Diesel3d said:
Not to promote stereotypes... but from my experience, most Asians are very clean, smart, obsessive compulsive, picky and precise.
Well, having lived in Asia for over five years, I know most Asians would have a thing-or-two to say about that!
Let me digress a bit before I get to the point: Asians don't see themself as a "group" like most American or Europeans would. A Chinese would see feel that he resembles a Japanese or a Thai about as closely as he resembles an American.
And I am guessing you are drawing your conclusions from limited experience with Asian-Americans--which is a whole different ball game. The are far more well-to-do economically that Asians in most Asian countries. That leads to a very different lifestyle!
I posted a similar repsonse on another board recently, so I will paraphrase:
In Asia, and China particularly, life is cheap. People die every day for lack of $10 in medication. Most of Asia is still "developing country status" (or if you prefer "third world"), where poverty and corruption are rampant. Public sanitation is no where near the level we know in the west, with rats in kitchens and open sewers running into the drinking water. Hospitals are often big open-air pavillions with limited medical facilities.
So what does this have to do with Asian underground pharmaceuticals? Well, that's gives a depiction of the environments that set the standards for public health and safety.
Even in publically monitored healthcare facilities, often common practices of cleanliness sterility is ignored. To save a buck, they wash and re-use syringes and rubber gloves becasue they can't afford new ones. (When I travel in back-country Asia, I carry a doctor's 'script for needles & my own supply--just in case I ever need to go to a small-town hospital!)
So, if you are looking at some guy brewing things up in a lab that has no governmental controls on safety, the possibilities become almost frightening.
I would NEVER use his gear. After seeing the low-regard that people have for public health in MOST Asian countries (with places like Ja[an, Korea, Singapore and HK excluded), I would never risk using underground pharmaceuticals.
Maybe they were OK for you--but playing Russina Roulette is perfectly safe 5 out of 6 times! (That sixth time is a real bitch though!)
Stick to gear that is is manufactured under the authority of some company or agency that will insure that its manufactured to some international standards of satey and purity--for your sake!