Big Pharma, Big Agri, Big Conspiracy (Book Review)
‘Big Pharma, Big Agri, Big Conspiracy: A New World Order Spin on Drugs and GMOs’ is a non-fiction book written by Dina Rae. This is an informative book on the demerits of present day health care system. It’s focused on US, but applicable everywhere.
The author starts by describing a secret organization called ‘Codex Alimentarius’ that has many big shots as its members, and has been trying to control the world. This chapter reads more like fiction than factual! I think she should have started directly with the second chapter.
In the chapter on FDA and USDA, she gives out names of some important members of the regulatory agencies (in the US) and their brief history, mainly their association with large pharma/agri companies. The revelation is shocking!
She talks about GMO – Genetically Modified Organisms and how companies use GMO-based products to monopolize markets and maximize profits. She touches on why GMO may not be the best option. She even touches upon the BT-Cotton failed GMO experiment in India. This chapter is very informative.
Her argument that big agro companies are hand-in-hand with big pharma companies, as most ailments/diseases start with food consumption, is quite valid. She talks about all the chemicals that are used on food products and how they harm us. She touches briefly on the merits of organic food and natural remedies. A welcome breeze in a book filled with storms!
Anti-depressants, although not so common in India (yet), the author says – may not be required. The author even argues ADD/ADHD may not be a real disorder. To me it seems to be valid.
In the US, there is private medical insurance and Mediclaim, which she says is the reason why the medical bills have skyrocketed. Valid argument – when someone else is footing the bill, Doctors have even more incentive to increase the charges or do needless tests. And all that money is indirectly collected back from people only!
At last she touches on whether all vaccines are actually required. Especially the ones like flu-vaccine. Remember the swine flu? That was (no wonder) a major money churner for many vaccine companies.
Although I like this book as it was very informative and revealing, I am not sure how much information presented by the author is credible/trust-worthy, and how much is just a claim. But on a topic like this, where even science journals might publish contradictory conclusions every now and then, it’s difficult to believe anything – both what big pharma companies tell us, and what books like this tell us!
However, I appreciate this book for opening our eyes towards an important topic: the bane of modern medicine, and modern food with all those chemicals in them. These are two things that we generally consider ‘good’.
But, the author could have taken a balanced approach listing the merits of the system also, instead of claiming that everything is bad with modern food production and modern health care.
- You can buy ‘Big Pharma, Big Agri, Big Conspiracy’ from Amazon.in (eBook) in India. Disclaimer: This is an affiliate link. I may get a small commission if you click the link and buy the product. Your price will not change.
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