"r norman"  wrote in message
news:bgjvt9$1sb4$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org...
> On Sun, 3 Aug 2003 17:48:44 +0000 (UTC), "John H."

> wrote:
>
> >The trouble with asserting that races do not exist is that it is
medically
> >dangerous. There are a number of studies indicating differing responses
to
> >various types of medical treatments according to race. No, it is not
> >consistent for every individual within that race but it is a very useful
> >guide for treatment purposes. We need these categories because they are
very
> >useful indicators of how individuals may be different genetically and how
> >this may impact on medical treatment. Without categories, what is
cognition
> >going to do?
> >
> >No, don't ask me to provide references, I'm not your librarian. Look it
up.
>
> This has absolutely nothing to do with the biological notion of race.
>
> Yes, different human populations have different incidents of disease
> and it is useful for diagnosis and treatment to understand this.  For
> example, Tay-Sachs disease is more common in Ashkenazi Jews,
> beta-Thalassemia in Mediterranean peoples, Hemoglobin-E in people from
> Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand).  These are not races.
>
> I can assert that humans are not subdivided into biological races and
> still preserve my medicine.


The fear of being politically (or socially) incorrect seems to have reared
its *blandly pretty* head yet again.

P
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