E-DRUG: Books on Pills (5)
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Dear Colleagues:
It's important not to lose the historical record on the often-sorry story of
the history of pills, and I commend everyone who's contributing their
favorites. Here are some of mine:
The most politically effective revelations about drug practices since 1938
came from four years of U.S. Senate hearings starting in 1959 under Senator
Estes Kefauver, climaxing with the thalidomide scandal. The upshot was
passage of the 1962 food, drug and cosmetic amendments strengthening U.S. drug
safety standards, requiring pre-approval proof of efficacy and giving FDA
increased authority over drug promotion. Richard Harris, a New Yorker staff writer,
penned a dramatic account of the investigation and the legislative battle to
enact the legislation in "The Real Voice" (MacMillan, 1964). Forty-odd years
later, it's still a great read.
Dr. Milton Silverman and his colleagues Mia Lydecker (his wife) and Philip
R. Lee, MD (Chancellor of the University of California San Francisco) authored
many important contributions to the politics of drugs literature. Two
important examples are "Bad Medicine -- The Prescription Drug Industry in the Third
World" (Stanford University Press, 1992) and "The Drugging of the Americas,
How Multinational drug Companies Say One Thing About Their Products to
Physicians in the U.S. and Another Thing to Physicians in Latin America."
(University of California Press, 1976).
Whatever progress that's made tomorrow will be built on these people's
achievements.
Cordially,
Jim
James B. Russo
146 Koenig Rd.
Bernville, PA 19506
610 488 9060
610 488 7036 (fax)
484 269 6470 (cell)
jbrusso@aol.com
E-DRUG: Books on Pills (9)
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Dear Jim,
Thank you for recalling the Kefauver report, it has been important for us in India too. The report had mentioned about India's drug prices being amongst the highest. It was the Indian Patent Act in 1970, evolved after long deliberations by Justice Iyengar Committee & other that the Drug prices became affordable as generic equivalents under process patent & patentability period of 5-7 years was allowed.
Our patent act was called a model Patent Act for Developing countries by UNCTAD. It addressed public interest as well as the interest of the innovator in a balanced way.
For those who have studied & understood the importance of Policies that are Equity promoting & give adequate importance to distributive justice, the TRIPS measures are seen as unjust, & PUBLIC HEALTH DESTROYING. The NOVARTIS case in Chennai High Court which challenges "3d ' of our amended patent act, is shocking.
When even Rs 10,000 per month for GLIVEC [imatinib] generic equivalents is not payable by majority of the patients, who will be able to pay Rs 1'20,000 PER MONTH for Novartis' Glivec ?
Donations to few patients does not guarantee donation for ever to ALL Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia patients, when cancers are on the increase due to chemicalization of the body & the environment. The next hearing is on 26th March.
Thank you for mentioning Dr Milton Silverman & Mia Lydecker. They had come to India & had met me, because we had a mutual friend Dr Olle Hansson. He was in a wheel chair & quite senior in age with a tremendous gusto, sharpness & passionate desire to understand what was going on in the drug scene in India. One felt charged after meeting him. He was an author of Drugging of Americas & after meeting him I felt he was so much more at a human level, & fellow rational Drug Campaigner level.
I totally agree that we should remember the tremendous contribution, of some of these committed people like Dr Milton Silverman , Dr Olle Hansson .
Thank you very much for mentioning the books. If anyone is doing the compiling I will be happy to contribute to the team effort .
With sincere regards
Dr Mira Shiva
All India Drug Action Network
Initiative for Health, Equity & Society
A 60 Hauz Khas
New Delhi 110016
mirashiva@yahoo.com
E-DRUG: Access to Books on Pills?
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Dear All,
I am very much interested to get names of books on pills, pharmacy
management etc which are available free of cost online. While we aork
in remote areas in village settings, it will be more helpful for us in
the Tsunami affected area of Indonesia.
Regards.
Dr. Md. Enamul Haque
MBBS,MPH
Project Medical Coordinator
MERLIN
Calang, Aceh Jaya
Aceh
Indonesia
"MD. ENAMUL HAQUE" <ehaque85@hotmail.com>