A Consumer's Guide to the Pill and Other Drugs Mass Market Paperback – October 1, 1997

While I agree with John Wilks that side effects and risks of hormonal contraceptives are significantly downplayed, I reading his book didn't tell me anything I didn't know about it already (I have probably read more papers on birth control than he did) and book left me dissapointed and angry. This is mainly because the book is thinly disguised pro-life drivel. Also, his frequent statements "natural fertility is not a disease" made me extremely angry, since I don't think that I would be very healthy if I had a child every year or every two years. Not to mention overpopulation problem. Also, information in the book, although it contains some good points, is presented in scare mongering way and case studies included are calculated to provoke emotional response. Not very scientific in my opinion. Chapters on Depo Provera and Norplants are very short, though side effects and complications of those are usually worse than the pill. "Minor" side effects are not discussed at all for any of the methods. He entirely missed to address the issue of liver problems for pill users. Based on what I know about hormonal contraceptives (and I don't care at all whether they are abortificaent or not) I would never use them, but I don't find John Wilks' book objective and thoroughly researched.

Having read volumes on the subject and having a doctorate in pharmacology, I highly recommend this tome of wisdom from Dr Wilks. He has with over 1000 references silenced the critics of the Pill and other common abortifacients masquerading as "contraceptives". He has also laid out carefully and with precision all the devastating side effects from these powerful steroids which are wrecking havoc on women all over the globe, especially on poor Third World women who have little or no access to support health services.

This book contains essential information for anyone who would prescribe, use or research oral contraceptives. As a physician, I have found this book to contain all of the necessary information required to make a truly informed decision about oral contaceptives and other similar medications. This information is either ignored by the general public, but usually buried by the pharmaceutical companies in technical jargon that the average person finds impossible to understand. Mr. Wilks' book cuts through all of this and presents all of the information about these drugs; their risks, side-effects and complications, in an easy to read format that cannot be found anywhere else. Professionals and consumers alike will find this book extremely informative and probably more than a little disturbing, as the truth about these drugs is seldom told.