On Trial

Testing New Drugs in Psychiatry, 1940–1980

Marietta Meier, Mario König, Magaly Tornay

$351.95 $281.50

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English

Manchester University Press
01 August 2024

Clinical trials; History of medicine; Psychopharmacology; Psychiatry

Series: Social Histories of Medicine

The heroic story of the invention of antidepressants is a key part of the psychopharmaceutical turn. On trial revolves around one of its pioneers, psychiatrist Roland Kuhn, who practiced in Mnsterlingen, a state-run psychiatric hospital in Switzerland. Kuhn became famous for the 'discovery' of the first antidepressant, Tofranil, and more recently notorious for his numerous trials on often unsuspecting patients.

Largely based on the extensive and previously inaccessible sources of Kuhn's private archive, the book delves into the early days of industry-sponsored clinical research in psychiatry. It examines how the clinic, patients, doctors, nursing staff, corporations, and authorities interacted in the trials.

Conducted from the 1940s to 1980s, the Mnsterlingen drug trials are historicised and situated in the period's evolving landscape of experimentation.

By: Marietta Meier, Mario König, Magaly Tornay
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm, Spine: 21mm
Weight: 564g
ISBN: 9781526169808
ISBN 10: 1526169800
Series: Social Histories of Medicine
Pages: 356
Publication Date: 01 August 2024
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , General/trade , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction 1. The 1940s: the ball gets rolling 2. The 1950s: testing frenzy with Geigy 3. Test patients 4. The 1960s: a flood of substances and new dimensions of testing 5. Substance logistics, information streams, and money flows 6. The 1970s: between doldrums and success 7. Fatal incidents 8. The 1980s: a long, restless finale Conclusion Chronology List of test substances -- .

Marietta Meier is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Zurich. Magaly Tornay is a Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bern. Mario Knig was an independent author and historian.