Microblog: Pharmakeia – The Use of Medicine, Drugs or Spells

I like etymology. That’s how I figured out butter is the richest form of butyrate. The word butyric acid is from the Latin word, butyrum, the same origins for the word butter.

💊Pharmacy and pharmaceutical comes from the Greek word, pharmakeia. Here are some of the definitions of the word:
1. The use of or the administering of drugs
2. Poisoning
3. Sorcery, magical arts, idolatry

📖Original Word: φαρμακεία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (far-mak-i’-ah)
Usage: magic, sorcery, enchantment

🔍We usually consider pharmaceuticals as the first definition but maybe we should also be considering the second one, (maybe even the third).

💉But at a certain point, we need to wonder what’s going on. The common cold is a virus. The flu too. We’ve never successfully been able to find a shot that can take care of the common cold. We have a lackluster success rate with the yearly flu shot, maybe 30%.

❓If we know these things to hold true, how can a shot that uses such new science (mRNA) be so guaranteedly safe for a brand-new virus?

⚖️I’m sure you’ve heard some safe stories of people getting it. Some not so safe stories too. Ever hear of the PREP Act?

“The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to issue a PREP Act declaration. The declaration provides immunity from liability (except for willful misconduct) for claims:

· of loss caused, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from administration or use of countermeasures to diseases, threats and conditions
· determined by the Secretary to constitute a present, or credible risk of a future public health emergency
· to entities and individuals involved in the development, manufacture, testing, distribution, administration, and use of such countermeasures.”
(source: www.phe.gov)

💡Figure out what makes sense for you. But at least understand all that’s at play.