A Stitch in Haste

I suppose if I'm bringing back Friday Diamondblogging and Kip's Law Sightings, then I also have to bring back Broken Window Fallacy debunking:

It was once estimated that one out of every thousand people in the United States work in some field that is linked to cancer research. If a cure for cancer were to be found, it would have a strong, negative effect on the economy in the United States.

If a cure for cancer were to ever be found, the medical community would see shrinkage of staff unlike any that it has ever seen. Unemployment would skyrocket as thousands [of] medical, advertising, and charity professionals lost their jobs. Homelessness in areas where research was centered would also increase.

Support for this failed industry would cause for a raise in taxes to help support the influx of newly unemployed. This raise in taxes would then, in turn like other raises in taxes, bring more people under the poverty level in the United States.

There most likely will never be a cure for cancer. A cure for cancer could be one of the worst mistakes for the United States economy.

This is, of course, utter nonsense. Has been for 157 years.

Health care professionals, while highly specialized, are not "unredeployable." The early days of the AIDS crisis proved that -- most of the first AIDS researchers were oncologists.

And of course the pool of health care professionals is not static. If a definitive cure for cancer were found, the medical schools and research hospitals would simply say to its students and younger practitioners: "Um, you might want to consider switching specialties..." Unlike command-and-control economies, markets adjust relatively quickly and relatively accurately. Even -- especially -- health care markets.

Meanwhile, if cancer were not part of the health care equation, then insurance companies could lower rates (or, if you're a malcontent, earn higher profits). There would also be less demand for medical services (e.g., hospital beds). Lower prices are bad for the economy -- how?

And wouldn't most cancer patients be able to find some other way to spend their money than on surgery and chemo? Perhaps they would buy bread or shoes or shirts.

Improving the human condition always -- always -- improves the economy. Worsening the human condition always -- always -- worsens the economy.

This is only a difficult concept for those who seek to make it difficult (i.e., those who seek to push an agenda).

(Via Kevin, M.D.)