Books
See also Articles — a selected bibliography of my published works and academic affiliations and credentials. Pharmageddon (2012) Pharmaceutical … [Read More...]
RxISK Papers
Data for Data Based Medicine — One of the purposes of this blog and of RxISK.org is to invite colleagues to add to the knowledge base on drug … [Read More...]
RxISK.org
No one knows drug side effects like the person who is taking a pill. RxISK.org is the website for patients, doctors, and pharmacists to research … [Read More...]
From the Blog
Marilyn’s Curse
Editorial Note: This an unexpected eighth part to the Lasagna Trilogy that started with Not So Bad Pharma and runs through to Witty A: Report to the President. Ondine Ondine was a nymph whose lover swore that his every waking breath was a testimony to his love of her. Finding him unfaithful, she cursed him – should he fall asleep he would stop breathing. Marilyn died of an overdose of … [Read More...]
Witty A: Report to the President
Editorial Note: This was to be the last in the Lasagna posts that began with Not So Bad Pharma, April Fool, Tragedy of Lou Lasagna, Empire of Humbug: Bad Pharma, Empire of Humbug 2, and Brand Fascism. But the series will continue into Marilyn's Curse and When does Yes Mean No. Faced with questions about the $3 Billion fine imposed on GSK – is it just the cost of doing business? Andrew … [Read More...]
Brand Fascism
Editorial Note: This is the sixth in the Lasagna series of posts that began with Not So Bad Pharma, April Fool, Tragedy of Lou Lasagna, Empire of Humbug: Bad Pharma and will continue through to Witty A: Report to the President. Faced with questions about the $3 Billion fine imposed on GSK – Is it just the cost of doing business? Andrew Witty, GSK's CEO, snapped back: “Although corporate … [Read More...]
The Empire of Humbug: Not So Bad Pharma
Editorial Note: This is the fifth is the Lasagna series of posts that began with Not So Bad Pharma, April Fool, Tragedy of Lou Lasagna, Empire of Humbug: Bad Pharma and will continue through to Brand Fascism and Witty A: Report to the President. In 1954 soon after his article with Beecher put the placebo on the map, Lasagna was recruited from Harvard to Hopkins. Beecher pleaded with him to stay … [Read More...]
The Empire of Humbug: Bad Pharma
Editorial Note: This is the fourth in the Lasagna series of posts - Not So Bad Pharma, April Fool and Tragedy. It will be followed by The Empire of Humbug: Not so Bad Pharma, Brand Fascism & Witty A: Report to President. The first RCT In 1956, two of the creators of the modern RCT, Lou Lasagna and Michael Shepherd, met. The randomization in randomized placebo controlled trials came from … [Read More...]
The Tragedy of Lou Lasagna
Editorial Note: This is the 3rd of 6 posts. The first two are Not So Bad Pharma, & April Fool in Harlow. The rest will be The Empire of Humbug 1 & 2 and Brand Fascism. There is an independent debate on some the issues, including my writing style, at Hearing Voices on 1boringoldman. In 1956, Lou Lasagna was on his way to being the most famous doctor in the United States. His career … [Read More...]
April Fool in Harlow: Anecdote Fishing in Harlow
This is the second of a series of six posts that began with Not So Bad Pharma and will continue with The Tragedy of Lou Lasagna, The Empire of Humbug 1, The Empire of Humbug 2 & Brand Fascism. To celebrate May Fool's Day last year The Scientist ran an article on Data Diving. This featured the work of Peter Doshi and Tom Jefferson and their efforts to get clinical trial data on Tamiflu from … [Read More...]
Not So Bad Pharma
The invitation from the London Review of Books to review Ben Goldacre’s Bad Pharma™ reads: “We were unsure, at first, what a review could add that isn't already in the book - scrappy summaries and bits of praise are not for us. The book is of sufficient importance that the main thing is to get someone who knows what they're talking about to present the material confidently.. frame the … [Read More...]
Six fired, one dead, no answers
This post was written by Alan Cassels and first appeared in Focus magazine online in early March. The full version is here. Alan was one of the creators of the Selling Sickness, or disease mongering idea. His recent book is "Seeking Sickness: Medical Screening and the Misguided Hunt for Disease. There is an editorial comment below. A year ago this month - March 28, 2012, to be exact. British … [Read More...]
Left Hanging: Suicide in Bridgend
The Figures In the England and Wales there are roughly 5000 suicides in roughly 60 million people per year. This would until recently have led to around 2000 hangings per year, 34 hangings per million people per year, 3.5 per 100,000 people per year. Bridgend in South Wales has a population of 40,000. The greater Bridgend area has a population of 130,000. There should be 18 hangings per … [Read More...]
In the News
Interviews, press coverage, book reviews, and mentions. … [Read More...]
Speaking Engagements
Lectures, speaking engagements, and events. … [View Calendar...]
Pharmageddon
In 1962 a sleeping pill called thalidomide caused a horrific drug disaster whose emblematic images of limbless and handicapped babies born to distraught mothers linger to this … [Learn More...]