U.S. could bring more common drugs over the counter

[Islander]

By Anna Yukhananov
WASHINGTON | Thu Mar 8, 2012

(Reuters) - Prescription drugs to treat some of the most common chronic diseases, such as high cholesterol and diabetes, may become available over the counter under a plan being considered by U.S. regulators.

In what would be a major shift in policy if finalized, the Food and Drug Administration is seeking public comment until Friday on a way to make these medications more readily available. It will also have a meeting about the proposal at the end of March.
The goal is to ensure people take drugs as needed, while still understanding safety issues.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...ame=healthNews

[Islander]

I've a busy weekend so I'll let you tear your hair out in my place.

[Reesacat]

They want to make STATINS OTC?!!!!!::::::runs away screaming::::::::

[highlander]

Quite a strategic war on drugs, right?

[StephenX]

The next step will be to severely limit supplements. Nous devons être attentifs

[Samurai]

Nous devons être attentifs

Dude. I only know the languages of the plebeians; Texan, Spanish, and Spanglish. What does that mean???

[Aaltrude]

Dude. I only know the languages of the plebians; Texan, Spanish, and Spanglish. What does that mean???

We must be attentive.

[StephenX]

We must be vigilant

[Islander]

[Puts on Admin hat]
We have almost 1500 regular members and over 10,000 unique visitors to this site monthly. Not all of them are native English speakers, but English is the language of the site. I know it's fun to show off our multiculturism, linguistic abilities and familiarity with Google Translate, Bing, or Morse Code...but let's please be courteous and keep to English as the default language. Thank you.
[Removes Admin hat]

[StephenX]

[Puts on Admin hat]
We have almost 1500 regular members and over 10,000 unique visitors to this site monthly. Not all of them are native English speakers, but English is the language of the site. I know it's fun to show off our multiculturism, linguistic abilities and familiarity with Google Translate, Bing, or Morse Code...but let's please be courteous and keep to English as the default language. Thank you.
[Removes Admin hat]

It could be worse. I speak German, Russian, Spanish, Lakota and some French. Who needs Google translate? Oh yeah, I admit I needed it for the Lithuanian.. I will translate as I go from now on. Akita mani yo! (observe while walking...learn while living) dahdit dahdahdah dahdah dahdahdah ditdahdit ditditdit dit dahditdahdit dahdahdah dahditdit dit? dahdahdah ditditditdit dahdah dahditdahdah (November Oscar Mike Oscar Romeo Sierra Echo Charley Oscar Delta Echo? Oscar Hotel Mike Yankee). No Morse code? Oh my.

[highlander]

I'm unilingual.
When I grow up, I'm going to learn Japanese just for the hell of it. Gaelic and Lakota or Cherokee would be awesome too. Pray for me. I came from a family and culture that would cock their head sideways and ask "why would you want to do that?"

[Reesacat]

That is a very common attitude in the US. People will travel abroad and not even learn to say Thank You in the language of the place they are visiting.

[StephenX]

My Russian teacher asked me "what do you call someone who speaks two languages...bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks several languages...multilingual. What do you call someone who speaks one language?...an American." Don't blame me, blame her.

[Islander]

I speak German, Russian, Spanish, Lakota and some French. Who needs Google translate? Oh yeah, I admit I needed it for the Lithuanian..

Stephen, if you are truly fluent in six languages I would have to doff my cap to you as a polymath. That's a huge accomplishment, and I say that as a person who has an aptitude for languages. I'm only conversant in two, though I can read more than I can speak...but multilingual ability is not a defining characteristic of intelligence. Many of our regulars have jaw-dropping expertise in areas that only rarely come to light on this site.

I agree with Reesacat: when I travel, I take the time to learn at least a handful of the basic phrases one needs in the native language. It's just common courtesy. I was even able to do this in Cantonese and Mandarin, in China and Hong Kong. And in many places, if you rent a car and buy a good road map you can read the highway signs well enough to get to your intended destination (except in Wales where alas, they have no vowels...and you THINK they are speaking English).

Iceland, on the other hand, is a mass of contradictions. The Icelandic language has been preserved for a thousand years — which means that one can read the original eddas, but due to family nomenclature, phone books are a living nightmare and highway signs are a challenge. OTOH, in an Asian country a Westerner stands out; in Rejkavik, tourists stopped me on the street to ask me if I spoke English. Why yes, of course— but so does every native under 60!

[StephenX]

Thanks, I think. In 1970 my linguistic skills got me recruited by guys in grey suits rather than by guys in brown uniforms. Language has always been easy for me. I do not think it's any big thing. Learning is a life long endeavor. I'm still working on my language skills. I started to learn Lakota when I was 60 because I read some "expert" say that people my age cannot learn a new language. I thought "tonkiche pte! (bull poop!), I can do this. Shunghilaska emachiyab (my name is White Fox). I still think selling statins over the counter is ludicrous. What's next amphetamines? Oxycontin? Yet people are put in prison for using an herb...madness!