White Coat, Black Hat was another impulse pick from the new books section at the library. For someone who isn't scientifically inclined, I have a surprising love for books about medicine and medical history, even the ones that aren't exactly happy stories.
White Coat, Black Hat is definitely one of the unhappy ones; in it, Carl Elliott discusses the ways in which the pharmaceutical companies have wormed their way into every aspect of drug testing, marketing, and prescribing, and are not only in bed with members of those entities, but those of the regulatory bodies as well. As the narrative progresses, it becomes clear that the pharmaceuticals industry is in need of serious reform
and that until that reform happens, no one is safe from the next Vioxx, Fen-Phen, or other wonderdrug with catastrophic side effects.
Needless to say, it's a pretty sobering, if highly informative, read. Highly recommended. 4 out of 5 stars.
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