Defining Drugs

A guide to the techniques and analysis of clinical data. Each of the seventeen sections begins with a drawing and biographical sketch of a seminal contributor to the discipline. After an introduction and historical survey of clinical methods, the next fifteen sections are organized by body system. Each contains clinical data items from the history, physical examination, and laboratory investigations that are generally included in a comprehensive patient evaluation. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Drug-related morbidity and mortality is rampant in contemporary industrial society, despite or perhaps because, government has assumed a critical role in the process by which drugs are developed and approved. Parrish asserts that, as a people, Americans need to understand how it is that government became the arbiter of pharmaceutical fact. The consequences of our failure to understand, he argues, may threaten individual choice and forestall the development of responsible therapeutics. Moreover, if current standards and control continues unabated, the next therapeutic reformation might well make possible the sanctioned commercial exploitation of patients. In Defining Drugs, Parrish argues that the federal government became arbiter of pharmaceutical fact because the professions of pharmacy and medicine, as well as the pharmaceutical industry, could enforce these definitions and standards only through police powers reserved to government. Parrish begins his provocative study by examining the development of the social system for regulating drug therapy in the United States. He reviews the standards that were negotiated, and the tensions of the period between Progressivism and the New Deal that gave cultural context and historical meaning to drug use in American society. Parrish describes issues related to the development of narcotics policy through education and legislation facilitated by James Beal and Edward Kremers, and documents the federal government's evolving role as arbiter of market tensions between pharmaceutical producers, government officials, and private citizens in professional groups, illustrating the influence of government in writing enforceable standards for pharmaceutical therapies. He shows how the expansion of political rights for practitioners and producers has shifted responsibility for therapeutic consequences from individual practitioners and patients to government. This timely and controversial volume is written for the scholar and the compassionate practitioner alike, and a general public concerned with pharmacy regulation in a free society. Richard Henry Parrish II is assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University. "Defining Drugs documents the evolution of social thought and action about pharmaceuticals in the United States in the 20th century. Written from a free-market perspective, Richard Parrish demonstrates how industry, goverment, and profressional leaders used science to justify the expansion of goverment power over standards and people. The Politicized definition of pharmaceutical fact cemented the foundation of pharmacotherapy in the modern pharmacratic state. Parrish's thesis will affect the current debates on federal power concerning the proper role of pharmacists, physicians, prescription laws, and Medicare prescription benefits; dietary supplements and herbal remedies; and nanotechnologies and pharmacgenomics. Scholary in documentation and persuasive in tone, Defining Drugs is an indispensable contribution to our understanding of the debate about drugs and drug policy." --Dr. Thomas Szasz, State University of New York "Parrish provides an invaluable analysis of the transformation of pharmaceutical regulation over the past millennium."--Peter Barton Hutt, Esq., Covington and Burling "Defining Drugs is an essential key for the medical profession and any who would understand the drug industry's regulation processes." The Midwest Book Review

Challenges our understanding of health, risks, facts, and clinical trials [Payot]

Sets out clear recommendations, based on the best available evidence, for healthcare staff on how to work with people who misuse drugs (specifically opioids, stimulants and cannabis) to significantly improve their treatment and care.

Drug-related morbidity and mortality is rampant in contemporary industrial society, despite or perhaps because, government has assumed a critical role in the process by which drugs are developed and approved. Parrish asserts that, as a people, Americans need to understand how it is that government became the arbiter of pharmaceutical fact. The consequences of our failure to understand, he argues, may threaten individual choice and forestall the development of responsible therapeutics. Moreover, if current standards and control continues unabated, the next therapeutic reformation might well make possible the sanctioned commercial exploitation of patients. In Defining Drugs, Parrish argues that the federal government became arbiter of pharmaceutical fact because the professions of pharmacy and medicine, as well as the pharmaceutical industry, could enforce these definitions and standards only through police powers reserved to government. Parrish begins his provocative study by examining the development of the social system for regulating drug therapy in the United States. He reviews the standards that were negotiated, and the tensions of the period between Progressivism and the New Deal that gave cultural context and historical meaning to drug use in American society. Parrish describes issues related to the development of narcotics policy through education and legislation facilitated by James Beal and Edward Kremers, and documents the federal government's evolving role as arbiter of market tensions between pharmaceutical producers, government officials, and private citizens in professional groups, illustrating the influence of government in writing enforceable standards for pharmaceutical therapies. He shows how the expansion of political rights for practitioners and producers has shifted responsibility for therapeutic consequences from individual practitioners and patients to government. This timely and controversial volume is written for the scholar and the compassionate practitioner alike, and a general public concerned with pharmacy regulation in a free society.

In Defining Drugs, Richard Henry Parrish II argues that the federal government became arbiter of pharmaceutical fact because the professions of pharmacy and medicine, as well as the pharmaceutical industry, enforces these definitions and standards through police powers reserved to government. In a new introduction to this edition, Parrish argues that an amendment to the United States Constitution is needed to protect health freedom from government and industry intrusion. Parrish begins his provocative study by examining the development of the social system for regulating drug therapy in the United States. He reviews the standards that have been negotiated, and the tensions of the period between Progressivism and the New Deal that give cultural context and historical meaning to drug use in American society. He also describes issues related to the development of narcotics policy through education and legislation, and documents the federal government’s evolving role as arbiter of market tensions between producers, government, and citizens. More than 100,000 Americans die each year from prescription pharmaceutical therapies. Parrish argues that the current system of drug dispensing is fatally flawed. This controversial volume is written for the scholar and the practitioner alike, and a general public concerned with pharmacy regulation in a free society.

Treating Drug Problems, Volume 2 presents a wealth of incisive and accessible information on the issue of drug abuse and treatment in America. Several papers lay bare the relationship between drug treatment and other aspects of drug policy, including a powerful overview of twentieth century narcotics use in America and a unique account of how the federal government has built and managed the drug treatment system from the 1960s to the present. Two papers focus on the criminal justice system. The remaining papers focus on Employer policies and practices toward illegal drugs. Patterns and cycles of cocaine use in subcultures and the popular culture. Drug treatment from a marketing, supply-and-demand perspective, including an analysis of policy options. Treating Drug Problems, Volume 2 provides important information to policy makers and administrators, drug treatment specialists, and researchers.

Covering a wide range of substances, including opium, cocaine, coffee, tobacco, kola, and betelnut, from prehistory to the present day, this new edition has been extensively updated, with an updated bibliography and two new chapters on cannabis and khat. Consuming Habits is the perfect companion for all those interested in how different cultures have defined drugs across the ages. Psychoactive substances have been central to the formation of civilizations, the definition of cultural identities, and the growth of the world economy. The labelling of these substances as 'legal' or 'illegal' has diverted attention away from understanding their important cultural and historical role. This collection explores the rich analytical category of psychoactive substances from challenging historical and anthropological perspectives.