Bad Medicine, Good Medicine: Scandals and Caution, Innovations and Hope

This book takes readers on a riveting journey through the world of medicine safety and quality, from traditional remedies and herbal products to modern pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals. It offers an accessible introduction to the many forms of medicines encountered in everyday life—from tablets, creams and inhalers to eye drops, injections and more—and explains why they are needed and how they are made. Through real-life horror stories and cautionary tales, it also chronicles how adulterated medicines, counterfeit drugs, and clandestine backyard factories have caused tremendous harm and challenged healthcare systems worldwide.The book looks not only to the past but the future as well, discussing contemporary threats—such as the growing dangers posed by fentanyl and etomidate-laced vaping products that are gripping many countries—and exciting innovations, including personalized therapies, nanomedicines, cell and gene therapies, and point-of-care manufacturing. By exploring these topics, readers will gain a deeper understanding of an increasingly complex healthcare landscape and the scientific, regulatory, and societal forces that shape the medicines we use.Written with minimal technical jargon for general readers, Bad Medicine, Good Medicine: Scandals and Caution, Innovations and Hope provides a compelling and timely spotlight on medicines old and new, and the enduring struggle to ensure that they are safe, effective, and worthy of our trust.