Re: [DIYbio] Fwd: An intriguing example of working, medical DIYBio

On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 12:23 AM, Michael Turner wrote:
> > An intriguing example of DIYBio,
>
> Given that he's only taken over a med-tech/nurse job for himself, and
> isn't doing any actual biology, the distinction "DIYmed" makes more
> sense here.

I don't see your point. Are you saying you are not interested in it
because it can be given a more specific label?

> Medical economics is strange, and can dramatically distort the markets
> of services like dialysis, which costs about $77K per patient year in
> the U.S., with about 1 patient in 10 dying anyway, annually.

There seems to be a gap between those who make minimum wage working
full time (and therefore do not qualify for medical assistance from
the government, something about being above a minimum income), and
those who have a higher salary or possibly insurance that can cover
the procedure. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who knows
anything about what people "in the gap" do. Do they just choose to
drop dead ?? or does the government pay for anyone that asks for
dialysis?

> in purchasing power terms) from generally lower costs in China, it's
> possible this guy has given the world a huge breakthrough.

Nope, actually the first dialysis machine was a washing machine and
some cans from a kitchen-- this guy is certainly not the first.

"Dr. Willem Kolff, a Dutch physician, constructed the first working
dialyzer in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.[5] Due
to the scarcity of available resources, Kolff had to improvise and
build the initial machine using sausage casings, beverage cans, a
washing machine, and various other items that were available at the
time."

> (1) He'd was MISdiagnosed with total renal failure, and has failed to
> kill himself with amateur treatment for a condition he actually
> doesn't have.

I don't see how misdiagnosis is relevant in this case. The article
wasn't about "... and he's not dead yet, therefore the treatment must
be working." Instead, it was about the fact that he even bothered, I
think.

> (2) He's a plucky (but not very ethical) entrepreneur, hoping to sell
> millions of DIYalysis kits before the authorities take much notice, on
> the strength of "See? I'm drinking my own Koolade!" pitch plus a lot
> of free publicity from overcredulous Chinese journalists.

Eh, maybe. But apparently people have been purchasing less and less
home dialysis machines for years now. I don't see how this would
trigger a reversion in this trend.

> SEVERAL generations? They have VR projectors in their cellphones?

what is a "VR projector"

- Bryan
http://heybryan.org/
1 512 203 0507

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