In Honor Of Dr. Sidney Wolfe
My first go-to, when checking on the intended er, “side” effects, of pharmaceuticals, is WorstPills.org. It only costs fifteen dollars a year for full access. If you use the information there to save even one person from being maimed or killed, what an incredible bargain!
The website began with Dr. Sidney Wolfe, who with Ralph Nader created a division of Nader's Public Citizen that would focus on health. While much of the work concerned pharmaceuticals, medical supplies such as latex gloves and IV fluids were addressed as well.
If you remember Dr. Wolfe, it's probably from his work on the book “Worst Pills Best Pills”, which was updated every few years before eventually moving online. A quick check at Amazon indicates the last print edition of the book came out in 2005.
The Worst Pills monthly print newsletter is still available, at fifteen dollars a year, the same price as the online subscription that includes the identical newsletter in electronic form plus all the archives.
Robert Weissman, the current President of Public Citizen, has written an excellent article on Dr. Wolfe, who Passed on January 1, 2024, at the age of 86.
The article reminds us that one person can indeed make a big difference in the lives of others they never meet. Working within the system, taking on the FDA and other governmental monstrosities, Dr. Wolfe exemplified how meaningful change can be brought about “from the inside”. (Others, such as myself, are of such temperament that we accomplish more “on the outside”. But it takes all types to try to make this thing we call “civilization” work, or at least be less evil.).
Weissman's article is a fairly quick read, but very nutritious on multiple levels.