Actually Quote by Ben Goldacre
“There is actually quite a lot of crossover between the quacks and drug companies. They use the same tricks and tactics to bamboozle people into buying their pills, but drug firms can afford to use slightly more sophisticated versions.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Bad Pharma, 2008
Quacks and pharmaceutical companies share deceptive tactics, though drug firms use more sophisticated methods to market their products.
In simple terms: Both use tricks to sell, but pharma is more polished.
Key Takeaway
Beware of sophisticated marketing ploys.
Themes
deception
health
marketing
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
analytical
warning
When to use this quote
- patient advocacy
- regulatory policy
- public health campaigns
Key Concepts
consumer protection
ethical medicine
Questions to Reflect On
- What signs indicate a product is being over‑promoted?
- How can consumers stay informed?
A Different Perspective
Regulations may lag behind evolving tactics.
![“When a drug comes out [that's broadly prescribed] there are going to start to be a lot of people on it [in a million person cohort] and you might get therefore an early signal of something unexpected that hadn't come through in the clinical trials. And I'm sure [drug companies] would love it if…” quote by Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dda/francis-collins-5281_able_when-a-drug-comes-out-that-s-broadly-pre_408526.jpg)
![“And if, by the end [of this book], you reckon you might still disagree with me, then I offer you this: you'll still be wrong, but you'll be wrong with a lot more panache and flair than you could possibly manage right now.” quote by Ben Goldacre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8a6/ben-goldacre-9578_book_and-if-by-the-end-of-this-book-you-recko_125048.jpg)
