km-this is unraveling like a very old knitted sweater.

This thread is like Penelope's sweater. Penelope would not have to tediously unravel if it wasn't for the suitors.

The substance has obviously been about the best use of public funds specifically as between IVF treatments and the prevention of life threatening conditions such as colonic cancer. Personally I believe the case for the former compared to the latter is so weak that if it were my decision I'd withdraw all funding for IVF and transfer it to mainstream health priorities. In that regard there should be ways as in times past for couples to accept that they can't have children in an honourable way. The semantic discussion was not of my choosing, of course, but I will make one concession - that when I looked again at my statement I could see how you could interpret it in the way you did. Nevertheless, the intended meaning was that which I've put forward by way of explanation.

km

Just how many other discoveries/advancements have been made in embryonic research that IVF may have triggered? Would you cut off that funding as well?

Hallelujah!


Just having some fun with you km; hope you are smiling.

The only thing unravelling is your acceptance of lifestyle treatments having priority over mainstream health treatments.

km

Hallelujah? What, have just come back from church or something?


Always.

km

Yep, the whole lot of it. Animal experiments are even less justified than human ones in my opinion but in any event there are higher priorities for all such resources.

km

Good.

Now back to business; and it is fair to say your acceptance of mainstream health treatments should have priority over (your so-called) lifestyle treatments. In both cases we are really talking about individuals. How can you claim one individuals "treatment" is more important than his/her neighbours?

Because witholding lifestyle treatments is not the end of the world whereas witholding life-saving treatments is - literally, for all those concerned. The side effects and failure rates of IVF disqualify it as a good use of funds compared to safe and successful medical treatments that are starved of funds. In the UK even improving the attention given to millions of A&E patients checking in with minor wounds and injuries is a higher priority than lifestyle treatments because that's really what we're all paying for.

km