Medicines and politics

T. Szasz, Pharmacracy Medicine and Politics in America (West-port, Conn. Praeger, 2001), p. 29. 

Reiman, A. and M. Angell. 2002. America s Other Drug Problem How the Drug Industry Distorts Medicine and Politics. The New Republic 4, 587 27-36. 

James Orbinski is a research scientist and clinician at St. Michael s Hospital, Toronto, and an Associate Professor of Medicine and Political Science at the University of Toronto. He received his MD degree from McMaster University in 1990, and completed a Masters degree in international relations at the University of Toronto in 1998, before becoming international president of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) from 1998 to 2001. His research interests are focused on access to healthcare, medicines, and other health technologies medical humanitarianism in war and social crisis, and global health policy. 

Pharmacracy medicine and politics in America / Thomas Szasz. p. cm. 

The first synthetic actinide element, neptunium, was discovered in 1040. The last element of the actinide series, lawrencium, was created for the first time in 1061. These and the nine other intervening elements have added a new dimension to science, technology, industry, medicine, and politics in an e aordinarily short period of time. Each synthetic actinide element from atomic number 03 to atomic number 98 (with the exception of berkelium, atomic number 07) can now be manufactured in essentially any desired quantity, a truly remarkable achievement. The high points of the history of the actinide elements are traced, production methods are described, and a forecast is given of the manufacturing levels to be expected during the next decade. An analysis is presented of the current and near-term implications the various isotopes of the actinide elements. 

The point of view which has developed as a result of this study has important implications not only for biology and medicine, but also for anthropology, psychology, child development, education, and even religion, business, law, and politics. These implications are, of course, outside the scope of this volume. 

This chapter has argued that cost-effectiveness evaluation of medicines, despite widespread normative, bureaucratic and political support, is an endangered global public good. This is so not only because of threats posed by corporate multinationals, but because those operating it lack a systematic global vision for its long-term enhancement. 

Chemical measurements are a special part of the scientific discipline Analytical Chemistry . They are also applied in many other testing fields and other scientific disciplines, such as biology, physics and medicine. The results of chemical measurements become more and more important for decisions in economy, trade, science, medical care, environmental protection, consumer protection, sports, jurisdiction and politics. Comparability is needed on different levels, beginning at the laboratory and ending in a global exchange of analytical results. 

In summary, given the rigor of the centralized procedure and transparency of data required, the rationale is deemed to be important for maximizing the impact and political acceptability of the processes. It is, therefore, prudent to engage the services of a consultant who is well versed with the procedural method used by the Agency. By so doing, an applicant would be able to maximize the time and expense judiciously for all the pertinent parties concerned so that a new medicine may be brought to market within a reasonable period of time. 

Hoffman, Lily M. 1989. The Politics of Knowledge Activist Movements in Medicine and Planning. Albany SUNY Press. 

T. Beddoes, Reasons, For believing the friends of liberty in France not to be the authors or abettors of the crimes committed in that country , 9 October 1793, copy in Cornwall Record Office, DG 41/25CRO. See T. H. Levere, Dr. Thomas Beddoes at Oxford. Radical politics in 1788-1793 and the fate of the regius chair in chemistry , Ambix, 28 (1981), pp. 61-9, and idem, Dr. Thomas Beddoes (1760-1808) Science and Medicine in Politics and Society) The British Journal for the History of Science, 17 (1984), pp. 187-204. 

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