The Therapeutic Nightmare

"The Therapeutic Nightmare" tells the story of the sleeping pill, Halcion, a story which is far from over. First marketed in the 1970s, Halcion was taken by millions of patients around the world as a tranquilizer. Soon, however, it began to be associated with serious psychotropic effects: patients experienced amnesia, hallucinations, aggression and, in extreme cases, homicide. Thirteen years after its first release it was banned by the British government. It remains on sale in the United States. This book examines the interests involved - the corporate interests of the manufacturers and distributors, the professional interests of the scientists and researchers, and the medical interests of the doctors prescribing it. Above all, it explains how these contending forces are regulated - the clinical tests and how they are validated. It looks at the ways the results are disseminated, within and among countries, and analyses whether consumer groups and public health advocates are able to balance the views of those with a professional stake in the success of new drugs.

John Abraham is Professor of Sociology and Co-director of the Centre for Research in Health and Medicine at the University of Sussex.