is versed (an amnesiac medication) evil? [View All]

versed is often given patients undergoing medical procedures that do not require general anaesthesia. versed has most of the properties of anaesthesia, except that (at normal doses) does not cause unconsciousness. it is, however, very effective at blocking the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term.

in other words, you will feel almost everything the doctor is doing to you, will only minimal pain reduction; however, you will have no memory of it after a few minutes.

personally, i feel this is an evil medication, inspired by lawyers seeking to avoid damaging testimony. yes, i am fully aware it is far safer than general anaesthesia. however, i find it repugnant that, the war on drugs being what it is, they find this a wonderful alternative to actual painkillers.

i have personally witnessed (back when i was an emt-in-training) a doctor take about 5-7 minutes setting a severe radius/ulna (forearm) fracture on a poor little 8 year old who was screaming his head off. i mean, i thought his face was going to explode. his parents were right there, cringing.

where did they get the idea that an inhuman level of pain is fine, just so long as you can't effectively testify about it later?