The population explosion revisited
CMAJ 1997;157:876
Dr. Klaus D. Teichmann deserves credit for reminding us of "the population bomb" in his letter "Immunization and global ecology" (CMAJ 1997;156:1698 [full text]). Most of the world's ecologic problems are caused by increasing numbers of humans seeking an affluent lifestyle. Teichmann concludes by proposing that physicians consider themselves responsible for the consequences of the human population explosion in the same manner that scientists who researched the nuclear bomb should be considered responsible for the consequences of its use. He should reconsider.
The population has increased because of a relatively recent paucity of devastating wars and civil disorder, and because of better agriculture, transportation to move food to areas of need, water and sewage treatment, housing and medical intervention. The population explosion was well under way decades or centuries before the introduction of effective vaccines in the 1950s. Currently, some areas that have very high vaccination coverage (for example, Germany, Denmark and Quebec) have a fertility rate much below the replacement level. The reverse situation is also true in areas like sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, the outlook for restraining human population growth has brightened in the last 30 years, mostly because of countries that decided to provide birth control and education to women.
The responsibility to limit human fertility to replacement levels rests with politicians, not physicians. Individually and through our organizations we should encourage politicians to provide all women the means to limit their fertility and the motivation to do so -- equal access to education and jobs.
Robert Shepherd, MD, CM
Gatineau, Que.
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