I agree with what you say overall. That said, I can't resist responding to one point.
Your comment on the flu makes sense from a general argument point, but not from the point of the flu. Influenza is a disease which we cannot really treat well if you get it, and we have not yet made a great vaccine that works every year.
Tamiflu and other treatments for it are simply not that effective.
It is one of the most likely diseases to cause a terrible epidemic killing millions of people.
Most deaths from flu epidemics came from secondary infection. The flu has become a political and distribution problem like food.
There are some very promising vaccines in the pipeline (including end of Phase 2 or in Phase 3) that protect well against even flu strains not specifically targeted. The risk is that, before the new generation of vaccines come out, an epidemic occurs and affects poor nations without adequate distribution of antibiotics. I know that is not what you generally hear, but it is where we are currently at.
Your comment on the flu makes sense from a general argument point, but not from the point of the flu. Influenza is a disease which we cannot really treat well if you get it, and we have not yet made a great vaccine that works every year.
Tamiflu and other treatments for it are simply not that effective.
It is one of the most likely diseases to cause a terrible epidemic killing millions of people.