Conservatism, Consumer Choice, and the Food and Drug Administration during the Reagan Era

Using a balanced methodological approach, Conservatism, Consumer Choice, and the Food and Drug Administration during the Reagan Era explores American pharmaceutical regulation and connects political, cultural, and business history to capture the relationship between Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators, pharmaceutical companies, and interest groups. Rooted in both qualitative and quantitative sources, Richert’s book goes inside the FDA to reveal an intriguing story of the drug business, bureaucrats, conservatism, and the American presidency.

Lucas Richert is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Saskatchewan.

CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION THE FDA IN THE POLITICAL AND REGULATORY ORDER, 1906-PRESENT (1) DISENCHANTMENT AND DRUG REGULATION DURING THE SEVENTIES (2) CARTER AND THE FDA (3) OPENING MOVES: REAGAN AND THE FDA, 1980-82 (4) THE CONTINUING EVOLUTION OF THE FDA, 1983-1984 (5) REAGAN'S LEADERSHIP, HEALTH ACTIVISM, AND THE HIV/AIDS CRISIS (6) THE TRIUMPH OF CONSERVATISM: SCANDAL AND BEYOND (7) CONCLUSION (8) NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES