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Mary LaskerMary Lasker
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Part:         Session:         Page of 1143

Q:

Mrs. Lasker, do you want to hazard a prediction as to when this problem will be resolved in this world of ours?

Lasker:

This is a very tricky thing to do. I would think that it would be between 15 and 20 years before you'd see major changes in the rate of growth in countries like India and China where the population is really out of control, but a great deal depends on how much is done by the International Federation, by the United States Government through its foreign aid programs, and by the governments themselves, and how well the whole idea is promoted by drug companies. It can happen faster if it's well done.

Japan adopted the idea of birth control after the war and has brought its population's rate of growth down, but largely through the advocacy of abortion, and this is the worst possible method of birth control and I'm hoping that drugs pills? will be used in Japan and that depends largely on a good advertising campaign, I shoud think. Of course, the midwives and doctors in Japan don't want to lose their income that they derive from abortions, so there'll be opposition to it for this reason. But if any of the manufacturers take aggressive steps in any country where the population is, it could change quite fast.

Q:

Do you think drug companies are likely to do this, not for selfish reasons but simply for the principles involved?

Lasker:

Well, they want to sell their products, and of course





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