This is one of the best books I've read in a while. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to people who don't have significant interaction with medications (like doctors), but I would say that it is a MUST READ for all those who are doctors or in medical school.

Fantastic book exposing the massive global scam in relation to drug companies ( by the way if you liked this book you'll love "The Trillion Dollar Conspiracy" which goes beyond the drug company fiasco)

Anyway my point is books like this are a must for every citizen , I've always had personal feelings about how drugs work which seems inefficient and a false economy .. This book explains why am right and more

Recommend :)

To Our Continued Success!
Seemy
https://Waseem.tv/Blog

This was an interesting read. I think her most valid points are the industries high profits and over participation in clinical trials. Since I am sure that no one is bothering to criticize the book I will focus on what I didn't like about it.

First the beginning chapters felt very repetitive to me. This was made worse by the fact every was support by essential a single data point (2002 financial data). I think it would have been much better if these chapters were condensed in a small peer reviewed paper style chapter. In addition to being move objective in tone two decades of data should have been presented showing the raise in prices and profits for the industry following the laws she harps on and that the high profits have been consist for some time not just for 2002. while I am sure these things are both true she doesn't really show either.

Another thing that bothered my about the first few chapters was the implication that most of the research and development is covered by taxes. This was especially irritating since in one passing sentence the author says the industry spends more on research and development then the NIH spends on drug related research. This means that taking basic research to a useful and realizable place is over half the cost. While the industry is making enormous profits they are serving a purpose in bring basic research to market and somewhat quickly. There is a lot of emphasis on spending up the process of making basic research accessible in other research areas. For example look at the materials genome initiative.

I certainly believe that those contacting research can basis it and the industry some be keep at arms length from the actually trials, however about half of the ways the author mentioned the biasing happen seem to be a non-issue to me. Maybe these are things that have changed recently but from my reading for medical journals I see that conflicts of interest are required (also required by the NIH), participate demographics are reported, and dosing and procedures are also given in detail. This means, that at least for the published results, the information is there to check for the bias which should be caught by the journal or the FDA.

I would be interested in seeing an updated version of this book.

A very interesting book for sure. I wonder if the pharmaceutical industry in Canada is just as corrupt? Apparently in the U.S. a lot of so-called new drugs are simply old ones slightly changed or re-named so the drug companies can just make huger profits. Interesting without question.

Dr. Angell exposes the fact that drug companies care a lot more about making a lot of money than serving the patient. Who would have thought it. Nonetheless, you will find it an amusing, entertaining, book.

This book is a true eye opener about the corruption of the pharmaceutical industry. Jaw dropping at times, it sure does shed some light on America's medicine and the drug company money that the government is protecting.

This is such an important book that everyone who believes that the big pharmaceutical companies are working solely towards providing safe, efficacious medicines should read. I know a tiny amount of what goes on in Big Pharma from my own experience and as someone with an 'incurable' disease it makes me dispair that the prime motive of the company, though not necessarily its employees, is profit, profit, profit.

Because of this approach some of us will die before we should.

Angell rips Big Pharma a new one. Pharma responds by taking NIH research, repackaging it into a me-too drug, marketing it to docs at some caribbean 5-star, and getting the docs to swear how the marketing doesn't effect them, just all the other doctors.

Hopefully required reading for the new crew at the FDA, viva Sharfstein.

Not anything I didn't know, but good information for people who aren't aware.

If a drug was any good, the pharmaceutical industry wouldn't have to advertize it. Word of mouth would take care of getting the word out. While drug companies annoy us most with tv advertizing, it is only the tip of the iceberg as to what they are really doing. Drug companies also don't usually create new drugs. The research is done for them at tax payer expense by the National Institutes of Health.

There have been many shocking pharmaceutical scandals, like the price hikes of EpiPens, over-prescribed opioids, and recalls of drugs known to have adverse effects. This book explains how big pharma can get away with such mercenary practices. The beginning of the book is a little dry with the use of a lot of scientific and financial terms to explain that big pharma companies would not be cutting into R&D if they lowered their prices. They are spending more on marketing than R&D, which can be cut if they weren't pushing their expensive drugs onto the public. If you take any medication, this book will lead you to question whether you were prescribed the appropriate drug or even if you should have been prescribed that drug at all. Big pharma companies have labeled natural conditions as diseases. Children are no longer rambunctious; they have ADHD. Women no longer go through menopause; they have a hormonal imbalance. People no longer have bad days; they have mild depression. And guess what the solution is - drugs.

Clear and cogent explanation of pharmaceutical industry and the crucial roles that industry-friendly legislation has played in creating the billion-dollar behemoth. It was updated 9 years ago, but a new addition would be helpful.