Pharmythology
Zahraa Alalag
84 pages
Loudhailer Books
Published Sept 10, 2023
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Pharmythology is a handy short book written by a practising US-based clinical pharmacist, about important aspects of modern medicines. I was offered a copy to review by the publisher, and since I’m a primary care physician working in pharmaceutical research, feel well qualified to evaluate it, even though it’s designed for lay-people.
The author addresses common myths and misunderstandings about various medications, the science behind personalised medicine – ie how variations in our genetic makeup affect how we metabolise different drugs and why some work better for certain individuals than others. She illustrates the importance of interactions between prescriptions medicines citing various examples of commonly prescribed tablets and the ways this can harm patients. She also looks at “natural” supplements, explains why conventional medicines are so expensive, and discusses the role of the placebo and nocebo effects.
The guide is written in clear concise language and is recommended for anyone taking regular prescribed medication – or who is looking after a patient who is. As doctors we often struggle to communicate some of these concepts to people with low medical literacy – I liked the way Alalag explains things and plan to read this again to incorporate some of her analogies and examples into my discussions with patients. The guide is only 70 pages long (not including references) – I could happily have read much more on the different topics but I think the brevity will keep it accessible for the intended audience.
Thanks to David Haviland from Loudhailer Books for the ARC. Pharmythology is available now in paperback and ebook formats.
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