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This item is part of the Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements (PRISM) digital collection, a collaborative initiative between Florida Atlantic University and University of Central Florida in the Publication of Archival, Library & Museum Materials (PALMM).

The prospects for reductions in birth rates in the less industrialized countries are improving owing to the increas ingly favorable climate of opinion relating to birth control, the invention of better contraceptives, and the adoption of national family planning programs. Some twenty-three countries, in cluding over half the population in the developing countries, now have such programs. These are too new to have had a measurable effect on the birth rate in most countries. Never theless, the birth rate is already falling in a few of the eco nomically more progressive countries in East Asia such as Taiwan, Korea, and Singapore. These reductions in the birth rate may be expected to deepen and spread, accelerated by national family programs operating within the context of rapid socioeconomic change. In two decades the solutions to the world population problem may well be in sight, though not yet fully achieved. But these changes will not occur fast enough to forestall massive population growth and continuing critical problems of population at least through the next decade.

The prospects for reductions in birth rates in the less industr'ized countries are improving owing to the increasingly favorable climate of opinion relating to birth control, the invention of better contraceptives, & the adoption of nat'l FP programs. Some 23 countries, including over 50% of the pop in the developing countries, now have such programs. These are too new to have had a measurable effect on the birth rate in most countries. Nevertheless, the birth rate is already falling in a few of the econ'ly more progressive countries in East Asia such as Taiwan, Korea, & Singapore. These reductions in the birth rates may be expected to deepen & spread, accelerated by nat'l fam programs operating within the context of rapid SE change. In 2 decades the solutions to the world pop problem may well be in sight, though not yet fully achieved. But these changes will not occur fast enough to forestall massive pop growth & continuing critical problems of pop at least through the next decade. HA.

Barring a major catastrophe, the health services will have to provide for massive population growth in the decades ahead. A reasonable forecast gives increases of 19 per cent for the present decade and 44 per cent for the period 1960-1980, with a corresponding increased need for medical services. This will be added to existing unfulfilled needs for the care of the aged and those suffering from chronic illness. The aged will continue to increase rapidly in number, but the largest absolute growth of population will be among children and, later, among young adults. Contrary to popular impres sions, the greatest percentage increase in future need for medical services may well be in the treatment of acute condi tions rather than chronic conditions more characteristic of the aged. Further, the general upward trend in social and eco nomic characteristics and expectations means an increased demand for all medical services over and above those arising from population change. There will be a much larger popu lation, better informed and better able to command improved medical services. Fortunately, demographic changes offer part of the solution as well as part of the problem. During the next decade, there will be a rapidly growing reservoir of young people from which to recruit nurses, doctors, and other health service personnel.