Customer Reviews

Poison Pills: The Untold Story of the Vioxx Drug Scandal

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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A riveting story, expertly told with lively narrative skill and dashes of humor as well as thorough documentation, "Poison Pills" is a vitally important book that casts new light on important issues surrounding health and medicine. The Vioxx scandal was a shocking abuse of power by one of the world's largest and most prestigious pharmaceutical companies--and the author makes it clear that the problems are not necessarily confined to Merck but may be a symptom of the pressures faced by all medical manufacturers. This book really makes you think and it's also highly entertaining, showing the human side of the story with a full range of emotions. Highly recommended to everyone!

Poison Pills: The Untold Story of the Vioxx Drug Scandal

I couldn't put this book down! Mr. Nesi thoroughly covers the story of the Vioxx drug scandal in a refreshingly honest way. I especially enjoyed the history of the pharmaceutical industry that he weaves into his story. I recommend this book to anyone in search of a great and informative read!

"Poison Pills" is not the book I thought it would be! It's nothing like
the "standard" pharmaceutical exposes. You can tell it really tells the
story from the inside. It sure isn't dry or dull. This is stuff you haven't
read before and it goes way beyond the story of Vioxx. Even if you've never
heard of the drug, you'll be fascinated by the behind the scenes corporate
and medical deals. One last thing. It is funny! Many stories are
entertaining. They are so outrageous, they must be true. No one is spared.
Caution: you might never take an aspirin after this!

This is a great book to read. I found it enlightening and unbiased. It is fascinating to learn all about how today's pharmaceutical giants are the same companies that brought us wonder drags like cocaine and heroin. The story comes to life nicely as you meet characters like Dorthy Hammil, and a bunch of "famous" doctors all partying it up in luxury while patients are dying. This is a story that needed telling and Nesi does a great job giving you the facts in a well told story. Someone should really make a movie out of this book.

This is a real tour de force, which builds up a truly devastating critique of Merck and the whole pharma industry. It is based on meticulous research and presented in a style that is both powerful and very accessible to the general reader.

All I'd known about the whole Vioxx scandal was what I'd read in the Times up until this point, but I picked this up on a friend's recommendation and it was a fantastic read. A quick read, it had a compelling narrative that kept me going, but stayed away from too much commentary or hyperbole. The story was very clearly laid out with great insider e-mails and quotes. Of particular interest was the explanation of how the FDA was impotent and run by industry insiders under the Bush administration - sort of like the fox being put in charge of the hen-house!

Overall, would definitely recommend.

The book Poison Pills reads like a a movie script. The author captures the inside story of the development of a drug as if he were a fly in the wall during the deliberations that led to some of the key decisions in the tragic story of Vioxx. The anecdotes and vignettes are sometimes amusing. The exaggerated caricature depictions of some of the players should provide some object lessons for those still engaged in the noble cause of bringing new and innovative pharmaceuticals into the world. Poison Pills reads like fiction but I wish it were so.

This book looks at this pharmaceutical disaster story in an entertaining and exciting read. Would not make my final judgements exclusively on its basis, though.

When stonewalling, data manipulation and "neutralization" of unfriendly scientists fail, just get one of your employees appointed as assistant secretary of health at HHS with oversight of the FDA. One wonders what Merck gave W to pull that one off.

The book is full of facts and amply footnoted. You can decide for yourself what Merck knew and when Merck knew it.

This was a fascinating, excellent book that rather confirms the obvious- pharmaceuticals is BIG BUISINESS-cut throat. And when the CEOs are buisiness men out to make the most money rather then idealists trying to make the world better through medicine then we all have to put up our guard to protect ourselves from "miracle cures." Furthermore, I believe these same ruthless practices will be unveiled regarding the link between autism and vaccines made with poisonous preservatives, just like the new miracle vaccine Guardasil from Merck is causing young girls to end up with seizures and debiliting side affects. Just do a search on blogs from those who have subjected their daughters to this drug, only to regret it ever since.