Meow Meow, Spice, NRG-1 - the stream of designer drugs flowing from the laboratories of China seems (and probably is) endless. It seems to me, though, that the oriental chemists are missing out on a more lucrative (and genuinely needed) product.
I'm talking about DDT. The wonder drug, which eliminated malaria in the USA and Europe, was banned after claims were made (in Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring) that it could accumulate in the food chain and pose major ecological problems. Although the scare was debunked, it led to a world-wide ban on the use of the substance that is believed to have caused up to 30,000,000 unnecessary malaria deaths in the third world. The developed world hasn't lost much sleep over these (mostly infant) casualties, but things may be changing.
Bedbugs are back! The nasty little parasites are gaining a foothold in America and Europe. For the first time first-world commentators are calling for the return of DDT, but there is no sign of a change in the law yet.
In the meantime, the door of opportunity has opened for China. Just give us something that is sufficiently similar enough to DDT to do the job, and different enough to evade the legal restrictions. You'll make a fortune!
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