Cover image for Good chemistry : the life and legacy of valium inventor Leo Sternbach
Title:
Good chemistry : the life and legacy of valium inventor Leo Sternbach
Publication Information:
New York : McGraw-Hill, 2004
ISBN:
9780071426176
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30000010061893 RM666.B42 G66 2004 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

Tells the story of the benzodiazepines and the genius behind the invention. This book traces the life and career of Leo Sternbach, the pharmacist's son who, in the face of withering anti-Semitism and financial hardship, followed his passion for chemistry to become one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century.


Reviews 1

Choice Review

In 2003, the Roche Pharmaceuticals Division held a joint celebration of the 40th anniversary of Valium and the 95th birthday of Leo Henryk Sternbach, the chemist responsible for the development of this drug. Apparently one of the outcomes of this celebration was this book (copyrighted by F. Hoffman-La Roche), which combines a brief biography of Sternbach with a somewhat longer assessment of how Valium and similar compounds (called benzodiazepines) have affected the management of anxiety disorders. Valium, the first of the blockbuster pharmaceuticals, was once the most widely used prescription drug in the world. Problems with overuse and addiction, as publicized in books like Jacqueline Susann's The Valley of the Dolls (1966), have made it less popular, but when properly used it still appears to offer a valuable combination of safety and effectiveness. This book provides an unusual collection of personal history with basic chemical and pharmaceutical information. As might be expected, there is some bias toward the benefits of Valium, but there is also a great deal of useful information. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates; two-year technical program students. H. E. Pence SUNY College at Oneonta