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Laurie Garrett: A Pioneer in Science Journalism and Global Health


Full Name and Common Aliases


Laurie Garrett's full name is Laurie Garret. She has no common aliases.

Birth and Death Dates


Laurie Garrett was born on April 24, 1945, and she is still alive.

Nationality and Profession(s)


Garrett is an American journalist, author, and science writer specializing in infectious diseases, global health, and biodefense. She has worked as a correspondent for Newsday, The New York Times, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Early Life and Background


Laurie Garrett grew up in Oklahoma, where she developed an interest in biology and science at a young age. She attended the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Zoology. Garrett later went on to earn a Master's degree in Public Health from Columbia University.

Major Accomplishments


Garrett has made significant contributions to science journalism and global health. Her book "The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance" (1994) is considered a seminal work in the field, predicting the emergence of new diseases such as Ebola, HIV, and SARS. The book won several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.

Notable Works or Actions


Garrett's notable works include "Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health" (2000), which exposed the inadequacies of global health infrastructure in responding to pandemics. She has also written extensively on biodefense and the threat of biological warfare. Garrett has received numerous awards for her reporting, including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Association of Black Journalists' Lifetime Achievement Award, and the American Society of Microbiology's Public Communication Award.

Impact and Legacy


Garrett's work has had a significant impact on global health policy and practices. Her writing has influenced policymakers, scientists, and healthcare professionals worldwide. She has also been a vocal advocate for increased funding and research into infectious diseases. Garrett's legacy extends beyond her writing; she has inspired a new generation of science journalists and health writers.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Laurie Garrett is widely quoted and remembered due to her groundbreaking work in science journalism and global health. Her predictions on emerging diseases have proven accurate, and her advocacy for increased funding and research into infectious diseases has had a lasting impact on global health policy. Garrett's dedication to storytelling and making complex scientific information accessible to a broad audience has earned her recognition as one of the leading voices in her field.

As a science writer and journalist, Laurie Garrett has left an indelible mark on the world of global health. Her work continues to inspire and inform policymakers, scientists, and healthcare professionals alike, cementing her legacy as a pioneering figure in her field.

Quotes by Laurie Garrett

In 1982 President Ronald Reagan called for a war on drugs: by 1990 more men were in federal prisons on drug charges alone than had comprised the entire 1980 federal prison population for all crimes combined.
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In 1982 President Ronald Reagan called for a war on drugs: by 1990 more men were in federal prisons on drug charges alone than had comprised the entire 1980 federal prison population for all crimes combined.
Ebola haunted Zaire because of corruption and political repression. The virus had no secret powers, nor was it unusually contagious. For centuries Ebola had lurked in the jungles of central Africa. Its emergence into human populations required the special assistance of humanity’s greatest vices : greed, corruption, arrogance, tyranny, and callousness.
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Ebola haunted Zaire because of corruption and political repression. The virus had no secret powers, nor was it unusually contagious. For centuries Ebola had lurked in the jungles of central Africa. Its emergence into human populations required the special assistance of humanity’s greatest vices : greed, corruption, arrogance, tyranny, and callousness.
Nature isn’t benign,” Lederberg said at the meeting’s opening. “The bottom lines: the units of natural selection – DNA, sometimes RNA elements – are by no means neatly packaged in discrete organisms. They all share the entire biosphere. The survival of the human species is not a preordained evolutionary program. Abundant sources of genetic variation exist for viruses to learn new tricks, not necessarily confined to what happens routinely, or even frequently.
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Nature isn’t benign,” Lederberg said at the meeting’s opening. “The bottom lines: the units of natural selection – DNA, sometimes RNA elements – are by no means neatly packaged in discrete organisms. They all share the entire biosphere. The survival of the human species is not a preordained evolutionary program. Abundant sources of genetic variation exist for viruses to learn new tricks, not necessarily confined to what happens routinely, or even frequently.
To comprehend the interactions between Homo sapiens and the vast and diverse microbial world, perspectives must be forged that meld such disparate fields as medicine, environmentalism, public health, basic ecology, primate biology, human behavior, economic development, cultural anthropology, human rights law, entomology, parasitology, virology, bacteriology, evolutionary biology, and epidemiology.
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To comprehend the interactions between Homo sapiens and the vast and diverse microbial world, perspectives must be forged that meld such disparate fields as medicine, environmentalism, public health, basic ecology, primate biology, human behavior, economic development, cultural anthropology, human rights law, entomology, parasitology, virology, bacteriology, evolutionary biology, and epidemiology.
Public health is not an ideology, religion, or political perspective – indeed, history demonstrates that whenever such forces interfere with or influence public health activities a general worsening of the populace’s well-being usually followed.
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Public health is not an ideology, religion, or political perspective – indeed, history demonstrates that whenever such forces interfere with or influence public health activities a general worsening of the populace’s well-being usually followed.
In 1980 the Latin American nations collectively were receiving from their external creditors – major banks, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank – about $11 billion more than they were losing in capital transfers back to wealthy-nation interests. But by 1985 these nations would be losing $35 billion more a year in capital transfers to North America and Europe than they received in loans and investments.41.
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In 1980 the Latin American nations collectively were receiving from their external creditors – major banks, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank – about $11 billion more than they were losing in capital transfers back to wealthy-nation interests. But by 1985 these nations would be losing $35 billion more a year in capital transfers to North America and Europe than they received in loans and investments.41.
Let's pretend there's a pandemic. Let's everybody run around and play your role. Main result is that there is tremendous confusion. ... Nobody knows who's in charge. Nobody knows the chain of command.
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Let's pretend there's a pandemic. Let's everybody run around and play your role. Main result is that there is tremendous confusion. ... Nobody knows who's in charge. Nobody knows the chain of command.
[W]hat suffers in the atmosphere of immediacy is analysis. What suffers in this search for speed is depth. The media in the wealthy world are becoming increasingly simplistic, superficial, and celebrity-focused.
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[W]hat suffers in the atmosphere of immediacy is analysis. What suffers in this search for speed is depth. The media in the wealthy world are becoming increasingly simplistic, superficial, and celebrity-focused.
All across America news organizations have been devoured by massive corporations, and allegiance to stockholders, the drive for higher share prices, and push for larger dividend returns trumps everything that the grunts in the newsrooms consider their missions.
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All across America news organizations have been devoured by massive corporations, and allegiance to stockholders, the drive for higher share prices, and push for larger dividend returns trumps everything that the grunts in the newsrooms consider their missions.
All too many journalists seem to mistake scandal mongering for tenacious investigation, and far too many aspire to make themselves the story.
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All too many journalists seem to mistake scandal mongering for tenacious investigation, and far too many aspire to make themselves the story.
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