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How to Take Drugs: A New Approach to Medication for Better Results and Fewer Side Effects
How do you know if the medicine you’re taking is right for you?
Should you worry about side effects, and, if so, how much?
And how can you advocate for a loved one when it comes to being prescribed medication?
In How to Take Drugs, world-renowned pharmaceutical expert Dr Nick Barber answers these questions and more, explaining how medicines actually work on your body, how they’re tested, and why they are often so much less effective than you might think.
Dr. Barber’s clear ‘Avoid, Kiss, Marry, Divorce’ framework offers a practical guide for evaluating how your medication is working, and offers solutions – whether you’re taking medicines now, facing a new diagnosis, or supporting others with their healthcare. This resolutely human-first approach goes on to explore why dosing instructions are so erratically followed, the placebo and nocebo effects and even how pharmaceuticals affect the planet.
How to Take Drugs is not only a practical guide to making the most of your medication, but also a visionary look ahead at a future of good prescribing, and a detailed plan of how to get there. In a world full of contradictory medical information and concerns around overprescription, it is an essential, eye-opening read.
Should you worry about side effects, and, if so, how much?
And how can you advocate for a loved one when it comes to being prescribed medication?
In How to Take Drugs, world-renowned pharmaceutical expert Dr Nick Barber answers these questions and more, explaining how medicines actually work on your body, how they’re tested, and why they are often so much less effective than you might think.
Dr. Barber’s clear ‘Avoid, Kiss, Marry, Divorce’ framework offers a practical guide for evaluating how your medication is working, and offers solutions – whether you’re taking medicines now, facing a new diagnosis, or supporting others with their healthcare. This resolutely human-first approach goes on to explore why dosing instructions are so erratically followed, the placebo and nocebo effects and even how pharmaceuticals affect the planet.
How to Take Drugs is not only a practical guide to making the most of your medication, but also a visionary look ahead at a future of good prescribing, and a detailed plan of how to get there. In a world full of contradictory medical information and concerns around overprescription, it is an essential, eye-opening read.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 14, 2026
This book is written very clearly (his experience of writing and publishing papers definitely shows). At times it was a little too simplistic for me personally but I most certainly learnt new concepts as well.
August 11, 2026
I wondered if "How to take your medicines" might have been a better title. "How to take drugs" suggests some kind of opioid dependency.
In any event I found the book very interesting, covering many aspects of medications that I hadn't really thought about.
Why do they come in different forms ~ pills, injections, liquids etc?
Why are some 'three times a day after meals, with water'; others are 'first thing in the morning on an empty stomach'?
Placebo / nocebo effects?
The vast amounts of over prescribing, wastage and the environmental impacts ~ eventually washing out into the oceans
The effectiveness of medications, or rather the lack of effectiveness.... NNT and NNH
And plenty more besides, leaving plenty to think about. Probably the most useful message was about getting fully on board, informed, and engaged with my medications and the professional advisers behind them. After all, it's my body that is going to be ingesting this "stuff". Hopefully primarily for my benefit; not primarily for the benefit of other interests ~ be it costs savings, big pharma's profits etc.
I did get a bit lost on some of the chemistry; so probably did not get all the benefits that the book had to offer. I also missed out on the benefits of the Notes and References at the back as there was nothing in the text of the book as I was reading it (a reference number or an asterisk) to refer me to the N and Rs.
So 4 stars seems a realistic appraisal from me.
In any event I found the book very interesting, covering many aspects of medications that I hadn't really thought about.
Why do they come in different forms ~ pills, injections, liquids etc?
Why are some 'three times a day after meals, with water'; others are 'first thing in the morning on an empty stomach'?
Placebo / nocebo effects?
The vast amounts of over prescribing, wastage and the environmental impacts ~ eventually washing out into the oceans
The effectiveness of medications, or rather the lack of effectiveness.... NNT and NNH
And plenty more besides, leaving plenty to think about. Probably the most useful message was about getting fully on board, informed, and engaged with my medications and the professional advisers behind them. After all, it's my body that is going to be ingesting this "stuff". Hopefully primarily for my benefit; not primarily for the benefit of other interests ~ be it costs savings, big pharma's profits etc.
I did get a bit lost on some of the chemistry; so probably did not get all the benefits that the book had to offer. I also missed out on the benefits of the Notes and References at the back as there was nothing in the text of the book as I was reading it (a reference number or an asterisk) to refer me to the N and Rs.
So 4 stars seems a realistic appraisal from me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews