Thailand's FDA to restrict drug used in hospital robberies

[webfact]

FDA to restrict drug used in hospital robberies
POUNGCHOMPOO PRASERT,
KHWANHATHAI MALAKAN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE FOOD and Drug Administration (FDA) may change the animal sedative Xylazine from its status as a dangerous drug that can be be sold over the counter by pharmacists to being a specially controlled drug for sale only at hospitals and animal clinics.

It had received reports the drug had been used by thieves to spike drinks of people seeking treatment at public hospitals in order to rob them of |valuables. FDA secretary-general Boonchai Somboonsuk said yesterday that the FDA had consulted with related agencies, especially the Livestock Development Department and expert veterinarians about the change of status plan for Xylazine.

Department of Medical Services chief Dr Suphan Srithamma said the meeting of hospital executives under his agency had encouraged hospitals to beef up security for patients and their relatives around the clock. Patients were urged not to drink water or eat food offered by strangers, while hospital staff were to watch out for suspicious individuals and all hospitals had to monitor and check security camera footage for previous crimes.

Meanwhile, Phayathai superintendent Pol Colonel Saman Rodkamnerd said an arrest warrant had been issued for a male suspect accused of robbing visitors at Ramathibodi Hospital by spiking their drinking water with a tasteless sedative. Police suspected the man acted alone and might still be in Bangkok, where he would be less conspicuous than in country areas.


-- The Nation 2013-10-15

[cloudhopper]

Yeah OK instead of letting thieves buy their dangerous tranquilizers at the pharmacy down the street, they will now have to buy them right there at the same hospital where they ply their trade. One can only guess what the bib saw in the video that would make the suspect less conspicuous in Bangkok than in country areas. Reading bizarre articles the Nation is always great entertainment.

[ChrisY1]

Gotta hand it to these people....they're innovative........

Love this...."Police suspected the man acted alone and might still be in Bangkok, where he would be less conspicuous than in country areas.".......Yeh....I'de pick him out in downtown Khon Khen, no problem at all !!!

[RickeyParkany]

Cloudhopper sez: "Reading bizarre articles the Nation is always great entertainment."

"The Nation*'s news desk: *The Notion*...what pap! ;-} rap.

Edited October 15, 2013 by RickeyParkany

[Soutpeel]

animal sedative Xylazine

Forgive my ignornace but <deleted> is an animal sedative being sold for at pharmacies and hospitals anyway ?

If usage of this is restricted to animals surely the only ones who should have it are vets as has been suggested in the OP..?

[nami]

animal sedative Xylazine

Forgive my ignornace but <deleted> is an animal sedative being sold for at pharmacies and hospitals anyway ?

If usage of this is restricted to animals surely the only ones who should have it are vets as has been suggested in the OP..?

IMO pharmacies are for selling drugs, no matter who the user is. In Europe I can go to the pharmacy and buy anti parasite pills or antipyretics for my cats, here I must go to the veterinarian and pay a consult fee just to get them. Not to mention I still didn't meet any decent veterinarian here. Anyway, I don't think it's a good policy to restrict the sales of something most people are using it in the right way just because a few are using it wrongly, it is like what happened with ephedrine not long ago.

Edited October 15, 2013 by nami

[Carrerakiss]

Suspect still in Bangkok, eh. So they have him bottled up as the net closes. And what name is on the arrest warrant? If they know who he is, why not name him. If they don't, is he down as Mr "Conspicuous in the Countryside".

[flyingdoc]

Those who are determined to obtain such drugs, will do so anyway. Changing the rules will not affect them, just as banning guns in the U.K or the U.S has not stopped freak killing sprees by a deranged gunman !

[Thai at Heart]

animal sedative Xylazine

Forgive my ignornace but <deleted> is an animal sedative being sold for at pharmacies and hospitals anyway ?

If usage of this is restricted to animals surely the only ones who should have it are vets as has been suggested in the OP..?

IMO pharmacies are for selling drugs, no matter who the user is. In Europe I can go to the pharmacy and buy anti parasite pills or antipyretics for my cats, here I must go to the veterinarian and pay a consult fee just to get them. Not to mention I still didn't meet any decent veterinarian here. Anyway, I don't think it's a good policy to restrict the sales of something most people are using it in the right way just because a few are using it wrongly, it is like what happened with ephedrine not long ago.

Not in the Europe I come from.. Pharmacists don't often research the dose for infant humans and elephants where I come from, I don't think.

[bangon04]

animal sedative Xylazine

Forgive my ignornace but <deleted> is an animal sedative being sold for at pharmacies and hospitals anyway ?

If usage of this is restricted to animals surely the only ones who should have it are vets as has been suggested in the OP..?

IMO pharmacies are for selling drugs, no matter who the user is. In Europe I can go to the pharmacy and buy anti parasite pills or antipyretics for my cats, here I must go to the veterinarian and pay a consult fee just to get them. Not to mention I still didn't meet any decent veterinarian here. Anyway, I don't think it's a good policy to restrict the sales of something most people are using it in the right way just because a few are using it wrongly, it is like what happened with ephedrine not long ago.

So in Europe you can buy a bottle of Ketamine in the local pet shop?

[bangon04]

Those who are determined to obtain such drugs, will do so anyway. Changing the rules will not affect them, just as banning guns in the U.K or the U.S has not stopped freak killing sprees by a deranged gunman !

When did they ban guns in the USA??? Now that really would be news..

and in the UK you are far more likely to be stabbed..almost never shot.

[Carrerakiss]

Those who are determined to obtain such drugs, will do so anyway. Changing the rules will not affect them, just as banning guns in the U.K or the U.S has not stopped freak killing sprees by a deranged gunman !

The USA has banned guns? Did I miss something?

But you are right on the drugs point. Those that plan to do bad, will get hold of them, whatever new restrictions are imposed, and of course the new restrictions will be poorly implemented.

Having said that, just because restrictions on where the drug can be obtained is not a perfect 100% solution, doesn't mean that it shouldn't be done in conjunction with other measures. If 19 measures each contribute a 5% reduction in the feasibility of carrying out a crime, then it adds up to a 95% reduction.

Just as banning automatic weapons or large ammo magazines in the USA won't be a perfect 100% solution to shooting massacres, if it contributed to stop 5% of such cases, maybe it would be worth it? But, whoops, that is seriously off thread and a real hornets nest. My only contribution though, is that every USA politician has to live with the fact that they have done noting to prevent another massacre. Not even an imperfect or partial solution. Nothing. How many people have to die..........sorry, brain slip, thought I was talking about Thai politicians for a minute. Yup, they are the same the world over. Live for today's sound bites.

[h90]

animal sedative Xylazine

Forgive my ignornace but <deleted> is an animal sedative being sold for at pharmacies and hospitals anyway ?

If usage of this is restricted to animals surely the only ones who should have it are vets as has been suggested in the OP..?

IMO pharmacies are for selling drugs, no matter who the user is. In Europe I can go to the pharmacy and buy anti parasite pills or antipyretics for my cats, here I must go to the veterinarian and pay a consult fee just to get them. Not to mention I still didn't meet any decent veterinarian here. Anyway, I don't think it's a good policy to restrict the sales of something most people are using it in the right way just because a few are using it wrongly, it is like what happened with ephedrine not long ago.

beside that what is a animal drug and what is for people isn't exactly. It differs from country to country. One thing to disinfect wounds I got in Malaysia is only allowed for animals in Europe. My pharmacist in Europe told me there is no reason beside that the pharmaceutical companies want to have this low price product off the shelf.

In many cases the animal treatment and the human treatment is exactly the same, just the dose different.

[PHP87]

Those who are determined to obtain such drugs, will do so anyway. Changing the rules will not affect them, just as banning guns in the U.K or the U.S has not stopped freak killing sprees by a deranged gunman !

The USA has banned guns? Did I miss something?

But you are right on the drugs point. Those that plan to do bad, will get hold of them, whatever new restrictions are imposed, and of course the new restrictions will be poorly implemented.

Having said that, just because restrictions on where the drug can be obtained is not a perfect 100% solution, doesn't mean that it shouldn't be done in conjunction with other measures. If 19 measures each contribute a 5% reduction in the feasibility of carrying out a crime, then it adds up to a 95% reduction.

Just as banning automatic weapons or large ammo magazines in the USA won't be a perfect 100% solution to shooting massacres, if it contributed to stop 5% of such cases, maybe it would be worth it? But, whoops, that is seriously off thread and a real hornets nest. My only contribution though, is that every USA politician has to live with the fact that they have done noting to prevent another massacre. Not even an imperfect or partial solution. Nothing. How many people have to die..........sorry, brain slip, thought I was talking about Thai politicians for a minute. Yup, they are the same the world over. Live for today's sound bites.

Automatic weapons are banned in the US and have been for decades.

Large capacity mags, aka, Factory mags are useful if you are out hunting and are being stalked by a pack of wolves, or during a home invasion robbery facing multiple adversaries.

It's difficult to hit a target as is. When your hands are shaking, it's dark, the first shot night blinds you and deafens you, those 10 bullets that you are limited to in some states like California will be gone before you know it. Reality is nothing like TV

Police have 15 round magazines for a reason. As skilled as they are, they know that 10 rounds is the bare minimum.

A police officer fires 6 rounds in the average shooting of one criminal and the police train regularly.

Having to defend yourself against one adversary under less than ideal circumstances will exhaust that 10 round magazine in a hurry.

There is a reason that factory magazines have a 15 round capacity.

It's better to have more than less. Guns, magazines and bullets aren't the problem. It's people that are mentally unstable and the fact that the US is not a homogenous country.

Chicago and DC have the toughest gun laws and the highest gun crime rates.

If you want to stop massacres, allow law-abiding people to arm themselves so they aren't sitting ducks.

Ask a criminal if they would rather prey on someone that might be armed or someone that isn't.

Politicians are against putting armed guards in schools. We protect our celebrities, politicians, money, etc... with guns, but not our children?

Lunacy.

The states that have "right to carry" laws have far less crime rates than states that don't.

I can post a litany of facts that prove that more armed citizens equals less crime.

Even the study Obama had done by the CDC proved this, and Obama conveniently buried the CDC's findings.

There are numerous other studies that prove that more guns equal less crime.

There are over 20,000 gun laws on the books - how many more should be passed and how many law-abiding people will be hurt by them while criminals ignore them?

Then there is the ever popular "Assault Rifle" hysteria.

Here's the truth about "Assault Rifles"

http://www.assaultweapon.info/

But like you said, it would rattle a Hornet's nest and I would have to spend hours posting facts disproving the most vocal that know the least about firearms.