“Meet the Anarchists Making Their Own Medicine” mostly avoids bringing the typical “technology can solve anything” silicon-valley messianic fevor to an interesting idea, that of micro-pharmaceutical manufacturers.

“Unless the system is idiot proof and includes validation of the final product, the user is exposed to a laundry list of rather nasty stuff,” DeMonaco told me in an email. “Widespread use [of Four Thieves’ devices] would provide an entire new category for the Darwin Awards.”

Discussing at the high level the risks of DIY drug synthesis, the article points to compounding pharmacies as a lesson on how to do this right. Not sure I agree, as compounding pharmacies have had a slew of problems in recent years, and frankly quality systems still need improving.

I do think we will see more and more hospitals turn to small scale manufacturing. Hopsitals are more used to the idea of quality systems and can build the encessary systems and processes to do this safely.