Interferon : The Science and Selling of a Miracle Drug

ISBN-13: 9780415648660 / Angielski / Miękka / 2012 / 284 str.

Toine Pieters

Opis

Toine Pieters charts the history and development of one of the most important medical substances of the 20th century, Interferon, as a drug. The author looks at the development of Interferon through the worlds of biological and clinical research, the pharmaceutical industry, doctors, patients, and many more.

Spis treści

Introduction 1. Interferon's Birth Starting a British/Swiss collaboration in a London laboratory Intimate interplay between thought and action in Room 215 Writing 'Interferon' Isaac's Interferon Kitchen 2. Shaping a New Field of Research: Investigating Interferon(s) Interferon going public The Antiviral Penicillin Misinterpretation From the brink to revival: meeting the others Debating Interferon's mode of operation: the specificity effect What's in a name? The blossoming of a new subfield 3. Interferon on Trial A partnership originating in national interests Establishing a collaborative programme for research on Interferon Preparations for an early trial in volunteers Handling production and safety problems The Lancet report Interferon losing its momentum No 'magic bullet' 4. Managing Differences Portrait of a 'gift culture' Creating a breeding-ground for standardization An experiment in scientific communication Safeguarding British interests A Finnish detour Wrestling standards 'Having to haul down one's colours' 5. About Mice, Malignancies and Experimental Therapies Interfering with cancer Hoping for patients to behave like laboratory mice Mathilde Krim's Interferon lobby Staging a workshop on Interferon in the treatment of cancer Attempts to put Interferon on the cancer map 6. Interferon, Audiences and Cancer Capitalizing on a growing demand for unorthodox cancer remedies Interferon, scientists and the media Hailing a miracle drug Gene dreams and the inflation of expectations Coping with an imminent black market 7. Yet Another Twist: Marketing Interferon as a Helpful Neighbour Beyond Interferon A drug looking for a disease Naturalizing Interferons as biological response modifiers and cytokines 8. Interferons in Retrospect and Prospect Patients at work Crafting Interferon(s) Seeking 'magic bullets' 'Doctoring' the media Toward genetic medicine Patients at risk?

O autorze

Toine Peters is senior research fellow at the Department of Metamedica of the VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, and Professor of History of Pharmacy at Groningen University, the Netherlands.