In 1988, after Carl Lewis was awarded the gold medal in the 100M dash when Ben Johnson tested positive for steroids, (I believe it was) Lewis stated that he was not really that surprised because he just didn't think that it was humanly possible to run the 100m in 9.79 (Johnson's winning time).
In the past 3 years, 2 american’s have euqaled or surpassed that time.
In today’s Houston Chronicle there is a tiny article (which is a true disappointment considering the magnitude of the accusations) that reads as follows:
According to Terry Madden, the chief executive of the US anti-doping agency: "What we have unconverted appears to be intentional doping of the worst sort (...) this is a conspiracy involving chemists, coaches and certain athletes using what they developed to be undetectable designer steroids to defraud their fellow competitors and the American and world public"
The drug in question is known as THG and though no athletes were named, it appears that several prominent athletes are a party to this.
I also know for a FACT, that some elite swimmers know of the drug, and believe it is undetectable.
*** This is in no way intimating that any specific athlete has or is using the substance.
Former Member
Aquageek, you appear to be misinformed. I have never hidden the fact that I am a doctor. It is listed in my profile, and I have mentioned this in previous posts. Regarding supplements, I have previously referenced research which supports the use of glucosamine.
Personal attacks on my ethics are unjustified and inappropriate.
An athlete who obtains and uses illegal, performance enhancing drugs isn't going to give one iota about fair play, as defined by governing sports bodies, because ethics and morality mean nothing to them. This argument will only fall on deaf ears.
As for the necessity of ?institutions' looking after our own good.... I suppose that some substances have such a potential for harm that they should be regulated and that untrained individuals do not have the necessary knowledge for safe use of many other substances. However, I bristle at the thought of regulation. In their attempt to ?protect' the public from themselves, the FDA has created many unwarranted regulations resulting in a prescription drug crisis in this country. A crisis which is keeping much needed drugs out of patients hands and which gives pharmaceutical companies a ?reason' for jacking up prices so high that many, many, people can not afford them. Don't tell me that this or that substance has been banned or restricted by the FDA as their actions speak more of bureaucratic @*%$# and oligarchy than anything else.
Medical ethics? What makes doctors more ethical than the rest of the human population? As with athletes, a doctor who creates designer drugs for an athlete or prescribes ?performance enhancing' drugs isn't going to give a damn about the well being of the patients, ethics and legalities.
In which case the state medical board will take disciplinary action.
The website for the North Carolina State Medical Board has a policy statement regarding performance enhancing drugs and specifically anabolic steroids (ncmedboard.org/legend.htm).
I am loathe to get into this but I would rather "trust" a doctor who has at least 7 years of training and drugs which have to be 'double blind' tested and proved to actually have an effect than the 'products' that come out of the "Alternative" health industry !
Never, ever, under-estimate the power of the "Placebo effect".
I have zero knowledge regarding State Medical Boards! I have twenty six years worth of experience and twenty three operations (to date) dealing with all types of Doctors, in five different states, North Carolina being one of them. Without exception, each and every Doctor that treated me was professional, knowledgeable and dedicated to providing me with excellent health care.
My experience with Medical Doctors is heart warming. I have nothing but the highest respect for this profession and without exception, every Doctor who treated me, did an excellent job.
Heck, I owe my life to these people. My point, yes, I am sure every profession has a few bone heads, but I dare say this one has a great deal LESS then most. My humble and sincere gratitude, appreciation toward the medical profession is based on the simple fact that I am alive today, against staggering odds to the contrary!
My points:
The legality and ethics arguments are not useful as the people they are intended for don't care.
Yes, I want the drugs I take to be tested and safe; and yes I want some one trained to prescribe them for me. BUT, the regulations surrounding the approval of a drug are so political that it calls the decisions made by the FDA into question.
Tom, all I know about horses is that they can't be taught to use the litter box. I'll let you and aquageek slog it out about horses, but please keep me out of it.
I took your 'irritating' post to mean that while you can show Phil the obvious truth, you can't make him believe it. Now that I have your explanation of what you meant, I have no idea. Anyway, I thought your post was supercilious and made light of a topic and discussion that I take seriously.
You seem to think, in this thread and others, that the rules and policies established by the authorities are for your and society's benefit. I tend to think that rules and policies established by the authorities are for *their* benefit. Perhaps both are true in different situations, but I think our divergent views contribute to a healthy discussion, usually.
I'm not sure how cosmetic surgery has crept into a discussion of Masters and steroid but since it has, I'll dive in (hopefully better than the dive I exhibited at Nationals in Tempe this year).
So far, this is what I have heard from gull - I am a doctor, I know better. I have ethics that are beyond repute because I am a doctor. Because I am a doctor, I can dictate to you what to do to your body and what to take.
I have a totally different take on this. Doctors are there for the patients, paid by the patients and exist solely for the benefit of patients. If I want to cosmetically alter my body, that is called demand. If a doctor will do it, that is called supply. Neat thing about America is the intersection of the two. I'm sure there are tons of cases of plastic surgery done for all the wrong reasons but WHO CARES? If a person wants it and can pay for it, let them go for it. Gull, you seem to have an extremely narror definition of medicine. Time to change with the times.
Hippocrates could never have foreseen even a fraction of the advancements of medicine and might be fully supportive of doctors contributing to patient health (mental or otherwise) using cosmetic surgery. I would guess those plastic surgeons also take the same oath. There's not a separate oath for them, is there?
