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Strong Medicine
Miracle drugs save lives and ease suffering, but for profit-motivated companies, the miracle is the money they generate...at any cost. Billions of dollars in profits will make men and women do many things--lie, cheat, even kill. now one beautiful woman will be caught in the cross fire between ethics and profits. As Celia Jordan's fast-track career sweeps her into the highest circles of an international drug company, she begins to discover the sins and secrets hidden in the research lab...and in the marketplace. Now the company's powerful new drug promises a breakthrough in treating a deadly disease. But Celia Jordan knows it may deliver a nightmare.
542 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
563 people are currently reading
2401 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Hailey
94 books765 followersArthur Hailey was a British/Canadian novelist. After working at a number of jobs and writing part-time, he became a writer full-time during 1956, encouraged by the success of the CBC television drama, Flight into Danger (in print as
Runway Zero Eight
). Following the success of Hotel in 1965, he moved to California; followed by a permanent move to the Bahamas in 1969.
Each of his novels has a different industrial or commercial setting and includes, in addition to dramatic human conflict, carefully researched information about the way that particular environment and system functions and how these affect society and its inhabitants.
Critics often dismissed Hailey's success as the result of a formulaic "potboiler" style, in which he caused an ordinary character to become involved in a crisis, then increased the suspense by switching among multiple related plot lines.
Hailey would spend approximately one year researching a subject, followed by six months reviewing his notes and, finally, about 18 months writing the book.
Many of his books reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and more than 170 million copies have been sold worldwide in 40 languages. Many have been made into movies and Hotel was made into a long-running television series. Airport became a successful film with dramatic visual effects.
A Canadian citizen whose children live in Canada and California, Hailey made his home in Lyford Cay, an exclusive residential resort on New Providence Island in the Bahamas with his second wife Sheila.
In 2002, Hailey told John Marquis, editor of the Bahamas' principal daily newspaper The Tribune, that he was lucky in having supportive parents who encouraged him to believe in himself. Brought up in a working-class home, Hailey never lost the common touch following his phenomenal success. 'I have worked hard, but I have also been very lucky,' he said.
Each of his novels has a different industrial or commercial setting and includes, in addition to dramatic human conflict, carefully researched information about the way that particular environment and system functions and how these affect society and its inhabitants.
Critics often dismissed Hailey's success as the result of a formulaic "potboiler" style, in which he caused an ordinary character to become involved in a crisis, then increased the suspense by switching among multiple related plot lines.
Hailey would spend approximately one year researching a subject, followed by six months reviewing his notes and, finally, about 18 months writing the book.
Many of his books reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and more than 170 million copies have been sold worldwide in 40 languages. Many have been made into movies and Hotel was made into a long-running television series. Airport became a successful film with dramatic visual effects.
A Canadian citizen whose children live in Canada and California, Hailey made his home in Lyford Cay, an exclusive residential resort on New Providence Island in the Bahamas with his second wife Sheila.
In 2002, Hailey told John Marquis, editor of the Bahamas' principal daily newspaper The Tribune, that he was lucky in having supportive parents who encouraged him to believe in himself. Brought up in a working-class home, Hailey never lost the common touch following his phenomenal success. 'I have worked hard, but I have also been very lucky,' he said.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
October 24, 2016
My grandfather's favourite writer is Arthur Hailey. He introduced my mum to his books, and in turn, she to me. He's not the most popular writer around, I see that, but I feel like his books have a lot more substance than a lot of books of a similar genre (think the likes of Robin Cook). This is for various reasons; for starters, he is a splendid writer - he knows how to "spin a tale". He also does his research well - all his facts are verifiable and true, at least as far as my research skills go. Strong Medicine, though, remains my favourite book by him. Perhaps because this was the first of his books that I read, but mostly because I really like Celia Jordan, the protagonist, a pharmaceutical sales rep. Well, she starts off as a sales rep, at least.
She's assertive, smart, caring, as well as being a good wife and a mother. She fucks up multiple times, during the course of the book, including, at one point, cheating on her husband, but as I've previously mentioned, I like flawed characters. And Celia Jordan is flawed, also. She's egotistical, stubborn, and at times, so caught up with going forward, with plummeting into the future, that she forgets to stay grounded. Her husband, Andrew is a doctor, and their conflicting professions many times cause fights between the couple; but that's just it, there's an element of realism to their marriage that I find refreshing. There are other characters, whose names I don't remember, like a geneticist determined to find some cure for Alzheimer's, his smart and beautiful...wife, and the entire upper management of Felding-Roth, a hotshot pharma company that Celia works for.
Strong Medicine, through the course of the story, shows the growth of Celia Jordan as a businesswoman, a wife, a mother, and a friend. Because the book covers a significant period of time, in its attempt to show Celia's growth, it also covers a great number of historical events in its story. By history, I mostly mean events that were significant in the pharmaceutical and medical world; the most important one being the tragedy that transpired after the introduction of the drug Thalidomide in the markets in the 1950s-60s. Strong Medicine is a commentary on the rise and fall of the pharmaceutical industry masquerading as fiction, and it makes for an interesting read. It is definitely not Hailey's best work - if you're looking for the best work, you should read his Airport. However, I highly recommend this book.
She's assertive, smart, caring, as well as being a good wife and a mother. She fucks up multiple times, during the course of the book, including, at one point, cheating on her husband, but as I've previously mentioned, I like flawed characters. And Celia Jordan is flawed, also. She's egotistical, stubborn, and at times, so caught up with going forward, with plummeting into the future, that she forgets to stay grounded. Her husband, Andrew is a doctor, and their conflicting professions many times cause fights between the couple; but that's just it, there's an element of realism to their marriage that I find refreshing. There are other characters, whose names I don't remember, like a geneticist determined to find some cure for Alzheimer's, his smart and beautiful...wife, and the entire upper management of Felding-Roth, a hotshot pharma company that Celia works for.
Strong Medicine, through the course of the story, shows the growth of Celia Jordan as a businesswoman, a wife, a mother, and a friend. Because the book covers a significant period of time, in its attempt to show Celia's growth, it also covers a great number of historical events in its story. By history, I mostly mean events that were significant in the pharmaceutical and medical world; the most important one being the tragedy that transpired after the introduction of the drug Thalidomide in the markets in the 1950s-60s. Strong Medicine is a commentary on the rise and fall of the pharmaceutical industry masquerading as fiction, and it makes for an interesting read. It is definitely not Hailey's best work - if you're looking for the best work, you should read his Airport. However, I highly recommend this book.
December 29, 2020
Hailey wrote this,late in his career,after he had suffered a heart attack.It is the story of Celia Jordan,a detail woman in a drug company,and her rise through the ranks of the industry.
It seems like a continuation of another of his books,The Final Diagnosis. It is an in-depth look at the workings of big pharma.
Drug companies continue to market potentially dangerous drugs,with horrible "side effects" in their relentless quest for profit.
Hailey also looks at the flawed process through which new drugs are introduced in the market,regardless of the potential risks they pose.I have seen first hand how the harmful effects of drugs can destroy lives.
Doctors continue to prescribe them,and big pharma continues to market them,even when patients suffer horribly.The book left a deep impact on me.
It seems like a continuation of another of his books,The Final Diagnosis. It is an in-depth look at the workings of big pharma.
Drug companies continue to market potentially dangerous drugs,with horrible "side effects" in their relentless quest for profit.
Hailey also looks at the flawed process through which new drugs are introduced in the market,regardless of the potential risks they pose.I have seen first hand how the harmful effects of drugs can destroy lives.
Doctors continue to prescribe them,and big pharma continues to market them,even when patients suffer horribly.The book left a deep impact on me.
November 23, 2018
I recently subscribed to Audible India and this was the first book I chose to listen after a bit of contemplation . Have always enjoyed Arthur Hailey medical fiction from childhood, and most books that I read of him we're before I finished medical studies. Now nearly 2 decades later, with s professional background I am impressed at his astuteness in formulating this fiction which almost resembles facts .
Strong medicine deals with the pharmaceuticals ( pharma) industry, a powerful giant with deep reaching effects. It delineates the Nexus between pharma, medical professional, various regulatory agencies, government and politics. I got to travel back in time and witnessed the thalidomide tragedy, though in second person account, I saw how montaine too became an equally demonic drug. I met corrupt as well as decent scientists..
It was an invigorating journey of knowledge spanning nearly 3 decades via the life of Celia deGray, a medical representative , ( known as detail man in USA) , who ascends up the stairs of pharmacy industry via diligence, intelligence and hard work, and towards the end how she too is almost toppled over due to certain inherent risks involved with her position. I saw good men being corrupted, bad men trying to hide behind masks of politeness and servitude and got a very close peek at FDA, which I have always wondered about.
Arthur Hailey , being an internist himself has done a wonderful job with this one.
One star removed because it was too dramatic and too patriarchal at places, though I should perhaps give the leverage of time for the gender issues here.
Strong medicine deals with the pharmaceuticals ( pharma) industry, a powerful giant with deep reaching effects. It delineates the Nexus between pharma, medical professional, various regulatory agencies, government and politics. I got to travel back in time and witnessed the thalidomide tragedy, though in second person account, I saw how montaine too became an equally demonic drug. I met corrupt as well as decent scientists..
It was an invigorating journey of knowledge spanning nearly 3 decades via the life of Celia deGray, a medical representative , ( known as detail man in USA) , who ascends up the stairs of pharmacy industry via diligence, intelligence and hard work, and towards the end how she too is almost toppled over due to certain inherent risks involved with her position. I saw good men being corrupted, bad men trying to hide behind masks of politeness and servitude and got a very close peek at FDA, which I have always wondered about.
Arthur Hailey , being an internist himself has done a wonderful job with this one.
One star removed because it was too dramatic and too patriarchal at places, though I should perhaps give the leverage of time for the gender issues here.
November 4, 2020
Опасно лекарство, полезно лекарство: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/o...
“Опасно лекарство” не беше сред най-любимите ми като дете – там бяха “Банкери” и “Хотел”, но си спомнях страшно много от нея – за разлика от човека, писал задната корица на последното издание, която почти няма отношение към сюжета. С удоволствие се потопих в кариеризма на Силия, която е амбицирана да се докаже в един изцяло мъжки свят, този на фармацевтичната индустрия и разработката на нови лекарствени средства. С присъщото си щателно вникване в материята Хейли описва противоречивата пророда на този бизнес, в който едновременно се създават животоспасяващи препарати, но понякога се разработват и истински бомби със закъснител – и на няколко места в сюжета точно те гърмят, за да хвърлят героите в поредната тежка битка, която ги изправя лице в лице със съвестта им.
Издателска къща БАРД
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/o...
“Опасно лекарство” не беше сред най-любимите ми като дете – там бяха “Банкери” и “Хотел”, но си спомнях страшно много от нея – за разлика от човека, писал задната корица на последното издание, която почти няма отношение към сюжета. С удоволствие се потопих в кариеризма на Силия, която е амбицирана да се докаже в един изцяло мъжки свят, този на фармацевтичната индустрия и разработката на нови лекарствени средства. С присъщото си щателно вникване в материята Хейли описва противоречивата пророда на този бизнес, в който едновременно се създават животоспасяващи препарати, но понякога се разработват и истински бомби със закъснител – и на няколко места в сюжета точно те гърмят, за да хвърлят героите в поредната тежка битка, която ги изправя лице в лице със съвестта им.
Издателска къща БАРД
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/o...
May 18, 2013
I read this only because one of my yoga teachers had cited from this novel- that if you fall sick and take medicine you will get well in a week and if you don't, you will get well in 7 days.
Not my usual reading preference. I read this to understand what it had to say about the pharmaceutical industry. Some interesting insights. But this book was written in the 1980s and a lot of what it said about the big pharmas are things we are more aware of now.
But to give it credit, as a novel and eventually a movie, it educated the masses about the less favourable aspects of the industry and FDA.
There isn't much art to this novel. Nothing striked me vividly or emotionally. The writing is too long-winded for my liking and the characters and language sometimes make me cringe as they are so cliche. The characters are so 2-D. There is just nothing that captures my imagination as a novel.
Not my usual reading preference. I read this to understand what it had to say about the pharmaceutical industry. Some interesting insights. But this book was written in the 1980s and a lot of what it said about the big pharmas are things we are more aware of now.
But to give it credit, as a novel and eventually a movie, it educated the masses about the less favourable aspects of the industry and FDA.
There isn't much art to this novel. Nothing striked me vividly or emotionally. The writing is too long-winded for my liking and the characters and language sometimes make me cringe as they are so cliche. The characters are so 2-D. There is just nothing that captures my imagination as a novel.
March 23, 2016
The story begins in the late fifties with Celia de Grey, a pharmaceutical detail "man" which means she sells prescription drugs to doctors. In a dramatic manner she brings Andrew Jordan MD an experimental drug not on the market for use on his dying young patient and they save her life. Celia informs Andrew she is going to marry him and one month later she does. They honeymoon for three weeks in the Bahamas, where she is a liberated sex kitten, and on the return flight home she informs him of her twenty-five year plan.
Have first child immediately, take one year off work then return to the company, a few years later have second child, continue working, hire perfect British nanny, buy perfect house in perfect neighborhood for bargain price, remodel for less than expected costs (that may be the most unrealistic thing of all) skyrocket through the pharmaceutical company by acurately predicting the next president of the company and hitching her star to his, eventually become president of pharmaceutical company and revolutionize the industry.
All goes according to plan.
Celia isn't the only one who is perfect, everyone else is too. Her boss's only daughter, beautiful, rich and doted upon is not spoiled, but happily married at age 20 to an ideal young man -- these lucky parents had no sleepless nights. Celia's own children are super talented, directed, healthy, docile, straight A students in their private boarding schools.
I'm more than half way through the book hoping for the big crisis to hit, based on his other books his style is to build up an overwhelming and realistic disaster through small seemingly harmless events that by themselves are benign, but together and at the right time can be astonishing in impact. I'm eagerly anticpating these characters demise as I HATE them. Celia even buys several copies of Feminine Mystique and sends it to several of her co-workers! If drivel like that was sent to my desk she'd be circling the want ads before the work day was over.
Have first child immediately, take one year off work then return to the company, a few years later have second child, continue working, hire perfect British nanny, buy perfect house in perfect neighborhood for bargain price, remodel for less than expected costs (that may be the most unrealistic thing of all) skyrocket through the pharmaceutical company by acurately predicting the next president of the company and hitching her star to his, eventually become president of pharmaceutical company and revolutionize the industry.
All goes according to plan.
Celia isn't the only one who is perfect, everyone else is too. Her boss's only daughter, beautiful, rich and doted upon is not spoiled, but happily married at age 20 to an ideal young man -- these lucky parents had no sleepless nights. Celia's own children are super talented, directed, healthy, docile, straight A students in their private boarding schools.
I'm more than half way through the book hoping for the big crisis to hit, based on his other books his style is to build up an overwhelming and realistic disaster through small seemingly harmless events that by themselves are benign, but together and at the right time can be astonishing in impact. I'm eagerly anticpating these characters demise as I HATE them. Celia even buys several copies of Feminine Mystique and sends it to several of her co-workers! If drivel like that was sent to my desk she'd be circling the want ads before the work day was over.
February 23, 2019
It is amazing how Hailey can write unputdownable books despite being formulaic and using black-or-white characters. Inspired by his wife, this one is comfortably in the better half of Hailey’s novels.
An entertaining, thorough look at the pharmaceutical industry. 2 out of the 3 most popular reviews on goodreads for this one are 1/5. Thankfully friends on goodreads had given a more sensible and favourable review which gave me the heart to pick it up.
Although one of the major characters is a doctor in this one, want to follow up with his book on hospitals “The Final Diagnosis”.
An entertaining, thorough look at the pharmaceutical industry. 2 out of the 3 most popular reviews on goodreads for this one are 1/5. Thankfully friends on goodreads had given a more sensible and favourable review which gave me the heart to pick it up.
Although one of the major characters is a doctor in this one, want to follow up with his book on hospitals “The Final Diagnosis”.
May 23, 2025
Well written and an interesting take on the pharmaceutical industry.
July 24, 2013
This story covers the period from 1957 to 1985, and primarily from the perspective of a woman who wants to have it all - marriage, family, career - at a time when that idea was alien and uncomfortable to many. She enters a pharmaceutical firm on the bottom rung of the sales force, but has her sights set on the top, and at no point could the reader doubt she'll achieve her objective.
It's readable, good entertainment, but very long and in a tiny font. Hailey covered all the topics: love, sex, adultery, corruption, blackmail, phenomenal success. I suppose he intended this as a cautionary tale of behind-the-scenes maneuverings of the industry, the lengths to which ambitious scientists and executives might go to circumvent protective agencies. But almost 30 years after its publication, the message doesn't carry quite the same punch.
Celia Jordan's character is occasionally irritating - doesn't she ever make a false move? Or, if she does, are there never any consequences? Her trajectory is, essentially, flawless. The dialogue trends toward goofy at times, and parts of the book are hokey, unbelievable. The righteous are rewarded, the evildoers are punished - those of us who live in the real world know that this is not always the case.
It's OK reading, but don't feel you've missed anything if you take a pass on this one.
It's readable, good entertainment, but very long and in a tiny font. Hailey covered all the topics: love, sex, adultery, corruption, blackmail, phenomenal success. I suppose he intended this as a cautionary tale of behind-the-scenes maneuverings of the industry, the lengths to which ambitious scientists and executives might go to circumvent protective agencies. But almost 30 years after its publication, the message doesn't carry quite the same punch.
Celia Jordan's character is occasionally irritating - doesn't she ever make a false move? Or, if she does, are there never any consequences? Her trajectory is, essentially, flawless. The dialogue trends toward goofy at times, and parts of the book are hokey, unbelievable. The righteous are rewarded, the evildoers are punished - those of us who live in the real world know that this is not always the case.
It's OK reading, but don't feel you've missed anything if you take a pass on this one.
May 15, 2025
I generally like medical stories, and I liked Hailey's "Airport" quite a bit, so I was surprised this was such a miss for me. I ended up skimming the last 2/3rds of the book.
The story is dated in terms of language and mores, but I'm a history buff and I can easily forgive/get past that. What is harder to forgive is this book is all telling and no showing. There's very little emotion; we're told about events rather than getting to experience them through the character's eyes.
Second, there's really no suspense. The main character tells us what she's going to do and does it. There's very little conflict along the way, and she came across as a Mary Sue. I don't mind an inherently good character or even a character who is great at their job, but I want to see them struggle. Stuff just comes way, way too easy for Celia.
Third, I couldn't make myself like the characters. They were too thin and too 2-D. I never felt like I got to know them and didn't care about them. I definitely didn't like any of them.
I finished this book solely out of duty and because I was in too deep -- I hoped, like "Airport" that this book would pick up after a somewhat slow beginning. I would probably try another book by Hailey, but "Strong Medicine" was a total miss for me.
The story is dated in terms of language and mores, but I'm a history buff and I can easily forgive/get past that. What is harder to forgive is this book is all telling and no showing. There's very little emotion; we're told about events rather than getting to experience them through the character's eyes.
Second, there's really no suspense. The main character tells us what she's going to do and does it. There's very little conflict along the way, and she came across as a Mary Sue. I don't mind an inherently good character or even a character who is great at their job, but I want to see them struggle. Stuff just comes way, way too easy for Celia.
Third, I couldn't make myself like the characters. They were too thin and too 2-D. I never felt like I got to know them and didn't care about them. I definitely didn't like any of them.
I finished this book solely out of duty and because I was in too deep -- I hoped, like "Airport" that this book would pick up after a somewhat slow beginning. I would probably try another book by Hailey, but "Strong Medicine" was a total miss for me.
December 29, 2012
As with any other book by Hailey, you're left with the feeling that your knowledge of a particular institution or organization has been substantially increased. The story maintains a solid pace and that too comes as no surprise.
However, there is an element of artificiality in the way the characters have been presented. They are too perfectly chiseled and their imperfections if any seem to be contrived. Consequently, every action of theirs can be predicted with ease, this causes the book to lose a bit of its edge.
To sum up - a page turner and worth a read. But, you wont find yourself recollecting much from this book, apart from the general storyline.
However, there is an element of artificiality in the way the characters have been presented. They are too perfectly chiseled and their imperfections if any seem to be contrived. Consequently, every action of theirs can be predicted with ease, this causes the book to lose a bit of its edge.
To sum up - a page turner and worth a read. But, you wont find yourself recollecting much from this book, apart from the general storyline.
June 3, 2013
Liked this book very much for several reasons. It is a story of how a woman makes her way through the pharmaceutical firm from being a sales rep to the top most executive. It is a thrilling (& chilling) peek into the ways of working in the drug industry, the war between ethics and profits while lots of lives are at stake. The board room politics and gender discrimination have been well portrayed. Enjoyed reading it very much.
March 10, 2013
Arthur Hailey weaves a wonderful story of a detail women named Celia, who with her husband Andrew, becomes the President of a huge Pharmaceutical company named Felding-Roth.
The journey has some ups and downs and Celia does everything to ride them successfully, conquering the hearts of everyone around her.
Arthur Hailey is a brilliant author and Strong Medicine is the proof.
The journey has some ups and downs and Celia does everything to ride them successfully, conquering the hearts of everyone around her.
Arthur Hailey is a brilliant author and Strong Medicine is the proof.
April 16, 2022
Flat characters and not an interesting enough storyline. Didn't live upto the billing of a medical thriller. DNF'd it. A disappointing start to Arthur Hailey's books, this being my first book by the author.
May 21, 2014
very complicated and fast paced story based on the pharmaceutical industry, both successes and failures
May 23, 2022
As usual, the plot driven writing style of Arthur Hailey is now premised on a big American pharmaceutical company and charts the rise of Celia up the corporate ladder against all odds.
Somehow, I can resolutely connect with Celia and understand how she started working her way up from a lowly sales woman (detail woman). Not only is the book educational, it has that human component to the entire story and gives the reader a certain feel good factor.
I like everything about it.
Arthur Hailey is definitely a great storyteller!
Somehow, I can resolutely connect with Celia and understand how she started working her way up from a lowly sales woman (detail woman). Not only is the book educational, it has that human component to the entire story and gives the reader a certain feel good factor.
I like everything about it.
Arthur Hailey is definitely a great storyteller!
March 22, 2023
A. Hailey labai mėgstu, nes jis visada sukuria gerą, kokybišką istoriją. Tačiau Strong Medicine patiko mažiausiai, iš visų jo skaitytų. Pasirodė tokia be pradžios, kulminacijos ir pabaigos, tiesig pasakojami įvykiai, Celios gyvemimas, bet visiškai neaišku, tai kur čia ta pagrindinė istorijos linija? Ištęsta, veikėjai neįtikino manęs, o ir tie intarpai apie pasaulio įvykius atrodė nereikalingi. Perskaičiau, bet tikrai ne su tokiu pasimėgavimu, kaip kitas šio autoriaus skaitytas knygas.
September 2, 2022
Naposledy jsem Haileyho četla někdy v minulém tisíciletí... Líbilo se mi na jeho knížkách, že to je napínavé a čtivé. Nevím, jestli se mi změnil čtenářský vkus, ale spíš bych řekla, že je to tím, že tato knížka je úplně jiná. Ale tento autorův styl mi moc nesedl.
May 6, 2020
Check out my review at:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_pr_ZYg-...
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_pr_ZYg-...
June 11, 2020
Very well written book, if not quite a standard novel for a 12 year old, which was my age on first reading.
Read
October 5, 2024Романът беше интересен, но в някаква степен леко муден, на фона на "Летище", който държеше в напрежение от началото до края.
July 27, 2020
This will be in my Top 5 favourite books. Tells the story of Celia Jordan who raises to the top position of Felding Roth, a pharmaceutical company, how she survives with all the hatred and disapprovals from the other gender. She is not flawless either , who cooks up things in the work and also cheats on her husband, but will surely inspire you to be a woman of this strength and vulnerability. Don't know whether the word strong denotes her or the real changes they want to bring in the medicinal field( outside the life of Celia)..
Thorough researched book and other characters mainly Celia's husband Andrew who is shown to be the kindest man understands her career, and interesting part is their marriage life is shown very realistic.
Of course, lot to know about what's happening in the medical field - both the good and the bad side of it..
I strongly suggest to read this book.
Thorough researched book and other characters mainly Celia's husband Andrew who is shown to be the kindest man understands her career, and interesting part is their marriage life is shown very realistic.
Of course, lot to know about what's happening in the medical field - both the good and the bad side of it..
I strongly suggest to read this book.
July 26, 2020
An excellent book like all earlier ones by Hailey. He wrote this after his heart attack. It is about the pharmaceutical industry from the 50s to late 90s, the period of my medical education so I really identified with the story.
Celia and her internist husband Andrew are the lovable couple around whom the book revolves. As Celia progresses in a pharma company from a first female sales rep-- through her sheer hard work and sincerity is amazing.
The book deals with how drugs are developed, marketer, and the problems with the regulators. The corruption and the red tape is all laid out.
Wonderful read.
Celia and her internist husband Andrew are the lovable couple around whom the book revolves. As Celia progresses in a pharma company from a first female sales rep-- through her sheer hard work and sincerity is amazing.
The book deals with how drugs are developed, marketer, and the problems with the regulators. The corruption and the red tape is all laid out.
Wonderful read.
January 25, 2021
Love the research and strong female lead.
It was good to get the pros and cons of the pharmaceutical industry, especially with the recent vaccines coming out.
The quote "if you fall sick and take medicine you will get well in a week and if you don't, you will get well in 7 days" stuck to me too.
It was good to get the pros and cons of the pharmaceutical industry, especially with the recent vaccines coming out.
The quote "if you fall sick and take medicine you will get well in a week and if you don't, you will get well in 7 days" stuck to me too.
May 26, 2017
The first Arthur Hailey book from which I am shaving off a star. The book has all the hallmarks usual to Arthur Hailey. A heart warming storyline, realistic characters and in midst of narrating the story the author manages to sketch out the intricacies of another industry (Pharmaceuticals this time). While the book is undoubtedly well written, the book was missing something that I have enjoyed about Hailey novels, Namely that the protagonist of the story unlike other thrillers is not attempting to save the world, he is simply living his life. Often in Hailey novels, the causes espoused by the protagonist is not a panacea, it is not even necessarily the right thing to do for the company or the industry. It is usually in gray with positives and negatives and I have always found his ability to firmly set the author firmly behind the protagonist in spite of this to be a unique feature of his books. I found this aspect lacking in the Strong Medicine. Additionally, though the book on the surface celebrates the professional success of a woman, I found the book and its messages to be sexist in places (The women seem to succeed based on intuition and reliance on men rather than pure merit, men and women in the book seem to be from two different species and so on). Overall an excellent book well worth reading.
July 14, 2014
Two books have made me shed tears, and one of them is "Strong Medicine". Celia Jordan, portrayed as a strong character in the book, albeit with human errors, is instantly likeable. The novel tracks Celia, the protagonist, through her career, starting as a detail person for a pharmaceutical company Felding-Roth and her gradual but resolute rise through the ranks of the company to becoming its President. Her incident with Andrew, a doctor, regarding Lotromycin, and their subsequent marriage, is a joy to behold in prose. I liked the way Arthur held the marriage together, not neglecting the essential parts necessary to sustain any relationship. Two parts made me cry, one of which was Celia sleeping with Peat-Smith, as all the way till that point, I was crossing my fingers desperately hoping something like that wouldn't happen. The other was during their family reunion at Celia's father's memorial, which was described elegantly, mincing no words to hammer home the effect. All in all, I loved this book immensely and would recommend it to anyone.
May 19, 2011
Would give it 3.5 if I could.
An interesting look into the pharmaceutical industry; the good, the bad and the ugly.
Exemplifies the struggle between profits and ethics of big business and the morals/integrity of those working within big business and government. There's corruption and unscrupulous behaviour in business, government and within the people running such organizations. Hopefully, as there is with the heroine of this story, someone has the conscientious wherewith-all to stand up and do what's right. That being said, I lost all respect for the heroine due to her infidelity. I understand why Mr. Hailey included this lapse of ethical/moral choice but it is something I find very distasteful and unforgivable for a man or woman to do to their partner.
A good read.
An interesting look into the pharmaceutical industry; the good, the bad and the ugly.
Exemplifies the struggle between profits and ethics of big business and the morals/integrity of those working within big business and government. There's corruption and unscrupulous behaviour in business, government and within the people running such organizations. Hopefully, as there is with the heroine of this story, someone has the conscientious wherewith-all to stand up and do what's right. That being said, I lost all respect for the heroine due to her infidelity. I understand why Mr. Hailey included this lapse of ethical/moral choice but it is something I find very distasteful and unforgivable for a man or woman to do to their partner.
A good read.
December 22, 2019
I had picked up this book when I had just moved into an assignment with one of the top pharmaceutical company. As the name of the novel suggests, the story revolves around a pharmaceutical company and in a way, takes you around a journey from molecules to medicine. The primary characters of the novel work in a pharmaceutical company which is into manufacturing & distribution of medicines. After finishing the novel, I could very well connect the dots of various things that my team or I would be working on during our day-to-day operations with the pharma company. Later on, we included this book as one of the recommended readings for new joiners as a part of the induction process. Interview book.
August 30, 2016
In the same line as Hailey's Hotel, Airport and Overload, Strong Medicine portrays a facet of modern life as lived through the eyes of strong characters. In this case, a strong woman (Celia Jordan) who wants both a career and a good marriage, rises through the ranks of a large pharmaceutical company.
Through her experiences and those of her doctor husband, we catch a rather scary picture of the development and sale of drugs in America and their evaluation by the US government. We see the enormous benefit wrought by amazing drugs, but also some of the shoddy tricks used in the industry and the foot-dragging of the government.
An illuminating read which combines both strong characters, good and bad, and an overview of the recent history of the industry.
Through her experiences and those of her doctor husband, we catch a rather scary picture of the development and sale of drugs in America and their evaluation by the US government. We see the enormous benefit wrought by amazing drugs, but also some of the shoddy tricks used in the industry and the foot-dragging of the government.
An illuminating read which combines both strong characters, good and bad, and an overview of the recent history of the industry.
August 16, 2014
Hailey's Strong Medicine gives you his strongest heroine - Celia who rises to top and keeps swinging in the big bad world of pharmaceuticals. The book is rich on research, which you would come to expect when Hailey handles a subject. The other characters like Andrew and Sam are supporting characters and they remain that way.
The book has touched multiple facets of corporate including Glass Ceiling, Politics, Advertising, Environmental groups and Animal rights. The parts concerning Peat Smith and Yovenne seems long and unrelated to the flow.
As a portrayal of the industry as it exists, this is a thoroughly readable book!
The book has touched multiple facets of corporate including Glass Ceiling, Politics, Advertising, Environmental groups and Animal rights. The parts concerning Peat Smith and Yovenne seems long and unrelated to the flow.
As a portrayal of the industry as it exists, this is a thoroughly readable book!
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