'A clearly articulated, historically informed, riveting new book by Dr. David Healy, PHARMAGEDDON, published by the University of California Press, provides an insightful analysis of the culture in medicine that has led prominent medical authorities to make unsupportable, contradictory public pronouncements about the presumed clinical value of patent-protected prescription drugs.
Contrary to industry propaganda, in company-controlled clinical trials, statins failed to demonstrate a clinical benefit—except for those with established cardiovascular disease. Indeed, there is no evidence that any blockbuster drug saved lives or demonstrated a significant clinical benefit—these drugs merely exhibited an effect on a rating scale greater than a placebo.
By contrast these drugs’ severe adverse effects are demonstrated by patients’ deteriorating health and premature deaths. To be sure there have been other critiques about the commercialization of American medicine and undisclosed conflicts of interest that raise serious doubts about the integrity of medicine.
But Dr. Healy probes deeper, bringing into sharp focus how industry has masterfully exploited regulations aimed at reining in its deceptive marketing practices, including withholding safety data, failure to demonstrate drug effectiveness, and its price fixing schemes.
He identifies three regulatory changes that were enacted under the leadership of Sen. Kefauver in 1962: patent protection changes for branded pharmaceutical products; restricted prescription drug privileges for doctors only; and a requirement for industry-controlled clinical trials that are designed to demonstrate a benefit over placebo.'
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