Dispencing with the Truth: The Victims, the Drug Companies, and the Dramatic Story Behind the Battle Over Fen-Phen

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Synopsis
In 1996, a terrible epidemic began killing young American women. Some died quickly, literally dropping in their steps. Others took more time, from a few months to a few years. Those who weren't killed suffered damage to their lungs and hearts, much of it permanent and reparable only with major surgery. Doctors suspected what the killer was. So did the Food and Drug Administration. The culprits were the two most popular diet drugs in the United States, Pondimin, one-half of the popular drug combination Fen-Phen, and Redux, a stronger version of Pondimin. They were also two of the most profitable drugs on the market, and both were produced and sold by a powerful pharmaceutical company, Wyeth-Ayerst, a division of American Home Products. Dispensing the Truth is the gripping story of who really knew about the drugs, the ways they kept this information from the public, doctors, and FDA, and the massive legal battles that ensued as victims and their attorneys searched for the truth behind the debacle. It tells the story of a healthy young woman, Mary Linnen, who took the drugs for only twenty-three days to lose weight before her wedding, and then died in the arms of her fiance a few months later. Hers was the first wrongful-death suit filed and would become the most important single suit the company would ever face. Alicia Mundy provides a shocking and thoroughly riveting narrative. It is a stark look at the consequences of greed and a cautionary tale for the future.
Copyright:
2001

Book Details

Book Quality:
Excellent
Book Size:
408 Pages
ISBN-13:
9780312253240
Publisher:
St. Martin's Press
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Alicia Mundy
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Science, Health, Mind and Body, Law, Legal Issues and Ethics
Submitted By:
Sandra Ryan
Proofread By:
Regina Alvarado
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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