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The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

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Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#161
post #155
post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same stores sell completely ineffective homeopathic "medicines" alongside real medicines already. There are no signs. Its already up to the consumer to determine what may or may not actually work at the pharmacy.

A few years back, I came down with the flu and went to CVS for medicine. I purchased what I thought was a non-prescription alternative to Tamiflu. It was a bad case, and I dutifully followed the dosing instructions and took the medication throughout the whole illness. It turns out the product and the supposed function is complete homeopathic nonsense. It was sold in a medicine isle along with known "functional" cold…

Just wait until you start reading drug trial data!

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reminds me of the old joke: what's the difference between an oral thermometer and a rectal thermometer? Answer: the taste

"Oh, Dad..." Seriously, my late father _loved_ that joke, as do I.

I heard that for the first time from my dad. It's a certified dad joke.

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#163

Public service announcement: sinus rinse (e.g. NeilMed) works. Available in every drug store with no prescription or pharmacist involvement necessary. It's gross, though. Do it in private.

It doesn't reduce the sinus inflammation. At least for me all I end up with is a still congested, but now watery nose.

If you already are pretty bad off, yeah it usually doesn’t help. It really helps prevent it from getting that bad though, by washing out pollen, gunk, etc. and hydrating things.

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#164
post #160
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can still get pseudoephedrine, for example Claritin D, the D for decongestant. It's not by prescription but you have to sign for it at the pharmacy desk, present ID, and I believe it's reported to FDA/DEA and there are limits to how much you can buy per month.

That's mostly right, but it's not reported to anyone. It came from the "The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005" . If you want to sell pseudoephedrine, your org has to "self certify", keep a logbook purchasers have to sign, require ID, enforce the purchase limits, train employees, etc. But, the logbook doesn't go anywhere unless some investigation or audit prompts that. So, if you're a really determined cooke…

I was under the impression that there are state-level databases in some states that actually track sales. I am likely incorrect, since a quick google doesn't find anything.

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#165
post #160
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can still get pseudoephedrine, for example Claritin D, the D for decongestant. It's not by prescription but you have to sign for it at the pharmacy desk, present ID, and I believe it's reported to FDA/DEA and there are limits to how much you can buy per month.

That's mostly right, but it's not reported to anyone. It came from the "The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005" . If you want to sell pseudoephedrine, your org has to "self certify", keep a logbook purchasers have to sign, require ID, enforce the purchase limits, train employees, etc. But, the logbook doesn't go anywhere unless some investigation or audit prompts that. So, if you're a really determined cooke…

Doesn't it take a ton of the stuff though? I thought people stealing pallets of it was the only viable way to source enough of it. Seems like just having some inventory control is a sufficient deterrent.

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#166
post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the data is breached, an attacker learns... that sometimes you have a cough?

...and your SSN, and your driver's license info, and all the other personally identifying information they collect and store in the DB.

Generally not your SSN - I've never had to give it for Sudafed - but at least full legal name, birthday, gender, home address, driver's license number, telephone number, location(s) you've been to buy medication, and possibly email address.

Much of which would be covered as PII and PPI, and, in combination with info from other other data breaches can tell someone a lot about you.

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#167
post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The primary question to me is whether the risk of data breech outweighs the harm from not keeping the data, and while 20 years ago this tradeoff may have made sense, I'm not so sure it makes sense now.

If the data is breached, an attacker learns... that sometimes you have a cough?

In addition to at least your full legal name, birthday, gender, home address, driver's license number, telephone number, location(s) you've been to buy medication, and possibly email address.

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#168
Phenylephrine did its job of convincing people to accept restricting access to pseudoephedrine, since there was a substitute that could still be freely available. Now it'll be taken off the market, but pseudoephedrine that actually works will still be restricted.

At least the homeopathics consumers will buy instead have fewer side effects

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can buy 6 boxes of sudafed per month (24 doses each). Isn’t that more than the recommended (and probably safe) daily limit? I dont doubt your intentions but I don’t think you actually need 6 boxes per month + a stash.

They mention one box every six months, which is entirely reasonable.

For an individual, perhaps. But if your house has a lot of people in it who get sick at the same time because they live in close quarters, then maybe not.

Re: The Uselessness of Phenylephrine (2022)

#170
post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's mostly right, but it's not reported to anyone. It came from the "The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005" . If you want to sell pseudoephedrine, your org has to "self certify", keep a logbook purchasers have to sign, require ID, enforce the purchase limits, train employees, etc. But, the logbook doesn't go anywhere unless some investigation or audit prompts that. So, if you're a really determined cooke…

Doesn't it take a ton of the stuff though? I thought people stealing pallets of it was the only viable way to source enough of it. Seems like just having some inventory control is a sufficient deterrent.

Depends on how much you're wanting to make. Sending smurfs to buy/steal from several locations was a thing for a while. But these cooks were never going to be cartel level secret lab under the commercial laundry location. These were the cook a batch in the trailer out back type of cooks. Jesse before teaming up with Mr White
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