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In This Issue:
Avorn Packs a Punch with New Book
In a book that Senator Edward Kennedy has deemed a “must-read,” Jerry Avorn, MD, chief, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, is making headlines with his new book, Powerful Medicines.
Based on Avorn’s 30 years of research and experience in the field, the book takes an in-depth view of the use, abuse and economics of prescription drugs. Avorn combines patients’ perspectives, scientific examples and statistics in order to create a “risk vs. benefit” balance for prescription drugs.
Avorn uses a triangle as an analogy for three important aspects of drugs. “The three points represent the potential healing, hazards and economic impact of drugs,” he said. “While it is easy for any one of those factors to sway decision makers, the aim of this book is to persuade medical professionals, policy makers and consumers to make good judgments based on all three criteria.”