tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654455663519806899.post6756224301462540663..comments2023-11-09T02:43:59.293-08:00Comments on Christian Medical Comment: Send a gift this Christmas that will really transform lives in the developing worldPeter Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17222354018504253042noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654455663519806899.post-22192960499423353672012-12-26T18:08:02.814-08:002012-12-26T18:08:02.814-08:00Ah, I see. My apologies. So how much do you get by...<br />Ah, I see. My apologies. So how much do you get by way of a bursary each year, and what percentage of that do you donate? And to whom?<br /><br />It's important to remember that "medical interventions" aren't the only things that make a difference in the third world. What is most needed is alleviation of poverty. That and education.<br /><br />You'd be better off giving to charities which help the poor earn a livelihood - some of the examples in Peter's blog-post are good ones.<br />Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654455663519806899.post-43263219771343200712012-12-23T10:43:26.542-08:002012-12-23T10:43:26.542-08:00Hello James,
Medical school doesn't really co...Hello James,<br /><br />Medical school doesn't really cover how to evaluate which interventions work, or give you a list of which ones do, so I won't become any more of an authority once I qualify. Hence the links towards groups that spend their time trying to work this out (one I neglected was the WHO Disease Control and Prevention Priorities project, although it is more about 'what sort of treatments are the most cost effective', and not 'what charities'.<br /><br />I sadly don't get pocket money any more. So I give out of my NHS bursary instead. Thrasymachushttp://www.thepolemicalmedic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654455663519806899.post-82255347746902466342012-12-22T17:12:50.137-08:002012-12-22T17:12:50.137-08:00I see you are a medical student, hence still at Un...<br />I see you are a medical student, hence still at Uni and not a "proper doctor", ergo not qualified to state what interventions are of use and which aren't.<br /><br />So tell us, Thrasymachus - how much of your parents' dosh do you give away a year, what percentage of your pocket money? :)<br /><br />I applaud the sentiment by the way. Certainly everyone should give what they *can*, not merely what they "have to". All too often, rich christians tithe but do not give a penny more -although they could well afford to be much more generous.<br />Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654455663519806899.post-38627209946641434842012-12-22T04:35:02.940-08:002012-12-22T04:35:02.940-08:00good opinion, why do the party..good opinion, why do the party..Camerahttp://www.digitcamfoto.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654455663519806899.post-15144912809177591732012-12-21T08:11:17.199-08:002012-12-21T08:11:17.199-08:00If you are planning on using your money to help in...If you are planning on using your money to help in developing countries, it is a good idea to figure out what the best things to spend your money on are - interventions likely vary in efficacy by several orders of magnitude, and some interventions that sound like they should help turn out to have no effect, or even do harm.<br /><br />Happily, some folks spend their time trying to work out the best ways of giving to help:<br /><br />www.givewell.org<br /><br />www.givingwhatwecan.org<br /><br />[Disclosure: I'm a member of Giving What We Can.]Thrasymachushttp://www.thepolemicalmedic.comnoreply@blogger.com