Abstract
During the 1980s, after three decades of research, hundreds of different trials, and many successes and failures, aspirin as antidote to heart related issues was not statistically viable. In the eyes of the federal government, which had monitored the pharmaceutical market in some form or fashion since the Wilson Administration, there still was not enough evidence. All of this changed, when a relatively new technique called meta-analysis that was developed by a statistician, named Dr. Richard Peto, convinced the FDA and most of the cynics that the aspirin research was sound (Mann and Plummer in The aspirin wars: money, medicine, and 100 years of rampant competition. Knopf, New York, pp 318–320, 1991; Jeffreys in Aspirin: the remarkable story of a wonder drug. Bloomsbury, London, p 272, 2004). Now it was up to the FTC to try and curb the claims that were now being published in every newspaper, magazine, on the television, and eventually on the Internet. Finally, aspirin’s role as a preventive medication, which was supported by the majority of the medical community, had arrived.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Dr. Richard Peto (1943-Present) is also a leading expert on deaths associated with tobacco use.
- 2.
Ulf von Euler (1905–1983) was a physiologist and pharmacologist who is known for his work with neurotransmitters, for which he received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1970.
- 3.
For instance, Aleve, a Johnson & Johnson product, emphasizes in its ad campaigns the, “all day long, all day strong” slogan, to promote the fact that you do not have to take so many of their product to receive pain relief. Aleve is a NSAID called Naproxen, and is billed as being an effective means by which to treat arthritis.
- 4.
Dr. William Fields (1914–2004), was one of Texas’ first neurologists, and was a pioneer in the field, especially in his studies of aspirin and the prevention of strokes. He was one of the first faculty members in 1970 of the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center, and served as the first chairman of the neuro-oncology department from 1984–1988.
- 5.
Thanks to Jerry Michalsky, Baytown, Texas for relating the story of J.R. Richard and his brief Major League Baseball career.
- 6.
J.R. Richard (1950-Present) rebounded from his affliction and continues to live in Houston, Texas, where to this day he takes part in ministry work.
References
Mann C, Plummer M (1991) The aspirin wars: money, medicine, and 100 years of rampant competition. Knopf, New York
Jeffreys D (2004) Aspirin: the remarkable story of a wonder drug. Bloomsbury, London
Von Euler U (1936) On the specific vasodilating and plain muscle stimulating substances from accessory genital glands in man and certain animals (prostaglandin and vesiglandin). J Physiology 88:213–234
Vane J, Bakhle Y, Botting R (1998) Cyclooxygenases 1 and 2. Ann Rev Pharmacol Toxicity 38:97–120
Cady S (1981) J.R. Richard faces another challenge. New York Times
Fields’ personal letters, McGovern Historical Research Center, Houston, Texas
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rooney, S.M., Campbell, J.N. (2017). Aspirin Endures. In: How Aspirin Entered Our Medicine Cabinet. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54615-5_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54615-5_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-54614-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-54615-5
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)