Drug Truths: Dispelling the Myths about Pharma R & D Paperback - 2008

It's easy to hate Big Pharma. After all, they charge a lot of money for life-saving drugs. You could argue that Big Pharma's incentive to generate income is antithetical to the needs of society. But, if you set costs aside, no reasonable person could argue against the industry's accomplishments. The pharmaceutical industry has cured many infectious diseases and some cancers, delayed the onset of heart disease, enabled AIDS patients to live long and productive lives, controlled the progression of arthritis, and reduced pain.

Any thoughtful discussion on the pharmaceutical industry must be guided by the facts. Author John LaMattina, a thirty-year veteran and former president of Pfizer Global Research and Development, takes you through the realities and the myths surrounding the pharmaceutical industry, offering concrete illustrative examples. Rather than innuendo, he offers facts, answering your questions about the process and costs of pharmaceutical R&D in a compelling narrative focused on the discovery and development of new medicines.

Divided into four parts, this book dispels common misconceptions, helping you arrive at your own informed conclusions:

• Part One, A Matter of the Heart

• Part Two, The Role of Pharmaceutical R&D in Healthcare

• Part Three, The Profit Motive

• Part Four, The Future

With its emphasis on fact, John LaMattina's book is indispensable for anyone interested in understanding, advocating, or setting pharmaceutical policy, including general consumers, pharmaceutical executives, regulators, pharmaceutical researchers, and students.

"This is an important and timely book."
--Dr. Richard A. Lerner, President of the Scripps Research Institute

"Drug Truths is an authoritative, clear, and accessible exposition of the realities of drug discovery and development."
--Professor E.J. Corey, Nobel Laureate, Harvard University