Breakthrough : The Quest for Life-Changing Medicines

Meet the doctors scientists patients and campaigners tackling the world’s worst diseasesWe often hear about the dark side of the pharmaceutical industry – from extortionate pricing to the opioid epidemic- But there’s another story to be told-Through the story of eight revolutionary treatments Dr William Pao cuts to the innovative heart of medical science and celebrates the tireless work of those fighting for better care- Behind each of these medicines – whether a potentially life-saving new treatment for cancer or something as commonplace as paracetamol – there stands a cast of characters and a wealth of stories-The trajectory from the laboratory to the local chemist is rarely a straight line-Eureka moments are few are far between- Drug hunting demands leaps of imagination and lateral thinking the accumulation of the knowledge and expertise of many and – nearly always – a hefty dollop of luck-Breakthrough documents these journeys and grants a privileged look at the stories behind the medicines that improve – and very often save – our lives-