May 9, 1975

Dr. Martin Kaplan

World Health Organization
1211 Geneva 27
SWITZERLAND

Dear Martin,

Further with respect to the ACMR agenda. I know there {fs not much
free time available and perhaps the issue I have in mind can at best be
added to item 8. I am very much concerned that there should be a critical
review of the implications of the objective of “eradication of smallpox".
My concern is, of course, that the apparent eventual success of this
program has already led to a slackening of interest in vaccination programs
in more developed countries and that there may eventually be a catastrophic
reincandescence of the disease pandemic in a sensitive and older population.
I would be interested to know what anticipation WHO has made for that
contingency as part of ita eradication program.

This problem is, as you know better than I, compounded by the possibilities
posed by socalled “monkey pox".

I had a good talk last night with Norman Sator ius and he has indicated
that he may try to get some time together for a separate small discussion
about system analysis of the sources of health. I had particularly suggested
Bill Gorham, President of the Urban Institute in Washington, as an important
resource person for this. I would like also to add the name of Victor Fuchs
who is here at Stanford in the Department of ‘Fconomics and also Vice~President
of the National Bureau of Economic Research. You should also know about his
recent book ?Who Shall Live?" which is an excellent presentation of fundamental
dilemmas of health.

One final note, I certainly hope it will not come to that but I am
disturbed by the news that there will again be a campaign to exclude
Israel from the WHO. I do not want to make a public fuss about it before
it appears to be a reality, but I do not think you will be surprised to know
that I would not be interested in working with an organization that had been
contaminated so deeply by being made into a political weapon of this kind.

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

JL/rr