Furious Seasons

March 13, 2007

Author Dubs Seroquel "Miracle" Drug

Author Robert L. Shook, best-selling author of such classics as Hardball Selling, has a new book out on various "miracle" drugs and the glorious triumph of Big Pharma to develop them and bring them to market. (Press release here.) The book is called Miracle Medicines. Among these miracle drugs is Seroquel.

No word on whether Shook actually interviewed any patients or at least ones not provided to him by AstraZeneca's PR department. But, then, I suppose it would wreck the old storyline to have to quote patients who would call the drug "poison" and "garbage," or to have to include an account of how AZ may well have off-label marketed the drug, or to report on how Seroquel ended up being handed out as a sleeping pill or how it's turned into a drug of abuse on both the street and in prisons, or to detail studies with shaky statistics and naked conflicts of interest. Oh, yes, Big Pharma is so heroic.

Actual quote from Shook: "Breakthrough medicines can only occur in an environment that promotes harmony among science, industry and government."

And allows off-label marketing. And injures patients. And allows for a slip-shod adverse events reporting system. And rips off taxpayers. And covers-up for sloppy "science." And spurs Congressional investigations.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at March 13, 2007 10:37 AM

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Comments

The ultimate irony is that there probably are a lot of well-meaning, "heroic" people behind these drugs, but still hate to see a lot of patients and the public beguiled by propaganda that a book like this perpetrates. It's easy to get swept up by the system frankly. Big pharma must be jumping up and down with joy and one wonders if they greased the wheels for this book in some way. I seriously believe that one of their new marketing tactics is book endorsements and even the authors don't really get that this is what it's about. (Brooke Shields comes to mind.)

Posted by: Sara at March 13, 2007 11:11 AM

.."harmony among science, industry and government."

Well I guess harmony for consumers/patients just doesn't matter. Glad the guy believes in his wonder drug.

Seroquel is a mind-altering chemical, that is fast becoming this generation's LSD, and the FDA approved it.

Thanks Big Pharma and The Government, did ya forget the old "Just Say No"? It's the newest legal street drug.

Take your pick; pot, meth, or Seroquel.(just to name a few).

Then psychiatrists in County psych wards, wonder why they have patients presenting as drug addicts, yet they are on Seroquel.

Hmmm.

Posted by: Stephany at March 13, 2007 11:19 AM

I think you covered the bases in your last two paragraphs, Philip. Thanks.

While Seroquel MAY be the author's Miracle Medicine, the practice of astroturfing (where a "supposed" charity is formed to promote Big Pharma's agenda, with no requirements regarding disclosure) this kind of book is very suspect.

Astroturfing, "product placement" for television/movies, ghostwritten articles in prestigious medical/scientific journals, press releases heralded as "NEWS", and now, Miracle Medicine . . . are WE supposed to remain forever gullible?

Posted by: Melody at March 13, 2007 12:22 PM