Maybe Being Anemic Isn't so Bad, but It Probably Is

In “Survival of the Sickest” Dr Sharon Moalem analyzes the relationship between the benefits diseases have had and the predisposition of these conditions in certain racial and ethnic groups. The relationship between race, genetics and disease is currently a very controversial topic, but Dr. Moalem is not shy to state facts about each of these topics and connect them. We had mentioned in class that Tay Sachs is one of the only diseases that seem to affect specific ethnic groups, but “Survival of the Sickest” lists a number of conditions and diseases specific to racial and ethnic groups and theories as to why they developed.

I had heard of a small portion of Caucasians being immune to AIDS, but wasn’t sure why or if it was even true. I have also often joked when at the beach with light skinned friends, that I don’t have to worry about skin cancer and sun block the way they do, my year long tan is a natural barrier, but wasn’t sure exactly why this was so. “Survival of the Sickest” is most interesting to me in that it analyzes everyday occurrences and common conditions as well as sensitive ones (the higher rate of hypertension among African Americans but not among Africans), in a plain and matter of fact way.

I heard a speech last semester in the NYU Sociology department about how drug companies are now selling drugs that target specific ethnic and racial groups. The speaker concluded that this was a result of the genome project cracking the human code and concluding that there is nearly no difference between any two human beings regardless of race. She stated that selling drugs which imply a difference does exist genetically is just an effort to further propel stereotypes and the belief that we are all different. Dr. Moalem describes the same fact, drug companies new racially based markets, from a more detached and unbiased position. Prevalence of a condition in one group and not another does have to stem from somewhere, and “Survival of the Sickest” offers theories of the origins of these conditions as being partially environmental, genetic and somewhat tied to ethnicity.

At least if there is another outbreak of the plague, my low iron count might help me survive an extra day according to Moalem. I had never thought to connect something as seemingly obvious as the abundance of life in green iron filled waters and bacteria feeding on the iron rich. Moalem’s theory makes sense, but I am not entirely sure I believe this particular theory, it seems over simplified and based and very little palpable research.