Health · Similar reads
Books like Bad Pharma
The best books like Bad Pharma are Bad Science, Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, and The Checklist Manifesto. Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre is about pharmaceutical industry, evidence-based medicine, regulation. If that's what drew you in, here are 12 books that share its DNA — each summarized on Superbook, and ready to chat with in the app.
- Bad Science
01
Ben Goldacre · Science
Bad Science is Ben Goldacre's dissection of how scientific evidence gets misrepresented, distorted, and invented in the service of selling health products, generating media coverage, and protecting bad actors from accountability.
Both dig into evidence-based medicine.
Read the summary → - Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
02
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Patrick Radden Keefe · History
Empire of Pain is Patrick Radden Keefe's account of the Sackler family — the dynasty behind Purdue Pharma and the opioid crisis — told across three generations.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - The Checklist Manifesto
03
Atul Gawande · Health
The Checklist Manifesto is Atul Gawande's argument that the single most underused tool for preventing catastrophic failure in complex fields is also the simplest: a well-designed checklist.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary →
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
04
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Rebecca Skloot · Science
In 1951, a Black woman named Henrietta Lacks died of cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Both dig into medical ethics.
Read the summary → - How Not to Die
05
Michael Greger · Health
How Not to Die is Michael Greger's systematic argument that the fifteen leading causes of death in the United States are largely preventable through diet and lifestyle change.
Both dig into evidence-based medicine.
Read the summary → - The China Study
06
T. Colin Campbell · Health
The China Study is T.
Both dig into evidence-based medicine.
Read the summary → - Flowers for Algernon
07
Daniel Keyes · Science fiction
Flowers for Algernon is narrated through progress reports written by Charlie Gordon, a 32-year-old man with an intellectual disability who becomes the first human subject in an experimental surgery designed to dramatically increase intelligence.
Both dig into medical ethics.
Read the summary → - The End of Wall Street
08
Roger Lowenstein · Economics
The End of Wall Street is Roger Lowenstein's account of the 2008 financial crisis, from the early signs of trouble in the mortgage market through the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the government interventions, and the immediate aftermath.
Both dig into regulation.
Read the summary → - The Gene: An Intimate History
09
Siddhartha Mukherjee · Science
The Gene is Siddhartha Mukherjee's account of the gene — what it is, how it was discovered, and what humanity has done and might yet do with that knowledge.
Both dig into medical ethics.
Read the summary → - Where Is My Flying Car?
- 80/20 Running
11
Matt Fitzgerald · Health
80/20 Running is Matt Fitzgerald's evidence-based argument that the most common mistake recreational runners make is training too hard, too often.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - Anatomy of an Epidemic
12
Robert Whitaker · Health
Anatomy of an Epidemic is Robert Whitaker's investigation into a paradox: as the use of psychiatric medication in the United States has increased dramatically over the past half-century, the number of people on disability due to mental illness has risen in parallel.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary →
Books like Bad Pharma: quick answers
What are the best books like Bad Pharma?
The best books like Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre are Bad Science by Ben Goldacre, Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, How Not to Die by Michael Greger, plus 7 more below. Each was chosen for themes it shares with Bad Pharma, such as pharmaceutical industry, evidence-based medicine, regulation.
What should I read after Bad Pharma?
A natural next read after Bad Pharma is Bad Science by Ben Goldacre. Both dig into evidence-based medicine. Other strong choices are Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
What books are similar to Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre?
Bad Pharma centers on pharmaceutical industry, evidence-based medicine, regulation. Books with a similar feel include Bad Science by Ben Goldacre, Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, How Not to Die by Michael Greger, The China Study by T. Colin Campbell — all free to read and chat with on Superbook.
