Strong Medicine

by Arthur Hailey

Book Overview

Miracle drugs save lives and ease suffering, but for profit-motivated companies, the miracle is the money they generate...at any cost. Billions of dollars in profits will make men and women do many things--lie, cheat, even kill. now one beautiful woman will be caught in the cross fire between ethics and profits. As Celia Jordan's fast-track career sweeps her into the highest circles of an international drug company, she begins to discover the sins...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385180144
• ISBN13: 9780385180146
• Release Date: September 1984
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Look at the Right and Wrong of Drug Companies

Arthur Hailey was a great man. He provided insights into so many industries. Perhaps he got the best commercial works out of Airport and Hotel, but his commentary on other works was his greatest legacy. Don't get me wrong - Hotel and Airport were great works. The looked into the problems of those industries. He books contained great merit; the adaptations to screen showed a big disater movie (Airport... and then Airplane). Strong Medicine was his look into the ethical drug world, with all it's triumphs and problems. Medical breaktrhoughs in drugs are not without their costs. Can some drugs lead to harmful side-effects? Yes. Can some drugs be helpful to men and science? Yes. Can the FDA both cause good drugs to be delayed, and catch harmful drugs before they hit? Yes. Arthur Hailey is a master of industry reseach. He understood no industry was without it's drawbacks and costs, and well as it's advancement to mankind. Strong Medicine shows both sides at their very best. Drug companies want the best ethical drugs they can make - but they are also not immune from making mistakes about their strong medicne.

10 years old and still going strong

Arthur Hailey is one author whose judgement I'd trust implicitly. He "captured" my trust when I was 13 years old when I first read "Final Diagnosis". "Strong medicine" is another great story in the same great Hailey tradition - attention to detail, an investigative journalism kind of style and best of all, real, believable characters.Arthur Hailey is one of the best, Strong medicine is one of his best books and Celia Jordan, a remarkable character. Mr. Hailey, more power to you. Hope to read lots more from you in the years to come. Thank you for creating Celia Jordan (Strong Medicine), Dr.Pearson (Final Diagnosis), Margot and Alex (Money Changers), Jamie Howden (In High places).Looking forward to more from you,

Role Model Heroine

This book changed my life. When I was 16, a friend called me on the phone in sheer excitement. "I just read a book about a woman who reminds me of you! " Needless to say, I rushed out to buy the book, stormed through its captivating pages, and was puzzled. The heroine is a modern career woman with principles and intelligence. I was a teenager. Why was she like me? Yet, over the years, I have found that the heroine has given me courage and guidance in times of challenges and has even led me to propose to my husband! Though not a recently written book, the heroine is a wonderful, encouraging, and inspiring role model for the women of today who want it all - a career, family, and self-realization. It is absolutely captivating and one that you will go back to read a second time and a third if not more.

an excellent book detailing pharma industry

this is an excellent book written with great care and after doing a deep study of the world of pharmaceutical research and medicine.

Arthur Hailey at his best!

A woman can scale the same heights as a man when it comes to a profession seems to be the theme of this novel set in the world of large Pharmaceutical companies. We see drugs in stores, buy, use and then throw them away but what really happens before they come before our eyes? Research goes on for many years, followed by testing to ensure that the drug is safe, then there is the application to FDA after whose approval the drug is released for sale. All along the way there are delays which have to be overcome. There is cut throat competition between firms and within firms for the top position. Though Hailey has included family life of the heroine Celia Jordan in his novel, the main site of action is the corporate world. Not leaving out politics, he includes a senator out for avenging his humiliation, a FDA officer with a shady past, a British researcher who promises a wonder drug - but is the promise fulfilled? And a bitter scientist set to find a miracle drug that will counter the side affects of hordes of other drugs. But will the Thalidomide tragedy be repeating by Felding-Roth Pharmaceuticals? Is infamy in store for Celia? Or will she stand tall and proud on the ladder of success?