Chelseafan

16 hours ago, connda said:

Smoking tobacco using a hookah is illegal.   Amazing.

Sometime that sheer amount of frivolous laws created to throw otherwise good citizens into jail simply boggles the mind.  If there is rebirth I hope I don't end up on another totally insane world like this. 

Well if I was a cynic then I would think that Shisha is banned as the government doesn't get any kickbacks from it...unlike tobacco.

That's if I was a cynic... ????

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

I am not sure if you are old enough to remember this, but in the late 1950s there was a drug/vaccine that came onto the market called Thalidomide to help women with morning sickness when carrying their baby.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide

 

Thalidomide was first marketed in 1957 in West Germany, where it was available over the counter.[5][6] When first released, thalidomide was promoted for anxiety, trouble sleeping, "tension", and morning sickness.[6][7] While initially thought to be safe in pregnancy, concerns regarding birth defects arose in 1961 and the medication was removed from the market in Europe that year.[6][5] The total number of embryos affected by use during pregnancy is estimated at 10,000, of which about 40% died around the time of birth.[6][3] Those who survived had limb, eye, urinary tract, and heart problems.

 

Science, technology and safety standards have come a long way since then. I can't recall of a single commercial drug/vaccine that has been taken off the market that's proven to be dangerous since then.

Years ago there was concern about Aspirin and blood clotting but it's still a drug that's manufactured

We've got to trust the scientists have got it right.

Non-article.

Population of Finland : 5.6m

Leisure trips taken abroad between May and August 2019 : 3.4m

Go figure!!

1 hour ago, david555 said:

So if many think  only E.U.  do so ....remember Govy / Boris  just postponed 6 months the U.K. aplicating new border restrictions because brexit ... not in "kindness ", but only because not ready for it ..

Same things shall be reprocal after for E.U. nationals entering  ...so can take our ham & cheese sandwiches ????

That is only one way. The EU have instigated border controls from day one.

On 1/4/2021 at 10:55 AM, Joinaman said:

is this the same Astra Zeneca that has had numerous court cases and paid out billions in fines and compensation to the courts and the poor sods who took their meds and vaccines, then found themselves with debilitating illness after Astra lied and misinformed them about passing the safety tests, about how safe they were, about how they had had long term testing , when they knew they had not

See how many outstanding cases still remaining against Astra Zeneca, even after their almost annual outing to the courts 

sound familiar  to this vaccine by any chance ?

Most drug companies face lawsuits on a regular basis, most are spurious claims but once in a while they do screw up.

13 hours ago, metisdead said:

They keep glossing over this fact in the OP:

• Thailand's rice exports are down because the strong baht, which has gained 11% against the U.S. dollar since April, has made shipments uncompetitive versus rivals Vietnam and India.

 

 

It's a little to do with the baht but not much. Most retailers are in long-term contracts so a swing of 11% shouldn't affect them for the short-term but as per my previous post, lack of containers is causing a huge problem not just with rice but shrimp and chicken.

Oh and we've just heard the country is on a national lockdown!!

13 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Rice exports low, more to do with strength of the THB,

than shortage of containers I suspect,difficult to get

a market back once you have lost it.

regards worgeordie

The container shortage is a real pain, I source a lot from Thailand and we are seeing orders shipping 4-6 weeks later than scheduled not to mention that the price of a 40ft reefer has jumped from around $2500 to $8000.

9 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

That would never happen on his watch ....

I see what you did there....Good one ????

3 hours ago, candide said:

It was an emergency authorisation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency

11 hours ago, candide said:

The local agencies deal with non-prescription drugs and drugs authorised before the creation of the EMA.

It's more efficient to have a look at the EMA website.

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/about-us/what-we-do/authorisation-medicines

That's not true, the local agencies and I will use the UK MHRA as an example, are responsible for regulating and authorising of all drugs.

As an example, they authorised the recent pfizer vaccine for use in the UK.

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

The local EMA's are simply taking the main EMA's assertion. All in all the process is now a lot faster than it used to be with individual assessments.

That's my point. What is the point of the local agencies then ? Might as well disband them if all they are doing is following the advise of the central EMA. Two branches doing the same job. Bureaucracy at its finest.

9 hours ago, Hi from France said:

Did you actually understand that the EMA removes bureaucracy but providing a single drug approval system for the single market? 

Did you actually understand what I said ?

If the EMA issues an approval for the single market, it still has to get approval from the BfArm in Germany, ANSM in France, MHRA in UK etc etc.

1 hour ago, Hi from France said:

The EMA does much more than this, the main thing being cutting cost drug companies have by having to win separate approvals from each state. 

 

When a drug company designs a new drug do you really think it will prioritize the UK market authorisation over the EU Centralised marketing authorisation? 

From Wiki

The EMA was set up in 1995, with funding from the European Union and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as indirect subsidy from member states, its stated intention to harmonise (but not replace) the work of existing national medicine regulatory bodies. The hope was that this plan would not only reduce the €350 million annual cost drug companies incurred by having to win separate approvals from each member state but also that it would eliminate the protectionist tendencies of sovereign states unwilling to approve new drugs that might compete with those already produced by domestic drug companies. 

I've highlighted the pertinent points. I suspect if it was disbanded tomorrow it would probably be quicker for pharmaceutical companies to bring their drugs to market as one layer of bureaucracy has been removed.

3 hours ago, Hi from France said:

actually this is the Brits "transnational" vision of Europe limited to the Brexiteers accounting (often bad accounting btw) vision:

Yes if you look at membership fees vs. subsidies, there are countries who contribute more and countries who receive more .. but the EU is still a huge win-win for all, the single market is the best known but only one of many many perks which the UK lost (just replicating the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will cost you €360 million every year).

 

That we have said over and over and over ... Is there any way to get that into your thinking? ???? 

 

.

The EMA was set up to harmonise the work of existing bodies across the EU, whether they have been successful or not is open to interpretation as each countries respective agencies still have their own agenda. One could argue that whilst well-intentioned, the EMA is a waste of tax-payers money.

The UK already has its own agency, the MHRA.

On 12/24/2020 at 4:37 AM, Andy from Kent said:

 

Speed kills.

No it doesn't. Stupid, negligent, carless drivers do.

Thank-you Sir.

My missus and child are due to return to Thailand late February. They already have a flight booked with Qatar but I suspect I will have to rebook them on a repatriated flight

How do I start the process ? Do I have to pay for their quarantine or is it free for Thai nationals ? Do I need to go to the Thai embassy in London or is there a simple online process ?

Thanks

17 hours ago, PGSan said:

Why are they shopping if they do not have to?

But they can't know.

They have to shop in normal social hours like the rest of us.

16 hours ago, Dan O said:

I agree that it makes sense to limit exposure times where ever possible but at an off hour time quarantine has little affect other than an impression you're doing something but actually giving little impact or affect. Nice optic but not much more than that.  True Testing, quarantining and area lock down for travel are far more effective along with truth in reporting 

 

Maybe but I suspect its mainly aimed at the drunks who perhaps want another bottle of whiskey at 3am in the morning and who's decision making process will be impaired.

Totally agree with you on the testing part.

15 hours ago, robbioff said:

Are you sure?

No but common sense says it might be produent to do so.