From: Asgaard <asgaard@sos.sll.se>
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 1996 15:36:53 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Tim's friend's mildly retarded son
In-Reply-To: <ad6e2a32100210041c3b@[205.199.118.202]>
Message-ID: <Pine.HPP.3.91.960315172509.11643C-100000@cor.sos.sll.se>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Thu, 14 Mar 1996, Timothy C. May wrote:

> Mexico has no FDA. A trip to the pharmacies of Tijuana is instructive. A
> friend of mine was just here. On a business trip to SF and LA, he drove all
> the way down to TJ to buy a "personal supply" of a nootropic drug for his
> mildly-retarded son, a drug the FDA has not approved but which Mexicans and
> Europeans have been buying for years. U.S. Customs, aware of such
> tragedies, waves people through who are carrying "personal supplies" of
> (non-narcotic) drugs.

The reason FDA has not approved this drug is most probably because
it does not make mildly retarded boys less retarded. But of course,
it's not up to the state to protect people from wasting their money
on snake oil. It becomes more difficult to uphold a pure market
philosophy when it comes to poisonous snake oil or, as is often the
case with potent drugs, effective oil but which will kill you from
side effects after a delay. FDA has a very good reputation of not
'recommending' drugs with (delayed) adverse effects outweighing the
beneficial ones. But what the hell, let the pharmaceutical companies
build up their own reputation. And let anyone call himself a medical
doctor (of School Medicine, Naprapathy, Healing, Zone Therapy, Quackery
or whatever). Most diseased persons will then carefully check the
mag strips on the gallipots with their pocket readers for the secret
key signatures of Abbot or Parke-Davis, and PDA-check the signatures of
Stanford or Harvard University on the doctors's digital diplomas (which
will include some physical descriptions) for authenticity. As usual,
lots of coming opportunities for reputation agencies and authentication
services.

Until this happens, trust FDA.


Asgaard