer, CIMAvax-EGF. This was the result of twenty-five years of research by Havana’s Center for Molecular Immunology. Castro had expressed interest in the Institute's earlier research into Interferon with a visit to the Institute
[picture, left] Interferon turned out to be a dead end, but research went on. The vaccine is now in use in Latin America and the Balkans. It does not prevent lung cancer. It does control the spread of tumors to other parts of the body in late stage non-small cell lung carcinoma. The vaccine is given to patients who have lung cancer for which other treatments are not effective. Initial trials show that patients under 60 benefit most in terms of survival. Side effects are relatively mild.
Like any vaccine, more widespread testing is needed to determine if it is safe and effective. Trials are supposed to take place in the US, Japan and the European Union. The FDA authorized a phase II clinical trial to take place in Buffalo, NY at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2016. However the current ideologically based, economic embargo against Cuba is hindering that cooperation. An immunologist at Roswell said of the Cuban doctors involved, “The wonderful thing about working with our Cuban colleagues is that
they really believe, in their heart of hearts, that medical care is a
human right.” If that type of commitment to the common good is
socialistic,
US Person says bring it on!*
*On the subject of vaccines and vaccinations, the Colorado county of El Paso, which contains the city of Colorado Springs has more reactionary conservative voters than any other county in the state, and they have displayed more weirdness in anticipation of a vaccine for COVID-19. These rabid reactionaries passed two county platform resolutions against mandatory vaccination, condemning the policy in no uncertain terms twice. Possibly by strange coincident, the county also has the most deaths from COVID-19 in the state. Colorado already has lax vaccination requirements allowing parents to exempt their children for religious or philosophical reasons. It has the worst vaccination rate for measles in the nation
