• Bad Pharma

  • How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients
  • By: Ben Goldacre
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
  • Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (231 ratings)

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Bad Pharma

By: Ben Goldacre
Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
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Publisher's summary

Medicine is broken. We like to imagine that it's based on evidence and the results of fair tests. In reality, those tests are often profoundly flawed. We like to imagine that doctors are familiar with the research literature surrounding a drug, when in reality much of the research is hidden from them by drug companies. We like to imagine that doctors are impartially educated, when in reality much of their education is funded by industry. We like to imagine that regulators let only effective drugs onto the market, when in reality they approve hopeless drugs, with data on side effects casually withheld from doctors and patients.

All these problems have been protected from public scrutiny because they're too complex to capture in a sound bite. But Dr. Ben Goldacre shows that the true scale of this murderous disaster fully reveals itself only when the details are untangled. He believes we should all be able to understand precisely how data manipulation works and how research misconduct on a global scale affects us. In his own words, "the tricks and distortions documented in these pages are beautiful, intricate, and fascinating in their details." With Goldacre's characteristic flair and a forensic attention to detail, Bad Pharma reveals a shockingly broken system and calls for something to be done. This is the pharmaceutical industry as it has never been seen before.

©2013 Ben Goldacre (P)2013 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A useful guide for policymakers, doctors and the patients who need protection against deliberate disinformation.” ( Kirkus)

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A must read for health professionals

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes

What other book might you compare Bad Pharma to and why?

Anatomy of an Epidemic. Both provide invaluable information about pharmaceuticals, both are scrupulously researched

Which character – as performed by Jonathan Cowley – was your favorite?

Like most people, I assumed that the process by which prescriptions meds were approved met the highest of scientific standards. I am a researcher by training and I understand that while meeting such standards is difficult, it isn't optional. Goldacre's review of the process is a bit dramatic in tone, but his facts are verifiable and his case is quite credible. As a psychologist, this information is particularly valuable to me. Most of my clients take some kind of medication, and all assume that these meds are proven safe and effective. The more I know about the efficacy and safety of medications, the better able I am to work with my clients and their doctors (many of whom ALSO assume all meds are safe and effective, compliments of the FDA)

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Read this book before you prescribe again

What did you love best about Bad Pharma?

The author pulls down the curtain of deception that has been held before our eyes by the drug makers. Here in one volume, the author tells the whole story of what they are really up to. There is no step in the process of bringing a drug to market that has not been corrupted. Step by step, the author systematically and thoroughly goes through all of the ways drug development and sales are adversely impacted by the drug industry.Very early in the book, I came realize that, because the medical literature is so corrupted, physicians (such as myself) do not have a true understand about the medicines we prescribe. We don't know if medicines are effective and we don't know if the cause more harm than good. Decades of research are called into question by the author. His conclusions are persuasive and kind of depressing. Much of what we think we know about the medicines on the market today is based on incomplete set of data leaving patients and their doctors in the dark about what this stuff is good for. The ray of hope here is that the author provides concrete recommendations to correct the problems he has discovered. After each major section of the book, he lists what he would do to fix this broken system. Example, to prevent publication bias. All drug studies should be registered and should be published. negative studies provide just as much data positive studies.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bad Pharma?

The author exposes the problems of drug research that does not get published if the findings show the drug fails to work or produces adverse events.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book may make you depressed at first but then you get angry

Any additional comments?

This book should be a included in the core curriculum at every medical school in the world. Every doctor in training should know what the drug makers are up to and that they need to be put on guard. Every doctor who is already in practice should read it too. I have already suggested it no many colleagues.

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Not for the Common Patient

The information in "Bad Pharma" is not well explained. It feels like more of a conspiracy theory for drug companies and their trials. You really have to be a doctor to comprehend all of the pharmaceutical names for the medicines and their side effects. The material is not well put together for the common patient. Unless you know how to read your medical chart, the information is not presented for any average person that visit their doctors' on a regular bases.

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Must read for doctors and policy makers

Much of what is synthesized here a physician would already know but there will be some new stuff for most readers to consider. This is not a new book but very few of the issues contained in it have been addressed, this is still very pressing.

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2 people found this helpful

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Bad ethics one pill at a time

A scary look at our broken medical system that is driven by profits by pharmaceutical companies rather them patient care. Only trials supporting the desired outcome by the company get polished and the negative ones are buried which leads doctors who try to do the right thing for their patience prescribing treatments on faulty data that leads to wasted money on treatments and unwarranted pain, suffering, and death of patients. Pharma reps provide biased training and perks including posh seminar troops I. Desired locals with luxury food and drinks tainting doctor's decisions. Not only a wake up call about our broken medical system but a cautionary story of bad strategic decisions being made based on biased data spoon feed by self interested unscrupulous stakeholders desiring a certain direction that can plaque any industry.

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Should be required reading for med students

Maybe one of the most important chronicles of regulatory and academic capture by late stage capitalism and its corrupting influence on science. Dr Goldacre goes at length to observe and describe the descent into for profit medical scientism which destroys science for generations to come.

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eye opening

Shocking story of dishonest behavior in the drug industry, with the complicity of the medical profession and regulators.

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Crucial information; outstanding narration

Full of vital information for Healthcare professionals and patients. Narration conveyed the sense of urgency and call to action required for a book like this. Brilliantly done!

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Disturbing

Well written. Well researched. Disturbing. As a physician, it casts doubts on many treatment options that are prescribed.

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Detailed explanation of manipulation

Great "A-Z" explanation of the methods used to manipulate medicine to provide the basis for "drugs" to be the favored answer. The author is very thorough in describing the methods used to control and manipulate the medical narrative. The general public is taught to "ask your doctor" and the doctors are in turn manipulated to believe that the "evidenced based" information they are being fed (pun intended) is legit.

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