....‘For a' that, and a' that,
........It’s comin yet for a’ that
That Man to Man the warld o'er,
.....Shall brothers be for a' that.’

Although this and several other declarations of human rights were written at the end of the 18th century, it was not until 1946 that the World Health Organisation was the first to assert that ‘enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health’ is a human right. One measure of the standard of health of a community is average lifespan, although this is influenced by many social factors. This is now around 80 years in richer countries but in poorer parts of the world it is less than 40 years. Even in these poorer places it would be comparatively easy to prevent the death of thousands of children each day from illness that could be treated or avoided. Within our own country it is shocking to see a difference of 28 years between two neighbouring communities in Glasgow (Calton and Lenzie).

A change of priorities in biomedical research could benefit poorer communities. At present 90% of this research is concerned with afflictions of the 10% of the population who live in richer areas. Should we place greater emphasis on developing treatments that are important everywhere and can be administered anywhere?

Professor Sir Ian Wilmut - Scientist

Text © Ian Wilmut

other images -

Then let us pray that come it may,
.......As come it will for a' that,
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth
.......Shall bear the gree, and a' that.
....For a' that, and a' that,
........It’s comin yet for a’ that
That Man to Man the warld o'er,
.....Shall brothers be for a' that.

Robert Burns