What I think Gates is rightly targeting with his organization in a broader sense is that no matter how high the technology curve extends on the ceiling side the floor remains unaffected.
Or, to put it another way, third world countries are too poor to buy newer medical technology, and relatively few people are financially-interested in making older medical technology cheaper.
Iow, the faster/cheaper options on what to do with semiconductor process improvements.
Additionally in this case, eradication does provide a number of benefits to the global community. Even in countries with top-tier health care systems.
Letting an effective virus / bacteria / micro-organism fester in any human population isn't that different than playing Russian roulette. You may get lucky, but far better to scrub that genetic code off the face of the planet and reset the clock back to the beginning of its evolution.
Bill believes that in a couple decades there won't be many "poor" countries remaining.
Also, consider that as technology advances, prices tend to drop. For instance, it cost billions of dollars to sequence the first human genome. It will probably cost $10 in 20 years. Hopefully everyone will be able to get designer drugs.
Few people might be interested in making medical technology cheaper, but some people are trying:
Or, to put it another way, third world countries are too poor to buy newer medical technology, and relatively few people are financially-interested in making older medical technology cheaper.
Iow, the faster/cheaper options on what to do with semiconductor process improvements.
Additionally in this case, eradication does provide a number of benefits to the global community. Even in countries with top-tier health care systems.
Letting an effective virus / bacteria / micro-organism fester in any human population isn't that different than playing Russian roulette. You may get lucky, but far better to scrub that genetic code off the face of the planet and reset the clock back to the beginning of its evolution.