Social Lives of Medicines

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.