Customer Reviews

The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs 2006: Everything You Need To Know For Safe Drug Use

5 star:		(6)
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3 star:		(1)
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This is one of the most accessable books for reading and understanding the basic and most common prescription drugs as well as their side effects and interactions with other medications and herbal remedies.

The info is timely, up to date and well-written. You'll only find more info in something like the PDR (Physicians Desk Reference) but the PDR is far too dense for the average person and is written with such complex medical terminology that you practically need a translator to understand. The Essential Guide is a good alternative, containing the most important facts. With it, you're likely to stay safe, informed and healthy.

In this age of soaring medical costs, I especially like the tips for saving money on medical care and prescriptions. There are also special sections for those in their 50s and 60s as well as a section for pregnant women. In short, this one covers all the bases.

One caveat: Don't assume that this book (or any) has the newest, most up to date info. Be pro-active and look for any changes in info, whether it be in your daily newspaper, on tv news shows or on internet sites. New research comes out every day (such as the new Black box warnings being put on many ADD meds) and NO book can possibly contain the absolute newest info. But as a basic reference guide, this one is just fine.

The easiest, most understandable up to date book for laymen on the market, especialy when considering possible side effects of a med (as important as the targeted condition the med is taken for). It doesn't cover ALL drugs but the ones it does is in a comprehensive easy to use format.

I've been buying this book every year it's been in print (since 1987, except one or two years when it was wasn't reprinted). Some years it may not even get used but for 20 bucks when it's needed it's there.

Having tried, or thoroughly looked at, just about every med book on the market (including the Physcian's Desk Reference), I can, without reservation, say this one is the best for laymen. No one who takes any kind of medication should be without it.

Excellent resource book. Has more information than any web site for drugs. Easy to understand and very thorough.

This book is very easy to use and is written in language that is easy to understand. I was disappointed that James Rybacki did not cover some of the newer drugs that are out and which have been used for several years. Many of these newer medications are being used more than some of the older medications which he did include in the book. I think that it needs further updating every year.

In this modern era when pharmaceutical drugs are the main way that physicians treat illnesses and the average person routinely takes one or more prescription medications, it is essential that everyone learn the most important facts about their medications -- including possible interactions with other medications they may be taking. Yes, many medications come with some sort of printed insert full of fine print, but can you read and understand these inserts easily and with understanding? In many cases I can't, and I'm a research chemist with many years of training and 44 years of experience. That's why I turn to this excellent book by Dr. Rybacki when I want information about pharmaceutical drugs. It is well-written and easy-to-read and to understand. Furthermore, it almost invariably contains all the important information I am looking for, often including information I might not have thought that I needed. I can't recommend this important book too highly. I think everyone should have a copy -- including doctors. I'd like to add that even people who currently do not take any medications themselves may need this book if they care for children or relatives who do.

This book is an excellent guide for physician prescribed drugs. I had the 1994 edition, and recently upgraded to the most current. Since 2006, I'm sure there are many other drugs available, and should be researched (on the internet?) if called for. I have found it to be a good home reference!

Have recommended this to friends as a "must have" since the information contained is important to read prior to taking any prescription medication. This is as complete and thorough a guide as you'll find other than using the much more cumbersome and scientific/technical PDR. This is the fourth update I've purchased, during the past ten years, and know you will find it as much of a necessary reference as I have.