“Burroughs Wellcome & Co., founded in 1880, revolutionized the standardization of pharmaceuticals by introducing pre-measured doses in tablet form. While this innovation addressed the need for consistent dosing, the company’s products frequently lacked the clinical testing necessary to substantiate their claims.”
“The partnership of Silas Burroughs and Henry Wellcome further illustrates the complexity of this era. Co-founders of Burroughs Wellcome & Co. in London, they introduced “Tabloid” medicines, standardized doses of drugs in pill form. Their contributions to pharmaceutical standardization were significant, yet many of their early products were insufficiently tested, prioritizing marketability over rigorous scientific validation. This dual focus on innovation and profit laid the groundwork for the modern pharmaceutical industry while highlighting its enduring challenges.”
Their standardized dispensing and marketing strategies, along with that of Parke, Davis & Co. in the United States, “shaped public perception of medicine, fostering a culture in which immediate relief was often prioritized over addressing underlying causes of illness.” …”The emphasis on treating symptoms rather than root causes, a hallmark of patent medicines, became institutionalized in modern medical practice. ” …”By focusing on alleviating symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of illness, the [allopathic] system inadvertently creates a cycle of [highly profitable] dependency”. And so is born Polypharmacy. [1]
The parallels between 19th-century quackery and contemporary pharmaceutical practices are striking.
James Lyons-Weiler
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