Powerful Medicines: The Benefits, Risks, and Costs of Prescription Drugs

This book is enriched by the author’s lifetime of research addressing the responsible use of medicines. Written for a lay audience, Dr. Avorn explains how medications are assessed, delving into technical minutiae such as p values and differences between controlled randomized trials and observational research. His excellent crafting of analogies enables easy understanding of concepts usually reserved for academically trained audiences. When crafting his analogies, he draws from many sources, including the Bible, quantum physics, and law. Pharmacists should be delighted with this book since it provides support for the responsible management of medication regimens. Avorn acknowledges the valuable role played by pharmacists and nurses in adjusting dosages and scheduling medications, such as warfarin. A powerful case is made for evidence-based medicine and the regulatory infrastructure necessary to protect the public. This is consistent with contemporary thinking in pharmacy. The most notable downside is the author’s surprisingly critical and somewhat...