著者

松山 圭子

出版者

青森公立大学

雑誌

青森公立大学紀要 (ISSN:13419412)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.9, no.1, pp.47-61, 2003-09-30

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Since Oct.15^<th>, 2002, newspapers have reported a number of deaths related to the adverse reaction to anti-lung cancer drug, "Irresa"(generic name: gefitinib, Asterazeneca). The reports described this drug-induced disaster as a result of irresponsibility of Japanese government, pharmaceutical company and medical professionals. However before the Oct.15-article, the newspapers had covered Irresa as a notable drug that has molecular targeting action pinpointing cancer growth mechanism. For a critical analysis of this new drug, more of the clinical evidence is needed than pharmacological mechanism. And yet pharmacological knowledge based analogy and metaphor is often used in clinical doctors' stories or narratives. And mass media make report without critically examining the medical knowledge. I would like to argue this drug-induced disaster as "failure of knowledge".