4 ms·

I'm pretty sure you could put together epinephrine and a syringe for a few bucks. And sell it for twenty or so with a healthy profit. But you can't, can you?

• rdtsc 10y ago
  > But you can't, can you? Yes you can! Believe it or not this completely unregulated free market utopia exists. It is not just a fantasy. Now don't get excited, I imagine after I tell you about you it, you probably won't be headed to the airport to go there -- that's because it is actually horrible. Unregulated market is what was (and is) happening in any of the post-Soviet republics, Russia, probably China, probably many other countries. Those countries are better at free market than America. Yes on paper they have their EPAs, FCCs, FDA and other nuisances, but in practice nobody cares. So you can buy some pills from the street corner shop that sells cigarettes. But chances are they are expired at best, made in a basement from chalk and sugar, or harmful at worst. Of course the claim is, "ah but market takes care of it, next time you won't buy from there and they'll go out of business". Nope, you might be dead next time and no they won't go out of business. You can go and buy unregulated vegetables from the market. And they look fresh and plump and nice, but they are chock full of horrible chemicals in them. How do I know? My relatives there grow and sell them. They have a separate plot of land for such things and wouldn't let their kids or themselves eat from there. Gun ownership there is restricted. Unless you are friends with the police. Then you can have a special permit for a gun. Oh but you have to pass a psych exam to make sure you are not crazy. But it so happens you are crazy. But, no worries, such regulations are bypassed with a quick $50 gift. And yes, I have seen them shoot their Dragunov sniper rifle, in a village, with houses right next to each other, and nobody cares. The list goes on. Now maybe I assumed too much that you won't like it. Who knows, maybe you would. Well you are welcome to visit and try it out.
  • gwright 10y ago
    I'm sure there are some people that truly want the unfettered, caveat emptor world that you describe, but I think that is a mischaracterization of what most free-market advocates are actually talking about. The type of regulations/laws are hugely important. Critical statements regarding existing regulations are not the same thing as advocating for no regulations whatsoever. I think it is more useful to view calls for a 'free market' to really be calls for a 'minimally regulated market'. For example, regulations and laws that penalize fraud and negligence are well within the scope of a 'minimally regulated market'.
• JshWright 10y ago
  > But you can't, can you? Why not? It works for glucagon (which is even more complicated, since it has to be reconstituted from a powder). http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/gifs/products/GlucaGenA1280.jpg http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/gifs/products/GlucaGenA1...