Synopses & Reviews
In this history of the Food and Drug Administration, Philip J. Hilts analyzes the century-long, continuing struggle to establish scientific standards as the basis for policymaking on food and drugs. The agency, which emerged out of the era of the robber barons and Theodore Roosevelt's desire to "civilize capitalism," was created to stop the trade in adulterated meats and quack drugs. In addition to highlighting the essential role the FDA plays in making sure that food and drugs are safe and effective, Protecting America's Health shows that FDA regulation, far from stifling innovation--as critics feared--has actually accelerated it.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 373-378) and index.
About the Author
Philip J. Hilts has written about medicine for the Washington Post and the New York Times (since 1989). He is the author of Smokescreen: The Truth Behind the Tobacco Industry Cover-Up, Memorys Ghost: The Nature of Memory and The Strange Tale of Mr. M., and Scientific Temperaments: Three Lives in Contemporary Science, a finalist for the National Book Award. He and his wife live in Brookline, Massachusetts.