Every medical doctor should read this!

I am an infectious disease physician. 'Bad Pharma' is a book about the failure of implementing evidence based clinical medicine, the factors contributing to it and the fake fixes. This is an eye opener, useful for all MDs whether involved in clinical trials, receiving pharma reps or going on conference trips with pharma and other “jollies”. (we all say that we are not influenced…) Also interesting is the conflict of interest that Journals have in publishing clinical trials.

40 people found this helpful

Not the critical appraisal Pharma wanted

As someone who has worked in the clinical trials and now works in academia, there were times when the points made by Dr Goldacre were uncomfortable. My initial response was to write off these points as misleading, or not representative of the truth. Immediately following this I realised this kind of defensive behaviour is EXACTLY the kind of thing that he's talking about, and it is a fundamental part of why we have failed to address issues in the Pharmaceutical industry.

Having previously read Bad Science, I found Bad Pharma was a step away from an almost comic (though necessary) rant at the anti-science elements of society, toward a rage-inducing, all-encompassing deconstruction of everything that it wrong with Big Pharma. The best part of which is its simplicity.

This book was needed by society. Our personal and economic health depend on the best medications and reliable data. Lack of trust between the populace and Big Pharma only serves to push people toward the grips of AltMed and its brimming coffers.

35 people found this helpful

As a doctor of 30 years standing.......

I wish that I had read this as a student or been taught the tricks of the trade at medical school. Most of the content was known to me but a lot wasn't, which is embarrassing. The book is mostly accurate and fair, informative and entertaining.

28 people found this helpful

Essential listening

If you are sick and tired of getting riled up about politics, I recommend reading Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre. Get riled up about how the pharmaceutical industry has kept trial information secret from everyone, and in so doing means we have an utterly biased understanding of drugs. And many many other worse but more complicated things. It goes much deeper than I knew. Recommend.

(also, great narration and easy to follow)

24 people found this helpful

An important book for everyone

A brilliant, witty, shocking and important look at the failures involved in our medicines, not just of the companies themselves but also of regulators, academics who literally hire out their names and reputations and others.

It isn't at all difficult to follow, you need no specialist knowledge, it isn't dry or dull and it talks about things that affect us all.

It is a book that matters and one that will help you make informed decisions about your own health.

Hopefully it will galvanize enough change that in the future we will know if the medicines we take and buy as a society actually do what they claim to.

If I could only recommend one book I have read, it would honestly be this one.

15 people found this helpful

Great listen, heavy on the science

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

Essential to anybody remotely related to the medical field. A thought provoking piece for everyone else. A riveting listen - the reader really takes in the author's persona and many many topics that makes one stop and question what so many take for granted in and about the medical field.

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

At the end, the reader interviews the author! Fantastic exchange, also funny moments as the listener till that point associates the voice of the reader to that of the author.

Have you listened to any of Jot Davies’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Realisation how large the problem is that is set out by the author

Any additional comments?

This is a little heavy on the science and medical terms. Even as a doctor, I had to concentrate on a few parts to make sure I didn't lose track. Someone less familiar with the medical world might want to have the book at hand for reference (the print has a glossary, references etc).

15 people found this helpful

hard going for a layman

really enjoyed Ben's other books but this is just hard going and to in-depth. love the way information is presented and so clearly laid out

12 people found this helpful

The terrifying world of scientific publications

This brilliantly written yet terrifying book on the world of scientific drugs trials - needs to be read by all. How we are deceived by pharmaceutical companies and how doctors go about prescribing dugs on this biased information is scary and needs to be addressed immediately by all involved. A must read for everyone especially those in the world of scientific research.

12 people found this helpful

I want to like this book more than I do

I am (like most people) on the side of the good guys. I do think Ben Goldacre is a good guy, so I want to support his effort to improve the drugs industry. However, his book has a one-sided, accusitory tone, that it puts me off.

It starts with the repeated references to 'the 600 billion dollar pharma industry'. A priory, the $600b figure does not prove to me that this industry is operated by felons. The $600b figure tells me that this industry is creating at least $600b of consumer value - in the form of improved health and reduced suffering (and perhaps, sometimes, just hope), things we all consider 'good' - and is also a huge contributor to employment, wealth creation and taxes. Now, tell me that any large, lucrative industry - banking, food, tobacco - has important flaws, needs better regulation and needs to improve and I'll believe it. Tell me how you would set about organising this and I'd be interested. Tell me which doctors and types of medicine I should avoid and I'll be grateful. Most of which Mr Goldacre does quite well. I just don't feel the basic attitude of 'them and us' is constructive. If I'd gone to work in the pharma industry I have no doubt that I would have behaved like the typical pharma executive. And I already told you I'm on the side of the good guys.

9 people found this helpful

Important book, but sometimes a bit dry

I wish I could say I enjoyed this more, but I have to admit I struggled to get to the end. As fascinating as the subject matter is, it's not an easy book to get through, as it is just so dense with facts and unfortunately quite low on levity. It might be the fault of the narrator who has a style of reading which is a bit too downbeat for a book this long. Apparently the style is intentional, and meant to reflect the way Ben Goldacre speaks in interviews etc, but I'm not sure if I agree that it's the best way to do things. Surely the job of a narrator should be to give the audible version of a book life in a way that the author couldn't do himself, rather than to imitate him. I don't know. Anyway, please don't be dissuaded from listening to this important book but be prepared to put in some work.

8 people found this helpful