The drugs don't work

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7428.0-h

BMJ 2003;327 (13 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7428.0-h

Editor's choice

The drugs don't work

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Younger readers of the BMJ, of whom there are many, will befamiliar with the Verve's song "The drugs don't work." It'sunclear whether this song, which is sung in a distinctly druggymanner, is referring to legal or illegal drugs or even the drugof love. But a spoof piece on the web claims that: "The world'smajor pharmaceutical companies are to sue the Verve for lossof earnings and defamation following the release of their single."Now business has outdone parody, and Allen Rogers, worldwidevice president of genetics at Glaxo SmithKline, is reportedon the front page of the Independent (8 December, p 1) as saying:"Our drugs don't work on most patients." (p 1366)

This is of course no news to doctors. Anybody familiar withthe notion of "number needed to treat" (NNT) knows that it'susually necessary to treat many patients in . . . [Full text of this article]

Richard Smith, editor

rsmith@bmj.com

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Rapid Responses:

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There are bigger issues at stake for the patient, than "business models for individually tailored drugs".: Hilary Butler
bmj.com, 12 Dec 2003 [Full text]
glaxo's drugs don't work.: dr.manan vasenwala
bmj.com, 12 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Here we go again: Peter Lapinskas
bmj.com, 12 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Glaxo was right to bring attention to the 50% who do not benefit from their drugs.: Richard G Fiddian-Green
bmj.com, 13 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Stop equating the medical profession with the drug companies: Jeremy G Jones
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Look at the NNT's of GSK's biggest OTC product line: John R. Polito
bmj.com, 14 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Better drugs without genetic testing?: Richard G Lanzara
bmj.com, 16 Dec 2003 [Full text]
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Having more than just conventional 'tools in the toolbox' increases job satisfaction: Becky Hirst
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Correction re: "The Drugs Don't Work" by Richard Smith: Elizabeth A Mejia-Millan
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confusion over plants: Carolyn J McGhee
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