[extropy-chat] Allowing drug companies to market enhancements

[Samantha Atkins]

i would support getting the government out of this business altogether. 
  Private underwriters should be able to address the safety concerns.

- samantha

On Mar 27, 2005, at 6:45 PM, Joseph Bloch wrote:

> Apologies for cross-posting...
>
> Currently, the FDA forbids drug manufacturers from touting the 
> potential "non-medical" (i.e., enhancement-related) benefits of their 
> products. This results in there being little incentive for 
> pharmaceutical companies to run clinical trials of enhancement-related 
> effects of drugs, which in turn is potentially dangerous since people 
> seeking enhancement effects have no clear guidelines in terms of 
> dosages, etc.
>
> Right now, if a company comes up with an Alzheimers' drug that also 
> helps memory in healthy people, that second effect can't be 
> advertised, and won't be fully investigated by the company because of 
> it.
>
> I'm kicking around an idea to set up an effort to lobby the FDA to 
> change this pratice, allowing pharmaceutical companies to market their 
> products for non-medical uses. In essence, that same drug company 
> could advertise its new drug as being effective for memory 
> enhancement, assuming it went through clinical trials equivalent to 
> those necessary to prove its effectiveness in treating disease.
>
> I'm not advocating cutting any safety corners; exactly the opposite. 
> Just give drug companies the opportunity to market their products for 
> uses other than merely treating disease; force them to perform 
> rigorous clinical trials, but let them publish guidelines for safe 
> use. Let them help us be "better than well".
>
> My question is, would you support such an effort? Any ideas as to how 
> to go about it most effectively?
>
> Joseph
>
> Enhance your body "beyond well" and your mind "beyond normal": 
> http://www.humanenhancement.com
> New Jersey Transhumanist Association: http://www.goldenfuture.net/njta
> PostHumanity Rising: http://transhumanist.blogspot.com/
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