The grand challenge of birth control [letter]

Grand Challenges in Global Health (H. Varmus et al. Policy Forum 17 Oct. p. 398) and wish to add a 15th: to develop a method of birth-rate reduction to offset the population increases brought about by Grand Challenges 1 through 14. It is foolhardy to believe that human welfare is improved in the face of a successful Grand Challenge death rate reduction without establishing a working program for this 15th challenge. In fact it is necessary to have it in place before the effects of the other Grand Challenges occur. Political and bureaucratic excuses abound when it comes time to implement a timely and effective birth-control program. Without such a program the newly spared populations will move to the nearest urban slums to die too soon of some other malady one not the focus of the Grand Challenge program. (excerpt)