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American Journalism Review names
BITTER PILLS
one of the top 15 books in the genre started by
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
"There are many valuable lessons to be learned from journalists' books about how they got the story," says AJR writer Steve Weinberg, the former director of Investigative Reporters and Editors.Also on the list: Janet Malcolm's The Journalist and the Murderer, Michael Isikoff's Uncovering Clinton, Bob Woodward's Veil, Edna Buchanan's The Corpse Had a Familiar Face and Mark Singer's Citizen K
What people are saying about Bitter Pills:
"Explosive"--People
BITTER PILLS "could save your life...disturbing and enlightening ... a diligent consumer reporter, Fried does more than simply alarm us ... he also informs and educates ... "
--San Diego Union-Tribune
"Fascinating ... frightening ... poignant..."
--Newsday
"The best popular book I've read on the subject...horrific...sophisticated...the modern pharmaceutical industry has prevented millions of premature deaths. But most glimpses of its workings come from litigation over corporate misdeeds. And, unfortunately, those misdeeds are common. Bitter Pills contains horrific examples ... [it] should be widely discussed at a time when medical care is of ever-greater public concern."
--The New York Times Book Review
"Absorbing...insightful ... a well-told story, fascinating and often frightening ..."
--Kirkus Reviews
"One of the best books of the year...A scary reality check...a personal journey through the labyrinthine world of legal drugs...Fried does what investigative reporters do best--digging, and reporting what he finds...while some readers may depart more enlightened and empowered, others will be struck by the myriad gaps in drug testing and regulation...Fried not only raises questions, but also suggests solutions...startling...sobering..."
--The Philadelphia Inquirer
"A long, dark walk into the world of harmful legal drugs...there is a need for this complex web of vested interest to be untangled...Fried has done a useful job in bringing together several examples where the drug approval system went awry along with some ideas as to how to prevent history from repeating itself. The question, as always, is: will anyone listen?"
--The Lancet
"A superb and fascinating journey into the high stakes, high voltage, semi-hidden world of prescription drugs ... Fried's account is fast-paced, provocative and complex. BITTER PILLS is not only an important book, it is a riveting one."
--Kay Redfield Jamison, professor of psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and author of the best-selling An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
"The politics, payola, and bureaucracy of both the FDA and the giant pharmaceutical companies that Fried reveals are deeply disturbing...What he has uncovered is astounding ... Chances are, after reading Bitter Pills, you'll be much more careful about accepting prescriptions for new medications."
--Amazon.com Health & Fitness Editor's Recommended Book
"Revealing ... his labyrinthine investigation is sprinkled with useful suggestions for revamping U.S. drug testing and regulatory procedures ... [and] highlights the laxity of safety standards ... for children and pregnant women ..."
--Publisher's Weekly
"If you have concerns about drugs your family members have been prescribed or are taking over the counter, BITTER PILLS will help you become a more informed consumer."
--Rocky Mountain News
"Exposes some of the dangers of assuming that a legal drug is always a safe drug."
--The New Yorker
"Alarming...Bitter Pills takes a good look at a serious problem...the author's message is a strong caution..."
--Elle
"A harrowing look at how drugs come to market in the United States..."
--Self
"Fried's revelations are sobering. If you thought illegal drugs was the major drug problem, you'll look at "the other drug problem"--legal drugs--far more critically after reading BITTER PILLS. Passivity and lack of knowledge in the face of prescription drugs could cost you your life...by the time you finish his report, your eyes will be wide open and you may feel angry enough to take political action."
--Alte