HEALTH AND WEALTH FOR ALL

Jesus says…"...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

John 10 verse 10

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Proverbs 10 verse 22

There are huge disparities in wealth and health between continents, different countries within continents and individuals within countries.

Some of the ethical issues that arise here include:

• Drugs and medicine Many modern life-saving medicines are protected by patents which help pharmaceutical companies to recover the costs of development. But people in the developing world cannot afford these medicines as, for example, with AIDS drugs in Africa. Modern pharmaceutical companies are among the largest companies in the world.
  
• Harmful products The major example is tobacco products and the harm caused by smoking. While Christians recognise that a total ban on smoking might result in considerably more social problems, few would wish to profit from the industry. Tobacco, nuclear power, and alcohol are important examples.
  
• Inappropriate differentials In our current world different responsibilities are rewarded differently. However sometimes it seems that the levels are distorted among very senior management, who may appear to be massively rewarded for failure as much as success. This can be a problem in many types of companies. It calls for scrutiny by investors of the corporate governance within a company.