Social Lives of Medicines - Whyte, Susan Reynolds (University of Copenhagen) a van der Geest, Sjaak (Universiteit van Amsterdam) a Hardon, Anita (Universiteit van Amsterdam)

Medicines are more than chemical substances with medical effects. They have social lives because they move between people; they carry meaning and offer possibilities for communication and control. This book uses examples from five continents to examine central problems in the study of medicines including social efficacy, symbolism, and commodification.