Pubdate: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Copyright: 2004 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.fyiwinnipeg.com/winsun.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503 Author: Chris Buors 'BUYER NEED NOT BEWARE' In Public, doctors kept in dark on drugs' effects (Feb. 19), Mindelle Jacobs reminds us that Canadians have been encouraged to adopt the maxim "buyer need not beware" because we believed Health Canada was protecting consumers. That vested interests like pharmaceutical corporations would take advantage of this kind of state paternalism was predictable. Canadians must end their drug infantilism by taking back our natural right to drugs and assuming the responsibility to inform ourselves. Simply put, we must adopt the ancient Roman code of caveat emptor (buyer beware) when it comes to health services. Free-market competition is the only way to keep any businessman honest. Chris Buors Libertarian Party of Manitoba Winnipeg (We should know what we put into our bodies.) - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman