In March, Max G suggested someone write a back of the envelope calculation for eradicating all infectious diseases. I think it would cost about $14 trillion.
Malaria: A 2018 study in The Lancet estimated that eradicating malaria by 2050 could cost $100 billion, with annual costs of $8.5 billion after eradication to prevent resurgence.
Polio: the total cost since 1988 is in the tens of billions of dollars.
Tuberculosis: A 2014 study estimated that ending the global tuberculosis epidemic by 2035 would require an additional $56 billion in funding.
Based on the above, ballparking an average cost of eradication of $10 billion per disease, the total cost for eradicating all 1,400 known human pathogens would be around $14 trillion.
It’s estimated that a relatively small percentage of these pathogens, perhaps around 10% or about 140, are responsible for the majority of infectious diseases in humans. To eradicate those, the total cost would be $1.4 trillion.
$14t BOTEC cost to eradicate all infectious diseases
In March, Max G suggested someone write a back of the envelope calculation for eradicating all infectious diseases. I think it would cost about $14 trillion.
Malaria: A 2018 study in The Lancet estimated that eradicating malaria by 2050 could cost $100 billion, with annual costs of $8.5 billion after eradication to prevent resurgence.
Polio: the total cost since 1988 is in the tens of billions of dollars.
Tuberculosis: A 2014 study estimated that ending the global tuberculosis epidemic by 2035 would require an additional $56 billion in funding.
Based on the above, ballparking an average cost of eradication of $10 billion per disease, the total cost for eradicating all 1,400 known human pathogens would be around $14 trillion.
It’s estimated that a relatively small percentage of these pathogens, perhaps around 10% or about 140, are responsible for the majority of infectious diseases in humans. To eradicate those, the total cost would be $1.4 trillion.