Prediction Markets vs Bird Flu

Academic approach with its expected excuses:

"The Iowa flu market cultivates contacts in emergency rooms and pharmacies within the state. But an avian flu market, Nelson said, would require participants in Asia and traders with specialized profiles, such as microbiologists who examine data worldwide.“We’ve not yet tapped into the right circles to get access to those traders,” he said. “That has kept us from opening an avian flu market.”"

Capitalism in action:

"Meanwhile, Trade Exchange Network recently closed one avian flu prediction market and is winding down another. In the first market, traders bought and sold futures contracts on whether avian flu would be confirmed in the United States by the end of 2005. The other market has traders testing hunches regarding a confirmed U.S. outbreak by March 31. The flu market operates on Trade Exchange Network’s Tradesports Web site."



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