The Devil Fights Back
Viewing comments for Chapter 16 "The Devil Fights Back - Ch. 16"Challenges in the pharmaceutical field
17 total reviews
Comment from barbara.wilkey
It seems that possibly our problem is going to find a solution, but I'm sure there will still be a few issues to iron out. This is a good read.
"We'll discuss that when we get to my brother Brian's house. (brother,)
She spoke right up. "As an actuary, my job was to analyze data (up,)
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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It seems that possibly our problem is going to find a solution, but I'm sure there will still be a few issues to iron out. This is a good read.
"We'll discuss that when we get to my brother Brian's house. (brother,)
She spoke right up. "As an actuary, my job was to analyze data (up,)
Comment Written 20-Dec-2024
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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Thanks, Barbara. We'll see a few of those issues to iron out in chapter 20, which will provide more details about the actual operation. That chapter will be more sciency than this one, but I promise it will be the last one.
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Can't wait.
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
This is all very scientific, Jim, and I make no secret of the fact that much of it is going over my head. That said, the plan seems to be to tamper with the drug already in the ownership of the Chinese so that it has the adverse side effects of nausea and diarrhea and will therefore deter use and abuse. In the same way that genetic pathways were modeled to combat addictive properties, so the same could be done to cause symptoms bound to deter the user Abby's on board for this but has recommended Patty Mattson as a computer expert. And, if I'm not mistaken, has that name cropped up in a previous story, Jim? Well done for entertaining and perplexing in equal measure:)) Take care Debbie
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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This is all very scientific, Jim, and I make no secret of the fact that much of it is going over my head. That said, the plan seems to be to tamper with the drug already in the ownership of the Chinese so that it has the adverse side effects of nausea and diarrhea and will therefore deter use and abuse. In the same way that genetic pathways were modeled to combat addictive properties, so the same could be done to cause symptoms bound to deter the user Abby's on board for this but has recommended Patty Mattson as a computer expert. And, if I'm not mistaken, has that name cropped up in a previous story, Jim? Well done for entertaining and perplexing in equal measure:)) Take care Debbie
Comment Written 20-Dec-2024
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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You've got it exactly right, Debbie. See? That wasn't so hard :-)
Patty Mattson was from earlier in this story. She's the one who helped Fran discover what was in Kevin Glazer's (the FBI mole's) computer and get the data from Kevin's sat phone log, and determine the calls to and from Kevin were to China.
There will be only one more perplexing and sciency chapter (20) which describes some of the science from the previous novel, which you already thoroughly understand :-) plus some further details about how the plan will actually work, and I promise no more after that. I invite the reader to skim over that chapter with a big disclaimer at the front if it doesn't interest them, because it won't impact their understanding of the story if they do.
This is the kind of stuff I really love in novels, though, as long as it isn't too complex, so I can't resist a few chapters of it in my own. But I do understand how it isn't for everyone. I give the example of Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger novels that have a lot of gun talk in them, because the author is a real gun nut. I just skim those parts and don't worry about it. There's enough other good stuff in the novels to hold my interest.
Comment from Cecilia A Heiskary
Jim,
What a great chapter to your book. They seem to have almost all of the players on the team they need. It will be interesting to see where this is going.
Well done my friend
Cecilia
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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Jim,
What a great chapter to your book. They seem to have almost all of the players on the team they need. It will be interesting to see where this is going.
Well done my friend
Cecilia
Comment Written 20-Dec-2024
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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Thanks so much, Cecilia. Once Patty is onboard, the team will be complete.
I'm so glad you've been staying with the story and enjoying it.
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Jim,
I am following it and am really enjoying it.
Comment from Wayne Fowler
I didn't know about Balanga or about where it was discovered, Gunagua Island. Was that previously introduced? I'd be a bit surprised if the properties couldn't be synthetically produced.
It sounds like Abby has been given the relevant details ahead of a background check.
Best wishes.
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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I didn't know about Balanga or about where it was discovered, Gunagua Island. Was that previously introduced? I'd be a bit surprised if the properties couldn't be synthetically produced.
It sounds like Abby has been given the relevant details ahead of a background check.
Best wishes.
Comment Written 20-Dec-2024
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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Nope, this was the first mention of Balanga and Gunagua Island (both fictitious). In the first story I never went into the detail of what actually comprised the original drug Dipraxa. I didn't have this story in mind when I wrote that one.
While it may be possible to synthetically produce the enzyme in the Balanga plant used in the making of Dipraxa, it's also possible that it isn't because what gives it its unique structure is the soil it is grown in, which perhaps can't be easily replicated. (More about the soil in chapter 20).
Here's the thing, though: The aim is for the Chinese not to know what happened. All of a sudden their drug is making people sick and not making them high, and they won't know why. They won't know the plant was tampered with.
Your last point is a good one and, in reality, they probably would not have shared this amount of detail with her before a background check.
Comment from Wendy G
They certainly all have excellent brains and are good at lateral thinking, and finding new ways to solve the problem. The solution is a clever one - for the drug to have such negative efffects that there will no longer be desire for it. Complex chapter, but very thought-provoking and well-written.
Wendy
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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They certainly all have excellent brains and are good at lateral thinking, and finding new ways to solve the problem. The solution is a clever one - for the drug to have such negative efffects that there will no longer be desire for it. Complex chapter, but very thought-provoking and well-written.
Wendy
Comment Written 20-Dec-2024
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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Thanks so much, Wendy. I probably spent more time thinking about and writing this chapter and the upcoming chapter 20 than any other in the story.
In chapter 20, we will get more details about the science and how they plan to put this plan into action. It's also a complex chapter, but if you enjoy this sort of thing, as I do, it should be very interesting. I did write a disclaimer at the beginning of chapter 20 saying that if science is not your thing, you can skip reading it without sacrificing anything, but for me, this was one of the most enjoyable parts of the novel.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
The plan is going well as Abby arrives and they discuss how she can help him with the problem of changing the plant needed for the dangerous drug into one that will make people ill when they use the drug. The who idea makes sense to me, which is probably remarkable. Do have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
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reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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The plan is going well as Abby arrives and they discuss how she can help him with the problem of changing the plant needed for the dangerous drug into one that will make people ill when they use the drug. The who idea makes sense to me, which is probably remarkable. Do have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
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Comment Written 20-Dec-2024
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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I'm glad I could make it make sense. That's gratifying to hear, Carol. I hope you too have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
Making a drug that is addictive means that it will be in demand and will be constantly used and needed. I think drug companies want their product to be addictive. It is the same with smoking cigarettes. The health of the people is sometimes the last consideration. It is difficult to withdraw a product that has been invented and I suppose those who can analyse a drug and breakdown its components can then manufacture it. Without regulations, drug companies would be a law unto themselves and they cannot be trusted.
The saga continues as Dipraxa is still on the market. I enjoyed your new chapter Jim, love Dolly x x x
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reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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Making a drug that is addictive means that it will be in demand and will be constantly used and needed. I think drug companies want their product to be addictive. It is the same with smoking cigarettes. The health of the people is sometimes the last consideration. It is difficult to withdraw a product that has been invented and I suppose those who can analyse a drug and breakdown its components can then manufacture it. Without regulations, drug companies would be a law unto themselves and they cannot be trusted.
The saga continues as Dipraxa is still on the market. I enjoyed your new chapter Jim, love Dolly x x x
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Comment Written 20-Dec-2024
reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024
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You make a good point about the drug companies wanting their customers to keep buying their drugs, and making them addictive is one sure way.
The great thing about some drugs is that they don't necessarily have to be addictive to still require continuous purchase of them. This depends on the medical condition you have. The thing about Glyptophan is that it doesn't actually cure the source of pain but merely masks it, and, as such, if stopped, the pain will come back. Though not addictive, it still needs to be taken until the source of the pain is healed by something else, and if it can't be healed, then the drug will have to be taken for life.
It's true that even if Glyptophan replaces opioids for pain control, opioids may still be illegally produced for the high that they generate. Glyptophan will not eradicate this usage of the drug, but, as with Brian, many people will never get started using them in the first place for pain control if they have something that doesn't cause euphoria and subsequent possible addiction.
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We have people in Britain who are addicted to paracetamol. They have sought help to get them off these painkillers and many have been successful. The body can heal itself over time and we all want to get well at speed. I used to take painkillers before my run because my knees always hurt! After changing my footwear, my knees did not hurt anymore. Painkillers are not always the answer.
I appreciate your information Jim, love Dolly x x x
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That's interesting. Paracetamol is known as Tylenol (acetaminophen) in the US. It is known to cause liver failure if taken to excess, but I've never heard that it can be addicting.
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It is not an addictive drug, but people keep taking it because they have pain, but there are other ways of managing pain x x x
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I find pain to be a very interesting subject. If there were only a foolproof way to diagnose the source of pain, we could save a fortune as a society in unnecessary tests and treatments that don't work because they don't really address the root of the problem. I thought of a sequel to this story where Brian, with help from Abby, invents such a machine, but then I thought of something even better that may one day become another sequel.