Terence Young exposes the pharmaceutical industry secrets and cultural myths that thwart our safe use of prescription drugs.… Everyone should read it before their next visit to a doctor. — DR. NANCY OLIVIERI, MD, physician and professor
When it comes to drug safety, Big Pharma holds all the power, and it’s time for patients to take it back.
Tens of millions of patients in North America take prescription drugs, but the safety of these drugs is often based on medical myths. We are led to believe that if a medication isn’t safe, the government would never allow it on the market and that doctors would never prescribe a drug that isn’t proven effective. Who controls these narratives? And do they always have the best interests of patients in mind?
In an in-depth study of the enormous influence the pharmaceutical industry has over our health, drug safety advocate Terence Young explores how those with the most to gain financially are also those who wield all the power in health care — and withhold the knowledge that is critical to the safety of patients.
Forbidden Knowledge reveals the truth you need to know about prescription drugs and what to do about it. It will empower you to partner with your doctor to talk openly and plainly about medications to help avoid serious adverse drug reactions. This is your survival guide to Big Pharma.
Daftar Isi
Contents
Preface 1
Introduction: The Hidden Plague 3
Part I: What Doctors Won’t Tell Us About Prescription Drugs 9
1 Forbidden Knowledge and the Four Truths 11
2 Pharma Gods: The Power and the Glory 27
3 Ten Rules to Survive a Visit to a Pharmacy 37
4 Debunking Our Medicine Myths 57
Part II: The Wizards 71
5 How the Drug Business Really Works 73
6 How the Medical Wizards Seized Control of Our Health
and Won’t Let Go 87
7 Chaos Reigns with Drug Names 99
Part III: The Hydra 109
8 The Healers 111
9 The Pharmapuppets 125
10 The True Nature of Power 139
11 How Big Pharma Broke Medicine 147
12 The Search for Truth 157
Part IV: A Chamber Of Horrors 177
13 Dirty Tricks, Nasty Surprises, and Types of Torment 179
14 Prescripticide 193
15 Ugly Stuff with Children 219
Part V: Fighting Back — The Empowered Patient 239
16 How to Talk to a Doctor About Prescription Drugs
and Use Them Safely 241
17 A Call for Reform 259
Acknowledgements 273
Appendix: Organizations That Can Help with Psychiatric Drugs 277
Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms 281
Notes 291
Index 343
About the Author 365
Tentang Penulis
Terence H. Young is chair of Drug Safety Canada and a former member of Parliament. He lives in Ancaster, Ontario.