Worst Pills, Best Pills: A Consumer's Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness (Paperback)

by Sidney M. Wolfe (Author), Larry D. Sasich (Author), Peter Lurie (Author) "The numbers are staggering: in 2003, an estimated 3.4 billion prescriptions were filled in retail drugstores and by mail order in the United States..." (more)
Key Phrases: other nonprescription products, professional product labeling, professional package insert, United States, Evaluations of Drug Interactions, Adverse Effects Call (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
"More than 100,000 people a year die in American hospitals from adverse reactions to medication, making drug reactions one of the leading causes of death in this country, researchers are reporting today...."

-- Journal of the American Medical Association study, as quoted in The New York Times

It is no longer a secret that adverse drug reactions can be dangerous or even fatal, or that doctors often prescribe two relatively safe drugs -- which may cause a life-threatening interaction if taken together. THIS IS THE BOOK THAT TELLS YOU WHAT OTHER PILL BOOKS WON'T ABOUT YOUR MEDICATION!

Top-selling drugs that are among the 160 Do Not Use Drugs discussed inside:

• Ultram
• Darvoset-N
• Lopid
• Desogen & OrthoCept
• Elavil
• Ativan
• Restoril
• Flexeril
• Valium
• Bentyl
• Entex LA
• Glucophage
• Macrobid

Patients fill more than 80 million prescriptions a year for these drugs!

Consumer advocate Sidney M. Wolfe, M.D., director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, has thoroughly revised and updated this accessible, indispensable bestseller that alerts you to the potential risks of hundreds of medications available today. Worst Pills, Best Pills gives you the information you need to become actively involved in caring for yourself -- by asking your doctor smart questions about the drugs prescribed for you. Arranged by disease/condition, it offers chapters on adverse drug reactions, alphabetical indexes listing pills by their brand and generic names, new information about commonly used drugs, guidelines for helping you to say "no" if your doctor prescribes a drug you should not take, and safer alternative choices. Worst Pills, Best Pills also includes startling information about certain drugs that can actually cause depression, hallucinations or psychoses, sexual dysfunction, dementia, auto accidents, insomnia, parkinsonism, and more.

Caution: Call your doctor before stopping the use of any drug.

About the Author
Sidney M. Wolfe, M.D., is the director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group in Washington, D.C., a consumer lobbying group that he cofounded with Ralph Nader in 1971. His previous bestsellers include Pills That Don't Work and Over-the-Counter Pills That Don't Work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 960 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (January 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743492560
• ISBN-13: 978-0743492560
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,747 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do Not Even Think Of Taking An Rx Without Having This Book , December 27, 2004

By	G. Reid (Roseland, NJ) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Worst Pills Best Pills II: The Older Adult's Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness : 119 Pills You Should Not Use : 245 Safer Alternatives (Paperback)

This book is about 10 years old so if you are taking one of the newer drugs you will have to find additional resources. Except for the above mentioned newer drugs this book is an absolute must. There are so many problems with the drugs that people take that it is almost unbelieveable. The side affects are all carefully spelled out. Every drug is a balancing act. You have to balance the hoped-for benefit of the drug versus any and all adverse side affects. Many times the side affects are not worth the risk especially if gains can be made by nutrition and exercise, in some other holistic way or by taking an alternative safer drug.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Informative, Every doctor should have one., January 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Worst Pills Best Pills II: The Older Adult's Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness : 119 Pills You Should Not Use : 245 Safer Alternatives (Paperback)

My Mother suffered several strokes, so was on all types of medicines. In many instances, we helped to keep her from further complications by asking the Doctors if this pill or that would interact and create problems. We never let on that we had been advised through Worst Pills, Best Pills that it could create problems. The Doctors then took the time to look up the crossing of drugs and concurred and prescribed something less invasive. They kept their "in charge" feeling and we were comfortable knowing we weren't allowing a bigger problem to take place through drug interaction. As the last update was 1993, do you anticipate a newer edition to keep pace with the new drugs on the market?

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As a primary caregiver this book is a valuable resource, January 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Worst Pills Best Pills II: The Older Adult's Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness : 119 Pills You Should Not Use : 245 Safer Alternatives (Paperback)

I am the primary caregiver of my 86 year old mother-in-law. She was dangerously over-medicated. Since using this book as a ready reference she has been taken off some eight medications that she should have never been taking. I am, with the help of this book trying to get her off two more medications that are causing her serious side effects. This book is a very valuable resource and should be on every bookshelf at home and at the doctors office.