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Comment by mr-pink | Hacker News Reader

who's we?

Bio-hackers and/or the wealthy. The best medicine will eventually become available to everyone who is a part of the global economy. At least it always has given enough time. In the last 25 years, more than a billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty. The world is at 10% or less right now.

A glaring counterpoint is certain things like eyeglasses probably aren't universally available to everyone who needs them, but those industries WILL develop.

Eyeglasses are pretty common and can be dirt cheap, and testing requires only a ruler and a piece of paper with letters on it. One just needs to accept glass lenses and a chinesium frame, as all good manufacturers are bought out by Luxottica.

What are you referring to when saying that they're not universally available? Or are we including the people who don't even have access to water in this?

Looking at otherwise expensive country Finland. We can get 2 pairs of regular glasses for 29€ including eye check... Ofc, that is absolutely nothing fancy. It is surprisingly cheap when free market works.

That should be in range of what nearly everyone can save up here.

Yep, that's why I asked. Most of the developed and developing world can afford them. And i think 29 eur is actually quite pricy, if you want cheaper stuff you can probably go down to like... 4 euro?

I think there is cheaper online options, but 29€ for prescription glasses made to order isn't bad price. With customer service and them fitting them for you.

Standard reading glasses for example will be much cheaper again.

Yeah, I'm not so sure about this. It may be a "golden age" for medical innovation, but I have little expectation that this will reach anyone except for the ultra-wealthy.

Except medicine never stays with the ultra wealthy. It only usually makes sense as a mass market product. Unless by ultra wealthy you may mean entire populations of developed countries? Then yes maybe

Probably the people who can afford super expensive treatments and those who profit from them.

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