Blair Orders Clinical Trial to Gauge Extent of "Moss Effect" on Children

Scotland Yard head Ian Blair, speaking in an evening news interview, said that the British government would fund a clinical trial to determine the extent to which British children have been influenced by supermodel Kate Moss. "It's the most rigorous way to decide whether to bring charges," said Blair.

Researchers plan to observe and obtain surveys regarding behaviors, attitudes, and medical histories for a large sample of British children and adults who had been exposed to the supermodel at ages 1-18. A group of British citizens who in statistical terms, had "never" experienced exposure to the 1990s waif-chic icon, will serve as the control arm of the study. Another cohort of individuals exposed to someone who is not famous, but who acts like Kate Moss, will round out the results.

Preliminary data is expected by 2010. In addition to its usefulness in determining whether Moss should be punished, researchers expect to be able to use some findings to develop antidotes for the Moss Effect syndrome. Hopes are high that a drug parents could easily administer to children found to have been exposed to Moss will be brought to market by 2025, when Moss, at age 51, will still pose a significant threat.