Dr.
Bremner's book is an incredible account of one man's journey into the dark corners of medical drug sales and research.
The principle focus is on the drug Accutane, its side effects, and how Hoffman-LaRoche attempted to stop Dr.
Bremner's reporting the dangers of this drug.
Accutane was a drug developed and sold by Hoffman-LaRoche for acme treatment.
In 2001 the drug was being distributed in the billions worldwide.
It was a wonder drug and a blessing for those suffering the ravages of acme.
However, there was a dark side to the drug and it was discovered by Dr.
Doug Bremner.
In 2001, the father of a teenager who committed suicide while taking Accutane approached Dr.
Bremner as Professor of Psychiatry and Radiology at Emory University.
The father wanted to know if there was a causal link between the drug and his son's suicide.
Dr.
Bremner's research indicated that there was a strong possibility that taking Accutane affected the brain and caused severe depression.
Accutane is a drug having as a molecular cousin Vitamin A.
Vitamin A is known to cause depression when taken in large quantities, so it was not surprising to Dr.
Bremner to have the research point to the fact that Accutane did have a causal link to depression and to the suicides which resulted therefrom.
The book is an incredible account of the attempts by Hoffman-LaRoche to silence Dr.
Bremner.
The company attacked him by attempting to discredit his research which positively revealed that the drug, Accutane, did have an effect on the brain that caused depression among some of its users.
But Dr.
Bremner would not relent and fought back with numerous attempts to discuss his findings with the company and with the FDA.
Ultimately his strength of purpose and resolve caused Hoffman-LaRoche to take the drug off the market.
However, this was not before an estimated 300 to 3000 deaths occurred either as a result of suicide or of being murdered by those taking the medication.
Sadly, it was also discovered by Dr.
Bremner that there was a causal link between the wonder drug and that of birth defects.
The book exposes the failure of the drug industry and the FDA to provide protection for consumers.
It glaringly points to money being more important than the lives of those exposed to a drug's side effect.
And, it stands as a monument to all that we, as consumers of medical services, need to be more involved with our own medical care.
This is a must read for anyone who has ever walked into a medical practitioner's office or has, at any time, been prescribed or taken any medication.
The book is written without a lot of medical jargon and is a very easy read.