Pills, Profits, and Politics

Pills, Profits, and Politics is a compelling exposé on the modern pharmaceutical industry, its intersection with medical practices, and the profound consequences for public health. Authored by Milton Silverman and Philip Lee, this book critically examines the misuse and misrepresentation of prescription drugs, highlighting the economic waste, patient harm, and ethical dilemmas it creates. While modern drugs have revolutionized medicine, Silverman and Lee argue that their misuse—whether through irrational prescribing or industry influence—has led to a crisis of trust in both the pharmaceutical industry and medical practitioners. The authors emphasize the urgent need for safe, effective, and affordable drugs, balanced with the imperative for innovation and future development.

Drawing on decades of combined experience in medicine, health policy, and biomedical research, Silverman and Lee diagnose the systemic issues plaguing the prescription drug landscape, from industry-driven promotional campaigns to the complacency of physicians and patients alike. They confront the uncomfortable reality of tens of thousands of drug-related deaths and millions of hospitalizations annually due to adverse reactions and inappropriate prescribing. This book does more than critique—it calls for an informed public and decisive action, presenting an impassioned yet evidence-based argument for reform. Pills, Profits, and Politics is a must-read for anyone concerned about the intersection of health care, ethics, and the pharmaceutical industry’s influence on modern medicine.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1974.