Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jul 1998
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) 
Section: Page: A 24
Contact:  
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ 

DRUG RELATIONSHIPS

Editor - Could anyone have believed that Thalidomide, a drug whose very name
became synonymous with birth defects three decades ago, would win approval
from the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for leprosy (Chronicle,
July 17)? This would seem to be a startling confirmation - if confirmation
were needed - of Dr. Andrew Weil's dictum: ``Any drug can be used
successfully, no matter how bad its reputation, and any drug can be abused,
no matter how accepted it is. There are no good or bad drugs; there are only
good and bad relationships with drugs.''(``Chocolate to Morphine,'' 1993.)

PAT DOLAN

Vancouver, B.C.

1998 San Francisco Chronicle

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Checked-by: Melodi Cornett