The Pharma Files

In the mid-20th century, the Hoxsey Method promised a natural cure for cancer—and sparked one of the fiercest battles between alternative medicine and the medical establishment. This episode explores how an unproven herbal remedy became a national movement, why patient testimony outweighed evidence, and what the Hoxsey controversy reveals about fear, trust, and the human side of medicine. For the full written case file, visit thepharmafiles.substack.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thepharmafiles.substack.com

In the mid-20th century, lobotomy was hailed as a revolutionary cure for mental illness—endorsed by Nobel Prizes and embraced by overcrowded institutions desperate for solutions. This episode examines how authority, urgency, and misplaced optimism turned irreversible brain surgery into standard care, and why its quiet victims were ignored long after doubts emerged. For the full written case file, visit thepharmafiles.substack.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thepharmafiles.substack.com

In the 1970s, Laetrile—an apricot-pit compound rebranded as “Vitamin B17”—promised a natural cancer cure rejected by U.S. medicine. This episode explores how fear, distrust, and persuasive storytelling turned a failed treatment into a movement, long after the science said otherwise. For the full written case file, visit thepharmafiles.substack.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thepharmafiles.substack.com

A brief introduction to The Pharma Files, a podcast exploring overlooked chapters in medical history. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thepharmafiles.substack.com