by Thomas Hager
This book was an audiobook of the day, I think, and caught my eye. I thought it might be a good choice for a high school level supplemental book for chemistry or biology.
Mr. Hager is a journalist and therefore often emphasizes the most awful and sensational aspects of his stories including suicide and violent attacks like the first recorded murder due to a date-rape drug. The chapter on the discovery of the birth control pill assumes the vast benefits of the discovery, though it was not a surprising or unexpected portrayal. Part of the same chapter covers the development of Viagra and an almost raunchy description of a conference presentation.
The book is almost unbiased. It attacks the pharmaceutical industry a bit, though not as much as others might and qualified with commendations for brilliant discoveries. He repeatedly emphasizes that the pharmaceutical companies are very good at doing what they are supposed to do: discover and successfully market medications. They are in the business to make a profit and many of them do it very well.
The best chapters are those on opioids and statins. Writing about opioids, Mr. Hager provides a historical context for the current crisis. He explains the chemical interactions of the drugs and emphasizes their inherent and massive propensity for addiction, exploring how those characteristics within our current societal and medical structures are leading to the current epidemic in modern America.
The chapter on statins discusses how to study and assess medical information as it applies to risks and benefits in our own lives.
Put simply, today's large drug companies are great at finding evidence for therapies that promise profits, pretty good at downplaying evidence that gets in the way, and grand masters at promoting their products to physicians and the public.Mr. Hager's deep interest in statins started with a letter he received from his insurance company, suggesting he contact his doctor about a prescription.
It was all numbers being crunched and form letters being pumped out. It was health care by algorithm. The result: a physician I've never met recommending that I consider taking a new prescription drug, potentially for the rest of my life.He shares the research he did and conversations he had with his doctor about the risks and benefits of statins, not just in theory, but as applied directly to his own life.
The book doesn't really have enough science to add to our chemistry studies. As for biology, it isn't compelling enough to be better than Microbe Hunters or Flu. I did find the two chapters on opioids and statins excellent options for our health course, which First Son is completing now, in tenth grade. (I have scheduled it to coincide with an anatomy course for biology.)
- Chapter 8: The Enchanted Ring - I particularly want my children to read this chapter because it makes the addictive potential of opioids obvious. They are much better off if they never take them at all, and certainly never in a non-medical setting.
- Chapter 9: Statins: A Personal Story - on assessing risks and benefits in modern medicine, which I think will be more and more valuable as we are faced with increasing numbers of medication available for non-curable conditions.
I have received nothing in exchange for this honest review. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.
