Overview

This volume traces the discovery and development of drugs in Japan and the UK both historically and sociologically. It includes 16 case studies of major pharmaceutical developments in the 20th century, encompassing, amongst others, beta-blockers, beta-stimulants, inhaled steroids and histamine H2-antagonists.

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9781843760504

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Reviews

'... this book represents a welcome addition to the small number of works on innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The case studies give a valuable insight into the innovation process and together with the extensive bibliography will form a valuable aid to researchers specialising in this field.' -- Brian Higginson, R&D Management '... Hara has provided us with a series of extremely important case studies. His research will be appreciated by the many economists, historians, sociologists, and management scholars who are trying to make sense out of the development of the modern pharmaceutical industry and its role in the third industrial revolution of our time.' -- Louis Galambos, Bulletin of the History of Medicine 'It is an innovative book in a variety of ways. Only a small amount of literature of the social studies of technology has dealt with innovation in pharmaceuticals. In part, this is because pharmaceutical companies are naturally wary of allowing outside researchers too close to their innovation processes: it is an information-sensitive business. So one of the great strengths of Hara's book is the access he has achieved. It is also innovative in its consideration of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan, but such is the dearth of material of this kind on pharmaceuticals that even the discussion of the UK cases is largely novel.' -- Donald MacKenzie, University of Edinburgh, UK

Author Information

Takuji Hara, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, Japan

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