Social Lives of Medicines (Hardcover)

Part I. Introduction: 1. An anthropology of materia medica; Part II. The Consumers: 2. Mothers and children: the efficacies of drugs; 3. Villagers and local remedies: the symbolic nature of medicines; 4. Women in distress: medicines for control; 5. Sceptical consumers: doubts about medicines; Part III. The Providers: 6. Drug vendors and their market: the commodification of health; 7. Pharmacists as doctors: bridging the sectors of health care; 8. Injectionists: the attraction of technology; 9. Prescribing physicians: medicines as communication; Part IV. The Strategists: 10. Manufacturers: scientific claims, commercial aims; 11. Health planners: making and contesting drug policy; Part V. Conclusion: 12. Anthropologists and the sociality of medicines.