Letters to the Editor

Betting on bird flu A growing market allows investors to make money off of disease and natural disasters. And so far, their predictions have been dead-on. By A.J. Daulerio [2005-12-13]

• My betting is on Donald Rumsfeld...

  I am betting that Secretary Rumsfeld will finally resign when the bird flu reaches North America. Keep your eye on him. He stands to make megamillions on the U.S. and Canadian purchases of Tamiflu, a most important antiviral drug in demand to fight the flu. The company that owns the rights to Tamiflu (Gilead Sciences) leases the manufacture to the Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche. Rumsfeld was Gilead's chairman before taking his job with the Bush administration, and he has never divested himself of his shares worth millions (and still growing) in Gilead stock (see the CNN story, here: http://money.cnn.com/2005/10/31/news/newsmakers/fortune_rumsfeld/ ).

  Others who stand to profit from bird flu coming to America are former Secretary of State George Shultz (Bechtel Corp.), who is on the Gilead board, and former governor of California, Pete Wilson, whose wife is on the board.

  Since Rumsfeld was advised to hang onto his shares, the best thing he can do when the demand for Tamiflu goes through the roof, and when the U.S. government is spending millions of our taxpayer dollars to buy it, is to resign to avoid charges of conflict of interest and then laugh all the way to the bank. Questions might be asked, of course, but nothing would be done. Well, it's now perfectly legal for anyone to bet on when the flu will hit. So get those contracts lined up, folks, and when Rummy resigns to cash in, place your bets. It won't be long. I hope I haven't blown it for any insiders at Intrade.

  -- Marty Carpenter
  [Read Marty Carpenter's other letters]
  Permalink Flag Tuesday, December 13, 2005 11:31 AM
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