The Wrong Rights

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

The Wrong Rights

Newsweek (10/11/99) Vol. 134, No.15, P. 92
Bloom, Barry R.

The dean of the Harvard School of Public Health, Barry R. Bloom, believes that prevention is the best kind of healthcare. In an article in Newsweek, Bloom asserts that "citizens deserve the most accurate information medical science can provide on how to promote health and prevent illness." Other rights include those for mother and infant care, childhood immunization, teenage counseling, health screening, and a healthy environment. Immunization, for example, has helped to keep U.S. children free from diseases like polio and diphtheria. For a total savings of about $4 billion annually, each dollar spent on measles, mumps, and rubella shots can save over $13 in medical costs. Meanwhile, although there are no vaccines to protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), Bloom states that teenagers need to know how to prevent HIV infection and other STDs. According to Bloom, the United States has made great strides in improving public health during this century, but further changes and investments are needed.

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Copyright © 1999 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.

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