During her two decades at The New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Marcia Angell had a front-row seat on the appalling spectacle of t...
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Jan 29, 2010
Ellen
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One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all
It’s pretty easy to imagine the millions of dollars pharma companies spend on the advertisements we watch on television, hear on the radio, see on the Internet, in magazines, newspapers, and so forth. However, some of the advertisements, referred to as stealth ads, are harder to recognize; infomercials can fool consumers by resembling newscasts rather More...
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Jan 29, 2012
Amie
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This book is indispensable. Exposes the lies that the big pharmaceutical companies hide behind and use to justify the ridiculously overpriced drugs they are selling and gouging consumers. The best aspect of this book is that it dispels the myth that drugs are so expensive because of the costly R&D associated with creating brand new lifesaving drugs. The truth is that the most expensive and speculative research is done at the university level, which you've already paid for with your tax dollars g
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Feb 05, 2009
Big Pharma "is taking us for a ride," Angell contends. "And there will be no real reform without an aroused and determined public to make it happen." This expose may arouse readers, but will it help the larger cause? Critics agree that Angell's passionate, well-researched indictment of the industry's practice raises important questions. The lack of new insight doesn't diminish its power, but some critics who applaud Angell's suggested reforms also see them as unrealistic. Onl
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Nov 16, 2011
Chris
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This book by a doctor and former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine is a serious indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, particularly as it operates in the US. Although I was aware of much of the information, she lays it all out with detailed documentation.
While most basic research is conducted by the NIH and/or universities, drug companies continue to excuse their exorbitant price-gouging on the costs of "research and development". While their big expenditures More...
While most basic research is conducted by the NIH and/or universities, drug companies continue to excuse their exorbitant price-gouging on the costs of "research and development". While their big expenditures More...
Nov 22, 2010
Laura
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Hmm, what to say. My husband and I watched a documentary recently about the prescription drug industry in Canada. Marcia Angell was one of the experts they interviewed and I wanted to read more of her opinions. Of course, this book is very USA-centered because that is where Dr. Angell lives, works, and 'experiences' the prescription drug industry.
Anyway, the book if full of eye-opening information about the way the drug companies wriggle around a lot of laws, not only FDA types la More...
Anyway, the book if full of eye-opening information about the way the drug companies wriggle around a lot of laws, not only FDA types la More...
Mar 27, 2011
Igor
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Farmacevtskih podjetij ne zanimajo ljudje z nenavadnimi boleznimi, saj je v teh primerih trg majhen.
Če podjetja ugotovijo, da zdravila ne prinašajo dobička, jih enostavno nehajo proizvajati.
"Celo ekipa New York Yankees včasih izgubi in znano je, da včasih izgubi tudi ekipa Los Angeles Lakers. Toda obstaja organizacija, ki nikdar ne izgubi, in ta organizacija ima za sabo na stotine zmag in nobenega poraza v kongresu Združenih držav. In to je farmacevtska industr More...
Sep 12, 2011
John
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Dr. Angell is angry at the big pharmaceutical companies, or at least was when she wrote this in 2004. As such, she perhaps overreaches at times during the course of this indictment against big pharma and the American way of dealing with prescription medicines. You come across the word "reportedly," meaning, "I haven't been able to confirm this, but other people say it's true." And, "I strongly suspect," meaning, "I have every reason to believe this is true, but
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Jun 09, 2011
Charlene
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After reading this book I am tempted to say, "I would rather die than have another prescription drug," ahem,
one just might.
But why don't you ponder these facts from the book: "The authors obtained FDA (Federal Drug Administration) reviews of every placebo(sugar-coated pill)-controlled clinical trial submitted for initial approval of the six most widely used antidepressant drugs approved between 1987 and 1999 - Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa. Serzone and Effexor (all bu More...
one just might.
But why don't you ponder these facts from the book: "The authors obtained FDA (Federal Drug Administration) reviews of every placebo(sugar-coated pill)-controlled clinical trial submitted for initial approval of the six most widely used antidepressant drugs approved between 1987 and 1999 - Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa. Serzone and Effexor (all bu More...
Mar 03, 2011
Miriam
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An indispensable book for anyone interested in healthcare reform. Everyone complains about affordable health insurance, but no one asks why health costs are so high in the first place. After 20+ years on the editorial staff of the New England Journal of Medicine, Marcia Angell became fed up with the obvious unethical practices of Big Pharma. She presents a well-researched and extremely thorough look at how Big Pharma is draining Americans dry. Although the book does get a bit repetitive, it
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Apr 05, 2009
Nate
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Bought this a few years ago but never got around to reading it, so its a bit outdated already. Despite that, the main message (see the book's title) still rings true today. Some of the changes she called for are happening - decreased drug rep presence in teaching hospitals for example - but most have not. The companies have an even more desparate air now than just a few years ago - even fewer truly innovative new drugs, even more me-too drugs, continued reliance on academia (and smaller forei
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Sep 13, 2011
Gil
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I'm about halfway through it and it's informative. However, her rhetoric is so inflammatory and critical that it makes me doubt her credibility and political agenda. She is clearly biased against pharmaceutical companies.
Angell states that many for-profit drug companies are receiving federal research funding of some sort. Her view is that if taxpayers fund the research then private companies should not be able to profit from the resulting drugs which come to market. Her argument is t More...
Angell states that many for-profit drug companies are receiving federal research funding of some sort. Her view is that if taxpayers fund the research then private companies should not be able to profit from the resulting drugs which come to market. Her argument is t More...
Jan 28, 2012
James
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Nobody who reads this book will want to take a pill ever again. Dr Angell exposes the modern legal drugs trade for what it is, so deeply rooted in profit lust and political corruption, it's got nothing to do with curing disease and everything to do with making truckloads of money. Drug companies cry poor, yet they charge exorbitant prices for their products, drag out their patent rights as long as possible, and prevent the medicine being distributed more cheaply in poorer countries that desperat
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May 19, 2009
Christopherseelie
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Angell writes clearly about a very difficult and multifaceted subject. Her points are well documented, and her criticism is pragmatic while her principles remain earnest. Her sardonic wit is never too far away.
I haven't read non-fiction this good in a while. I picked up the book as part of my blogging activities for background research; but now I would say this book has empowered me and given me a greater understanding on how the world works.
I haven't read non-fiction this good in a while. I picked up the book as part of my blogging activities for background research; but now I would say this book has empowered me and given me a greater understanding on how the world works.
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Mar 15, 2011
Although a bit dated (statistics were pulled from the early 2000's), Angell nonetheless presents a damning critique of the pharmaceutical industry and its business practices. While, not entirely in agreement with some of the solutions she has offered to combat the corruption, the book does an excellent job in bringing to light issues that consumers have remained ignorant on for far too long.
Jul 11, 2009
Grace
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interesting facts:
most of the innovative drugs discovered each year are actually supported by NIH or other publicly funded research, meaning that big pharma did almost nothing in the discovery process. the price of drugs, therefore, is totally unrelated to the cost of discovery.
lots of incestuous relationships between Big Pharma + FDA, Congress, and doctors...
patent law is totally abused.
FDA, Congress, doctors, and even consumers contribute to the
most of the innovative drugs discovered each year are actually supported by NIH or other publicly funded research, meaning that big pharma did almost nothing in the discovery process. the price of drugs, therefore, is totally unrelated to the cost of discovery.
lots of incestuous relationships between Big Pharma + FDA, Congress, and doctors...
patent law is totally abused.
FDA, Congress, doctors, and even consumers contribute to the
Oct 06, 2009
Dan
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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.
Hopefully required reading for the new crew at the FDA, viva Sharfstein.
Oct 02, 2009
Corey
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Great book! Several times it made me sick and sadly at the same times I wasn't surprised. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and loan it out to who ever wants to read it.
It is pretty dry at a lot of times, with a lot statistics and info about specific companies, but it's not that bad. You'll be glad you read it.
It is pretty dry at a lot of times, with a lot statistics and info about specific companies, but it's not that bad. You'll be glad you read it.
Jun 22, 2010
My Bookshelf
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I either bought a copy of this for my Dad and read it after him, or he gave me his copy. I read it during law school, sometime in either 2005 or 2006. The rise of "me too" drugs and how Big Pharma has essentially captured the patent office are stories from this book that are still prominent in my mind.
Jan 29, 2012
Beth
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http://bethsbookreviewblog.blogspot.com/...
I have to say that I wasn't overly impressed by this. It left me feeling vaguely like I'd heard it all before, which I have, really. There was no real, startling new information that one couldn't find out from Sicko. It was a comprehensive, academic discussion of the situation and what could be done to fix it.
I felt almost completely neutral about the book. I wasn't in any rush to finish it, but it wasn't bad enough to turn off ei More...
I have to say that I wasn't overly impressed by this. It left me feeling vaguely like I'd heard it all before, which I have, really. There was no real, startling new information that one couldn't find out from Sicko. It was a comprehensive, academic discussion of the situation and what could be done to fix it.
I felt almost completely neutral about the book. I wasn't in any rush to finish it, but it wasn't bad enough to turn off ei More...
Jul 12, 2009
Brock
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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.
Sep 08, 2011
Elizabeth
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This book is very well researched and organized. Marcia Angell knows the subject inside and out. Maybe her next book will tell us which drugs are really just a marketing scam. Everyone should read this book to understand how corrupt the drug industry is.
Jul 14, 2010
Cwn_annwn_13
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Angell does a good job of showing what rats the pharmaceutical industry are in this book. I consider big Pharma on a level of evil close to that of big banks and big oil, big food and big chemical corporations so if this book has a fault its that she is too easy on them. Never the less she gets a lot out about some of what they are pulling.
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Dec 28, 2008
Angell's harsh critique of the pharmaceutical industry is overly one-sided. There are some good take-home points here once the hyperbole is removed.
Apr 17, 2008
Daniel
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One of the best books I ever read. I might be biased because I currently work in the pharma industry (doing IT support), but this insider's view on the industry practices will probably come handy when it will be time for me to start taking drugs to fix any health issue I might encounter in the future. Shows you that when money is involved, people will do anything, even play with other people's lives. A good example of what's going on in the industry is this week's news that Merck falsified "
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Dec 17, 2009
Sabio
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This book teaches you a lot about the flow of money in the Drug Industry. The author, a former editor of the NEJM, knows her stuff but has her own axe to grind -- she wants socialized medicine. The problem with the system now is largely government interference. The government protects and nourishes the drug companies (corporate welfarism) while people demand more care without feeling the cost via govt. services (medicare etc). But this book makes me rethink many of my beliefs simply by over
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Mar 25, 2008
Jason
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This book is written by an insider of the medical community (the editor of the Journal of the American Medicine Association, as I recall) and has some astounding revelations. This is one of the most eye-opening books I've read in years; from the open bribery of doctors, to the fact that big pharma almost never discovers new drugs (it's publicly funded government agencies and universities that do that), the moral bankruptcy of the big pharmas is shocking.
A must read book.
A must read book.
Jan 29, 2012
Jim
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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.
May 02, 2008
Cory
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The author, with established credibility, reveals the inner workings of Big Pharma and how corrupt the medical system has become.
In Canada these problems don't exist to the degree that they do in the U.S. Wish I had my former (spectacular and respected) health care system down here in the U.S. Maybe someday Canada will annex Idaho??? :-)
In Canada these problems don't exist to the degree that they do in the U.S. Wish I had my former (spectacular and respected) health care system down here in the U.S. Maybe someday Canada will annex Idaho??? :-)
