Bill Gates to give $500 million to fight malaria, other diseases

That's great that the Gates foundation will provide 500mil, who wouldn't when the stand to gain 3-5 billion in overall profits, the 500mil is a mere drop in the bucket. What most people dont' realize is that Gates is behind Big Pharma and coming to Asia as part of the soon to be TPP is huge money maker. Do the math and it equals profits. Keep in mind that Gates and company also have been heavily involved in Africa prior to the widely announced outbreak of Ebola of which he too played his role and funny how after he left the outbreak was announce by the WHO officially rather than unofficially.

yes Gates will probably make some profit from this donation, but he and Warren Buffet have decided to donate almost all there wealth to charitys when they die. Buffets will donate 85% of his wealth around $44 billion!!! so it makes some other business leaders donations look pathetic doesnt it.

I don't see any reason to criticize Gates as the above reader does. I guess no matter how much a person does, there will always be someone whining.

While I don't doubt his philanthropy, it's still a $500 million tax deduction.

Good on Bill for trying to helo make the world a bette place, though he may have failed with that Microsoft Surface Pro.

And can he still jump over office chairs?

"the vile Jobs approach"

That's a strange comment. In relative terms, Jobs didn't accumulate much wealth. (Only $11 billion - ha ha.) Far less than Gates and others such as Paul Allen, Steve Balmer, Larry Ellison and Michael Dell. Even after donating to his foundation, Gates' personal wealth outstrips that of Jobs. You could argue that Jobs did more. Apple is bigger than Microsoft in stock value, so has created more shared wealth than Microsoft, and if your pension fund holds Apple stock, you might be glad of his contribution.

I commend Gates' charitable activities. I just wish I could be like him. :-)

It was said somewhere that it would take over 200 years for Bill Gates to spend all his whopping wealth amassed over the years from his lucrative business and with annual income still running at millions if not billions, the overflowing kitty has to find suitable outlets and it is indeed good that the funds are allocated for good causes such as public health which no doubt deserves commendation!

it's still a $500 million tax deduction.* well its a lot better to donate that money to people who need it the most instead of it being taken by the tax man

Bill lives in Calif that has high State Income Tax rate. US Income tax, reduction has vwry many restriction. More he earn, more benefit to sicky people in the world. There are many multi billionaires in USA but not all donate anything to world. They do to local. Bill do to world. It is better to learn he donates to worthy cause than he donate to political candidates like some billionaires. It is his money anyway,

The Gates foundation is filling in a funding void that the pharmaceutical industry alone will not do, due to investment risk and low returns. The pharmaceutical industry aims for the richest X% of the worlds population which has Y% of its wealth. That population sector is not currently threatened by Malaria. Current Malaria medicines are decades old, there has been not much progress since it was effectively eradicated in the developed nations.

In the meantime resistance to existing malarial drugs has become widespread. Varieties with resistance to most malaria drugs exists everywhere malaria is present. Varieties with resistance to all malaria drugs exists in "Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam".

An investment activity does not have to be profitable in order to be beneficial and rewarding. The following article describes a model of sustainable Malaria research and development drawing from public aid, private donations, and pharmaceutical expertise:

A new public-private strategy to combat malaria and tuberculosis

https://www.devex.com/news/a-new-public-private-strategy-to-combat-malaria-and-tuberculosis-83297

All you thumbs downers what does "I don't doubt his philanthropy mean"? Or did you skip over that to jump on the tax deduction comment? Every thing he "donates", no matter what his motivation is, he gets to subtract it from his tax bill.

The U.S. system exempts from Federal and many state income taxes the income of organizations that have qualified for such exemption. Qualification requires that the organization be created and operated for one of a long list of tax exempt purposes, which includes more than 28 types of organizations and also requires, for most types of organizations, that the organization apply for tax exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service

So, his funds can claim tax resudion, Not Gate's personal income. Last year he had $66 billion income, He had to pay federal income tax and Calif State income tax. Huge, His fund donate. USA IRS, you can't fool. After all, when FBI couldn't catch Al Capone, IRS caught and enjailed. IRS is stronger than FBI and CIA combined.