Doping Exemptions?

Athletes may secure a TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption) which when properly filed, allows use of banned performance-enhancing substances on medical grounds.

Key question: should medical exemptions allowing drug use be kept secret? Is it fair allowing chronically ill or disabled elite athletes to compete in world-class events (such as the Olympics) when taking banned drugs that others can't use? Perhaps the place for such impaired competitors is the Paralympics ...?

Allowances become complicated by the fact that cases are considered by Medical Advisory Committees within each nation. NATION-level allowances & standards may actually differ practically.

Another problem is that even elite athletes may file a TUE request retroactively, after they've been tested for doping.

Combining these complexities (and potential for corruption) with confidentiality, the secret process allowing drug use does not inspire trust or assure fairness...

Voting: The Slave's Suggestion Box

Triclosan: the New Lead Poisoning

Triclosan is a potent chemical now found in the bodies of most people in the USA. Since the 1980s it's become an ingredient in toothpastes, pesticides, shampoos, etc., for supposed antibacterial mechanisms.

Now the US Food & Drug Administration has banned soap products using triclosan & 18 other antibacterial additives -- the chemicals are ineffective as typically used. Worse, they may cause substantial injury and much environmental damage. Warnings have been circulating for years; the FDA's belated final ruling allows one more transition year to 6 Sept. 2017...

Here's an excerpt of one report(link): 
"The FDA has sided with scientists who claim that the use of antibiotic components on a consistent and widespread basis may actually be contributing to the rise of new antibiotic-resistant strains of various infections... exposure to such elements may also play havoc with hormones, especially those of young people. In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council maintains that one of the most popular antibiotic chemicals, TRICLOSAN, can affect both testosterone and estrogen production, and can affect the thyroid. The NRDC argues that infants and children, in particular, are especially susceptible, and that it can lead to permanent damage. The scale of the usage is also daunting. One study suggested that triclosan could be detected in approximately 75 percent of people living in the United States. Its prevalence is perhaps only matched by its tenacity: the chemical passes through our systems and into the environment, where it enters the ground water and passes into animals and back into us."

We're guinea pigs. Big Business simply moves on, as with lead poisoning from our petrol & housepaint in past decades, and the terrible impact of cigarettes & asbestos.  Industry sucks away profits, then when all goes bad the limited-liability corporation runs away or begs public assistance -- the 2008 bailouts were one example, the TEPCO nuclear tragedy at Fukushima and Japan's "off-limits zone" pollution another. Do you trust Big Business & their paid politicos got your back? They'll not protect you. Why Dream yourself to Death?

Triclosan: the New Lead Poisoning

Triclosan is a potent chemical now found in the bodies of most people in the USA. Since the 1980s it's become an ingredient in toothpastes, pesticides, shampoos, etc., for supposed antibacterial mechanisms.

Now the US Food & Drug Administration has banned soap products using triclosan & 18 other antibacterial additives -- the chemicals are ineffective as typically used. Worse, they may cause substantial injury and much environmental damage. (Warnings have been circulating for years; the FDA final ruling is late, and allows one more year of transition until 6 Sept. 2017). 

Here's an excerpt of one report(link): 
"The FDA has sided with scientists who claim that the use of antibiotic components on a consistent and widespread basis may actually be contributing to the rise of new antibiotic-resistant strains of various infections.But those concerns only scratch the surface of worries associated with antibiotic cleansers. Some studies have indicated that exposure to such elements may also play havoc with hormones, especially those of young people. In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council maintains that one of the most popular antibiotic chemicals, triclosan, can affect both testosterone and estrogen production, and can affect the thyroid. The NRDC argues that infants and children, in particular, are especially susceptible to this chemical, and that it can lead to permanent damage. The scale of the usage is also daunting. One study suggested that triclosan could be detected in approximately 75 percent of people living in the United States. In fact, its prevalence is perhaps only matched by its tenacity: the chemical passes through our systems and into the environment, where it enters the ground water and passes into animals and back into us."

We're guinea pigs, and as with lead poisoning from our paint and petrol in past decades, and the terrible impact of cigarettes, big business simply moves on.  Industry does what it can for profits, then when things go bad they run away or beg public assistance -- the 2008 bailouts were one example, the TEPCO nuclear tragedy at Fukushima and Japan's dead "off-limits zone" pollution is another. Trust Big Business & their paid politicos got your back? They'll protect you? Why Dream yourself to Death?