PHAR2220 – Human Pharmacology Riches to Rags - A Cinematic Insight into the Downfall of Valium
What determines the success of a drug? The answer may seem obvious – if the drug works then it will be successful. It seems like a logical conclusion to make, and indeed this does play a key role in determining how popular a drug will be. But why are there some drugs, like diazepam, that still produce their intended effects but are no longer as successful in the marketplace? It seems that the answer has a lot to do with how the public perceives the drug, and whether it is given a positive or negative role in society. To investigate this more closely, we are going to look at the pharmacological properties of diazepam and how these can influence …show more content…
In 1969, just six years after arriving on the market, Valium had become the most prescribed drug in America (Sternbach, 1979). This popularity was relatively short-lived, and two major political events in 1975 are thought to be the catalyst for the eventual downfall of Valium. Firstly was the addition of diazepam onto the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Schedule of Controlled Substances, a movement that acknowledged the drug’s potential for physical dependence. (Kangilaski, 1976). Secondly was the work of the Drug Abuse Warning Network, a statistics agency who identified that Valium was the leading drug seen in overdose victims in American hospitals. (Herzberg, 2006). As news of these findings started to spread, many famous figures started reaching out with their own addiction stories, including former First Lady Betty Ford and filmmaker Barbara Gordon, who’s autobiography formed the basis for the movie I’m Dancing As Fast As I Can. Several years of these media horror stories caused Valium sales to drop dramatically, and the year of 1982 marked the last time the drug would top prescription sales (Marshall et al., 2009). Interestingly, this is the same year that the movie I’m Dancing As Fast As I Can was released to the
What determines the success of a drug? The answer may seem obvious – if the drug works then it will be successful. It seems like a logical conclusion to make, and indeed this does play a key role in determining how popular a drug will be. But why are there some drugs, like diazepam, that still produce their intended effects but are no longer as successful in the marketplace? It seems that the answer has a lot to do with how the public perceives the drug, and whether it is given a positive or negative role in society. To investigate this more closely, we are going to look at the pharmacological properties of diazepam and how these can influence …show more content…
In 1969, just six years after arriving on the market, Valium had become the most prescribed drug in America (Sternbach, 1979). This popularity was relatively short-lived, and two major political events in 1975 are thought to be the catalyst for the eventual downfall of Valium. Firstly was the addition of diazepam onto the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Schedule of Controlled Substances, a movement that acknowledged the drug’s potential for physical dependence. (Kangilaski, 1976). Secondly was the work of the Drug Abuse Warning Network, a statistics agency who identified that Valium was the leading drug seen in overdose victims in American hospitals. (Herzberg, 2006). As news of these findings started to spread, many famous figures started reaching out with their own addiction stories, including former First Lady Betty Ford and filmmaker Barbara Gordon, who’s autobiography formed the basis for the movie I’m Dancing As Fast As I Can. Several years of these media horror stories caused Valium sales to drop dramatically, and the year of 1982 marked the last time the drug would top prescription sales (Marshall et al., 2009). Interestingly, this is the same year that the movie I’m Dancing As Fast As I Can was released to the