"The Cure": Biography of John Crowley"The Cure": Biography of John Crowley
August 31, 2006
Crowley is a father of children with Pompe disease and founder of Novazyme Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired by Genzyme Corp. during the development of enzyme replacement therapy. Crowley is now CEO of Amicus Therapeutics, Inc.
"It's about hope, it's about willpower, it's about money. It's about belief in happy endings." (Dr. Nina Raben in the afterword of the book about the Crowleys' journey.)
The same applies for the book. It neither tells the Pompe story, nor the history of therapy development, and actually it's not about "The Cure". It's the story of a man who does it the American way, for his children, for his family and himself. It's an admirable story of personal success. Almost completely omitted in this story are the possibly negative implications of Crowley's actions on the speed and course of therapy development for the whole community of patients. Strange enough - but comprehensible in the context of the story: except for the AMDA, the American rival organisation of Crowley's Children's Pompe Foundation, no other patients' associations seem to be existent in Crowley's world.
The book is a mirror of the American society and an impressive reading. Many details are understood better in retrospect, although causing a shudder now and then. It's your choice if you like it or not.
- Amazon.com
- Genzyme Press Release (dead link)