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being impartial to any political party. It was a rocky start at
the beginning. The founders had different visions for the
future of the organization and some were thought to be too
flashy. Dr Kouchner, one of the co-founders who was named
in the book was accused of being obsessed with fame. He
would send teams of workers into dangerous land without
careful planning that eventually resulted in several mission
failures, earning the organization the description of being
“foolhardy”, acting bold but reckless. The organization
fought hard to get rid of that impression. Nowadays when we
hear the name MSF, most people immediately think of all the
incredible work the organization provided over the years.

Upon reading this book, I realized what they are doing are
so much more than curing diseases and fixing broken bones.
MSF not only provided care for physical harm, but they also
represent the good side of the human soul. They were there to
remind these people that the world had not given up on them,
and that somebody out there still cares. One chapter of the
book documented the campaign started by MSF to put pressure
on pharmaceutical companies providing medications for
patients. Because most diseases were no longer endemic in
developed countries, companies making these medications
considered producing them not profitable, and therefore
increases the price per treatment. When medications became
too expensive, most patients in under developed countries

4 107 年度•醫學倫理•人文醫學•心得