Thursday, April 16, 2009

Death by Prescription

Death by Prescription is a book written by Terence Young that looks into the role pharmaceuticals played into his daughter's death and the wider implications of "Big Pharma". Here is a book review and a video interview with Mr. Young.

I listened to an audio interview with Mr. Young recently and he is well-informed on the topic. He raises the big issue of drug company involvement in developing and marketing drugs and how they dominate the regulatory process. He summed it all up in one sentence "A pill for every ill." That is what they want to achieve and they are solely driven by making money. In our society we have accepted the profit motive but we need to be careful at how it is achieved. Everyone should be aware of what questions to ask of your doctor, how pharmaceuticals impact your health and that pharmaceuticals are not 100% safe and helpful as advertised. I know they have the warnings and disclaimers but being informed is still our responsibility.

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