Social and cultural efficacies of medicines: Complications for antiretroviral therapy

Abstract

Using ethnographic examples of medicine use, prescription, distribution and production, the authors argue that social and cultural effects of pharmaceuticals should be taken into account. Non-medical effects deeply influence the medical outcome of medicine use. Complications around the advent of anti-AIDS medicines in poor countries are taken as a point in case. The authors are medical anthropologists specialised in the social and cultural analysis of pharmaceuticals. © 2006 van der Geest and Hardon; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.