Tag Archives: Medical Ethics

Biographies of Scientists, Biography, book review, Medical Ethics, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction, Women in History, Women's biographies

WONDER DRUG – REVIEW

January 23, 2024 Nemo Leave a comment

Litercurious Book Review

Title	Wonder Drug: The Secret History of Thalidomide in America and its Hidden Victims
Author	Jennifer Vanderbes
Publisher	Random House (June 27, 2023)
Format	Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook
Pages	432
Genre	Medical History, Biographies of Medical Professionals, Women’s Studies, Medical Ethics, Women in History
Language	English
ASIN#	B0BG14PNPY

AUTHOR‘S BIO: JENNIFER VANDERBES

Jennifer Vanderbes is an author who has also worked as a journalist and screenwriter. Her written work has been translated into sixteen different languages. Her work can ce found in such august publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Granta, and Best New American Voices have all featured her writing. She has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, and her work on Wonder Drug earned her the title of NEH Public Scholar.

Vanderbes is a distinguished author whose literary works are known for their depth and sensitivity in dealing with complex historical and ethical issues. Her educational background at Yale and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop has equipped her with the tools to explore and articulate intricate narratives. Vanderbes has consistently demonstrated her literary prowess, beginning with her acclaimed debut, “Easter Island,” and continuing through her subsequent works. Her ability to intertwine emotional depth with historical accuracy has earned her numerous accolades and a respected place in contemporary literature.

SYNOPSIS

“Wonder Drug” by Jennifer Vanderbes was intended to be a biography of Dr. Claire Shipley. However, Vanderbes’ compelling narrative focuses on the titular character of Dr. Frances Kelsey and her diligent efforts and investigation that exposed Thalidomide’s dangerous side effects and far-ranging complications. What began as a biography quickly transformed into an examination of the ‘miracle drug’ Thalidomide and revealed a trail of dirty tricks that exposed the deeply disturbing machinations, misinformation, and disinformation by a large and influential pharmaceutical company.

Initially touted as a sleep aid, a risk-free sedative, and safe even for children, Chemie Grünenthal released Thalidomide under the trade name Contergan. It was later mass-marketed as an antiemetic for morning sickness relief. The chemical company utilized post-war Nazi scientists to synthesize Thalidomide.

In 1962, the drug was on the verge of completing the licensing process to authorize its use in the USA. The drug may have caused serious harm if it weren’t for the commendable efforts of doctor Frances Kelsey from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She wisely denied permission to sell the drug until the distributor, William Merrill Company, thoroughly tested it.

Thalidomide was already used in 46 other countries and would eventually become available in 50. Doctor Kelsey’s action was instrumental in limiting the devastating outcomes in different nations. Thus, through her attention to detail and proactive stance, she minimized the disturbing birth defects of the drug, effects that included miscarriages, stillbirths, limb malformations, deafness, blindness, and internal disabilities.

Kelsey’s robust and conscientious efforts revealed the horrific reality that there was evidence of government and corporate pharmaceutical organizations engaged in a cover-up to conceal the drug’s ability to cause life-limiting severe birth abnormalities. The proof that she revealed was so compelling that she felt obliged to block the release of Thalidomide in the USA.

Vanerbes excoriates both the government and big pharma’s involvement that led to tragic and avoidable consequences. What follows is a titanic fight that ends with Vanerbes challenging the specious machinations of the drug company, resulting in the empowerment of the victims of Thalidomide.

CONCLUSION

In “Wonder Drug,” Jennifer Vanderbes masterfully confronts the Thalidomide tragedy, offering a poignant and in-depth exploration of its far-reaching consequences. Her portrayal is not just a historical recounting but a deeply empathetic narrative that gives voice to the survivors and their families. The book is a stark reminder of the ethical responsibilities of scientific advancement and the profound impact of medical negligence.

Vanderbes’s writing is both powerful and poignant, capturing the tragedy of Thalidomide with a sensitivity that resonates with the reader. She skillfully balances the narrative between the scientific aspects of the drug’s development and the deeply personal stories of those affected. “Wonder Drug” is a significant work that highlights a dark chapter in medical history and honors the resilience and courage of Thalidomide survivors. This biography is a testament to Vanderbes’s ability to tackle challenging subjects gracefully and empathetically, cementing her status as an important voice in contemporary literature. This expanded review provides a deeper insight into the thematic exploration of the Thalidomide disaster in “Wonder Drug,” underscoring Jennifer Vanderbes’s skill in handling complex and sensitive historical issues with empathy and depth.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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book review, Litercurious Archives, Medical Ethics, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction

THE RED MARKET – REVIEW

February 5, 2023 Nemo Leave a comment

Litercurious.com

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Title	The Red Market: On the Trail of the World’s Organ Brokers, Bone Thieves, Blood Farmers, and Child Traffickers
Author	Scott Carney
Publisher	Harper Collins e-books; Illustrated edition (May 31, 2011)
Format	Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
Page	272
Genre	Anatomy, Physician & Patient Medical Ethics, Business Ethics
Language	English
ASIN	ASIN : B004FEF6OW

A trade that exists on the boundaries of what is considered ethical, moral and legal. Scott Carney’s investigation exposes the inequity and abuse of the current systems as they relate to the market in human genetic material that include whole body sales of adults, children and babies. Litercurious.com
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AUTHOR

Scott Carney is an investigative journalist, author and anthropologist, as well as the creative talent behind of such notable works as: The Enlightenment Trap, What Doesn’t Kill Us’, The Wedge and The Vortex.

SYNOPSIS

For more than a century, graves have turned up empty across the Indian countryside; the bodies sold abroad as anatomical skeletons. Until recently the trade was so extensive that just about every classroom skeleton in America is rumored to have come from India.

The Red Market is a look at the contemporary markets for human sourced materials and their uses. It examines the cultural, sociological, moral and ethical aspects of an increasing market in everything from human organs to humans themselves; and everything in-between. Carney reflects on the disparity and inequity of the trade in human genetic materials and the methods used by ‘richer’ nations to harvest from the poorest people.

Carney initiates a sobering self-appraisal of the financial worth of his own body on the Red Market. He shares with us that the value of his physical being is approximately a quarter of a million US Dollars. From his skeleton to his plasma and from his corneas to his heart, he calculates the possible income from the sale of his body. He explains why the ‘Red Market’ is booming across the world; a trade that Carney estimates to be calculated in billions of dollars.

Carney addresses the critical nature of the many people who are unable to receive donated organs in the West. Due to legal hurdles, these people often travel to such diverse locations as India or China to exploit the poverty of those nations citizens. Through middle men who tend to make the greatest financial profit from every transaction, they purchase their organs on the ‘Red Market.’ The huge demand for human sourced materials combined with the wealth that can be earned, encourages the unscrupulous and the criminal element. Thus ensuring the donor receives the lowest possible amount of compensation; often without appropriate post-care support.

Whilst most procurements are abhorrent, the sales are more often than not legal and sanctioned due to the implicit moral argument that it is to save human life. Any hint of criminal activity is concealed from the glare of publicity behind a veil of altruistic propaganda. Carney notes that Western attitudes to such things as organ donations for transplants create an unhealthy one-way market. Flesh donations only move up the social classes and never down in an inherently inequitable system. Carney opines that the donors are doubly disadvantaged. There is no benefit to the donor beyond a small financial incentive, and they face only disadvantages as a result of their misguided altruism.

The Red Market is essentially a peak behind the hidden world of organs and human genetic materials donations and the trade in children internationally. A trade that exists on the boundaries of what is considered ethical, moral and legal. Scott Carney’s investigation exposes the inequity and abuse of the current systems as they relate to the market in human genetic material that include whole body sales of adults, children and babies.

CONCLUSION

I realize many may be unaware that a human genetic source market exists or possess any knowledge of just how lucrative a business it is. If you are healthy, you probably never even consider it at all; unless you have a friend, family member or an associate with a condition that requires medical intervention. We never think about the significant life challenges that might ensue for the donor and their family. It prompts the question, in my mind, of what are the limits of responsibility that the recipient has to the donor. The laws that prevent the recipient from knowing who provided their life-extending genetic material, also prevents appropriate post-operative care for the donor.

There are some who are awaiting for the alternatives known as xenotransplantation; transplanted organs that come from animals rather than from humans. One thing seems apparent, with the increasing aging population, the demand for a vast range of human based medical interventions is likely to expand. In any economy, scarcity drives the price and according to Carney the current system only benefits those with significant resources; to the detriment of those least likely to benefit from the trade.

Whilst the subject is sometimes grim, disturbing and alarming, I am still delighted that I took the time to read it. There is a lot to digest here, and I took a long time before producing this review. The weight of the subject lays heavy on your heart and it is a struggle to remain objective and dispassionate. You may find The Red Market a challenging page turner. However, I expect the real-life stories will touch you and remain with you long after you have put the book away.

If you enjoy reading The Red Market, I strongly recommend you equally consider reading The Organ Thieves by Chip Jones. Although the two publications cover many of same ethical dilemmas, they approach the subjects from very different time frames and stand-points. The Organ Thieves provides a broader historic perspective on the topic. It is invaluable in advancing an understanding of the ethical complexities of the subject handed down from the past to the present day.

Read our review of The Organ Thieves here.