I think it might be useful if at least a WAG (wild arse guess) of the total world population of PWP could be derived. It probably wouldn't be any more accurate than the 500,000 - 1,500,000 (for which most of us substitute 1,000,000, I believe) figure used for the U.S., but it would be a mind-boggling #. Perhaps it might help the Merck's and Hoffman-La Roche's of the world see that if they won the bet of putting even more of their research funds into PD the payoff also could be mind-bobbling. A little consciousness raising can't hurt even the most aware corporations. Maybe even get the world health organizations more interested, even though I'd imagine they are struggling with worse diseases from a mortality standpoint. There is strength in numbers!* Plus - it just would be interesting to have some idea how non-elite our little group is. *I don't know. If numbers were all that counted the NIH would be over there right now staring at the $100mm, or whatever the # is these days.