Marcia Angell

The more research we have, the better, ... Those treatments that are found to be effective will, believe me, be read more

The more research we have, the better, ... Those treatments that are found to be effective will, believe me, be incorporated in the mainstream.

[Many drugs are prescribed outside their official recommendations, she says. Neurontin, for example, was initially approved only for epilepsy. But, read more

[Many drugs are prescribed outside their official recommendations, she says. Neurontin, for example, was initially approved only for epilepsy. But, after a slow start, it grew to become a $US2.3 billion ($3 billion today) blockbuster for its owner, Pfizer, in 2003.] About 80 per cent of the prescriptions were for unapproved uses - conditions like bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, hot flashes, migraines and tension headaches, ... In fact, Neurontin has become a sort of all-purpose restorative for chronic discomfort of almost any type - yet there is almost no good published evidence that it works.