Medical Advancements - Hey Look, It's Not in the U.S.!

I've always laughed at those people who make the ridiculous argument that there are no benefits to socialized health care. I'll concede, as any reasonable person would, that there are benefits to privatized health care, as there are with socialized health care. But I've had the "Canadians would trade their system for ours in a heartbeat" conversation one too many times. And it's simply not true. Especially considering that my uncle is in fact Canadian and enjoys his socialized health care and expressly stated that he wouldn't trade his health care for a privatized system. Hmmmm....think about that. But alas, ye' nay sayers who live in America must know better right? Criticize away, but don't knock it till you've tried it. Of course, it'd be fair to say you wouldn't trade your privatized system for a socialized system. But I wouldn't agree. Mainly because I don't have a privatized plan to trade.....

Now, I'm not saying all things socialism are great. As Homer Simpson once said "In theory Lisa. In theory Communism works...in theory." I acknowledge the shortcomings of thinking that everyone can pull their own weight or that we can achieve some sort of Utopian society by redistributing wealth on a larger-than-welfare scale. Such notions have resulted in failure [even without the help of the US government backing coup d'etats and injecting a quasi democractic government (read: dictatorship) in place].

But that doesn't mean we can't borrow aspects of other forms of governmental organization. Why? Because, another breakthrough in medicine occurred. And guess what? It was in France. Oh, you mean a socialized system? One of those systems that people argue won't make advancements because there aren't any capitalistic incentives to do so? Hmmm...maybe we should rethink that argument. I'm just sayin....there was that first partial facial transplant that happened too. Oh, and that was in France as well.

This was a partial facial transplant AND a hand transplant.

Dozens of doctors working in teams over 30 hours performed the world's first simultaneous partial-face and double-hand transplant during the weekend, Paris' Public Hospital authority said Monday.

The authority described the recipient as a 30-year-old burn victim. The man, whose name was not released, was injured in a 2004 accident that left him with scars "preventing any social life," it said.

The authority's statement said the operation, performed over Saturday and Sunday at the Henri Mondor hospital in the Paris suburb of Creteil, was the world's sixth partial-face transplant but the first to include hands as well.

In a first, the upper half of the man's face, including the scalp, forehead, nose, ears and upper and lower eyelids, were transplanted. Previous facial transplants have attached the lower part of the face.

The man also received a new set of hands, attached above the wrist, the statement said. The surgery succeeded in reconnecting all the relevant nerves, tendons, arteries and veins.

So, in conclusion, medical breakthroughs happen and it doesn't take a capitalized system. Just ask all of the PHD's, post-docs [and lab techs - yes Brooke, I'm thinking of you :)] and other researchers who work for penny's on the dollar, not because they're looking to get rich, because - surprise! - they have a passion for the practice. Weird though, I know.

source.