I think maybe you misunderstood. The only reason the GM mosquitoes survive better is because they do not have their health compromised by the malaria parasite. Specifically
"However, when both sets of insects were fed non-infected blood they competed equally well."
It's a combination of all of it. Discounting advances in medical technology because of personal feelings against "big pharma" (I despise the tendency to add "big" to any industry that one dislikes, when did that nonsense become commonplace?) is short sighted and historically inaccurate.
"Funny, I've never taken drugs or gone to the doctor for any of those things."
What's the quote "the plural of anecdote is not data"?
Besides, I have. I had a case of strep throat ( which I was unaware was strep throat) that very well could have killed me if not for hospitalization. A very common illness that I had come down with several times before, but I was lax and it got very serious. Clean water and indoor plumbing wouldn't have made the slightest bit of difference without the medications they pumped into me.
"Aside from old age, heart disease and cancer are the big killers in the developed world and they both see major improvement by simply eating healthy and exercising more"
That's correct. Now, let's deal with reality. When was the last time you worried about death from scraping your knee? Or a sore throat? Or an ear infection?
Your post about "the big killers" in no way addresses the reality that illnesses that are today considered nuisances were once very serious and often fatal. That's not because of eating healthier or exercising more, it's because of advances in pharmaceutical and medical technology.
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I think maybe you misunderstood. The only reason the GM mosquitoes survive better is because they do not have their health compromised by the malaria parasite. Specifically
"However, when both sets of insects were fed non-infected blood they competed equally well."
They aren't harder to kill.
It's a combination of all of it. Discounting advances in medical technology because of personal feelings against "big pharma" (I despise the tendency to add "big" to any industry that one dislikes, when did that nonsense become commonplace?) is short sighted and historically inaccurate.
"Funny, I've never taken drugs or gone to the doctor for any of those things."
What's the quote "the plural of anecdote is not data"?
Besides, I have. I had a case of strep throat ( which I was unaware was strep throat) that very well could have killed me if not for hospitalization. A very common illness that I had come down with several times before, but I was lax and it got very serious. Clean water and indoor plumbing wouldn't have made the slightest bit of difference without the medications they pumped into me.
"Aside from old age, heart disease and cancer are the big killers in the developed world and they both see major improvement by simply eating healthy and exercising more"
That's correct. Now, let's deal with reality. When was the last time you worried about death from scraping your knee? Or a sore throat? Or an ear infection?
Your post about "the big killers" in no way addresses the reality that illnesses that are today considered nuisances were once very serious and often fatal. That's not because of eating healthier or exercising more, it's because of advances in pharmaceutical and medical technology.