http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2009/03/02/harnessing-the-crowd-to-make-better-drugs-mercks-stephen-friend-nails-down-5m-to-propel-biology-into-open-source-era/

I’ll never look at the BSoD the same way again.

Why not add some fast acting buffering agent that makes the drug user vomit if they take more than 4 Viagra in x number of hours? It’s obviously a recreational drug so why not help people not be stupid if they’re tempted to use it to excess?

This kind of plays into another story on this blog: nicotine strips and pills. I’ve always thought they were a great idea except for the fact that nicotine is poisonous. Eat enough of them at one time or close enough together and you could probably kill yourself. I use a nicotine based insecticide in my garden.

I also smoke and know it’s the additives and tar, not the nicotine, that gives a smoker cancer. The pills interest me though because if you don’t eat more of them than you would smoke in cigarettes and use the same time line many of us would be better off.

Alas, clarity is often all to lacking in this world. I particularily love when a drug commercial, for example an asthma drug, carries the warning “[Product X] has been linked to a significant risk of asthma related death.” Usually followed by, “Ask your doctor!”

Not all lawyers are create equal. The ones who word product warnings? Well, let’s say they weren’t the most attentive lot in class.

(sound of microphone hitting the floor)

Thank you and good night! Tip your servers! I’ll be playing here all week.