The Rogue Experimenters
It sounds easy in theory but most people hate the idea of messing with biology, believing that it should be regulated and professionalised as much as possible. Even on this very forum, the mere suggestion that a PCR machine (basically a glorified slow cooker) can be built with off the shelf parts is enough to invite a flood of downvotes - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=22578216" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=22578216</a><p>The lack of easy commercialisation of biotechnology and regulatory capture in the name of &quot;move fast break things and people die&quot; has resulted in very poor understanding of biochemistry among the general population (most advocates and detractors of vaccines cannot explain how they work or don&#x27;t work at the chemical level, one of the reasons for the whole Thiomersal controversy). The top minds who do go into this field often do so for the sake of medical school, where the number of places are limited by politics and gatekeeping rather than any practical meritocratic reason. The lack of money and opportunity is a fundamental problem. Currently large numbers of the general population have a damn good understanding of how computers work, thanks in part due to web dev bootcamps and the rise of FAANG driving the industry. The same cannot be said for biology or even organic chemistry. Bill Gates has famously said that he would study biology if he was to go back to school again, but in the current environment it would be doubtful any unicorn-level of fast financial gains&#x2F;reward can be achieved in biotechnology. He will most likely end up as one of the numerous healthcare workers whose ultimate reward after each day of dealing with a pandemic is orchestrated clapping instead of spearheading vaccine research through his foundation (assuming of course he had not already switched to working as a McKinsey consultant given his family connections). Global pharmaceutical and healthcare research is still currently led by the United States; FDA-approval being the universal standard. Sure there are a couple EU-only projects and some attempts in Asia too, but the world&#x27;s biotech research and development still operates fundamentally within the system of American capitalism. The dearth of opportunities due to politics, regulatory capture, and general lack of appreciation of biology is as much a tragedy as lack of health insurance. Most people would immediately identify with or quote the various media talking points when it comes to healthcare pricing, but hardly anyone would question why there are such tremendous gatekeeping and lack of competition.<p>I will also link to my previous comment on this:
<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=22471482" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=22471482</a><p>Giving up in the face of ignorance is not good policy so I will continue my advocacy of more open biology and medical education even if my comments succumb to the ego of software engineer hordes.