Making Sense

"Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and a leading cause of death for women worldwide. With advances in molecular engineering in the 1980s, hopes began to rise that a non-toxic and non-invasive treatment for breast cancer could be developed. These hopes were stoked by the researchers, biotech companies, and analysts who worked to make sense of the uncertainties during product development. In Making Sense Sophie Mèutzel traces this emergence of 'innovative breast cancer therapeutics' up to the 2010s, through the lens of the narratives of the involved actors. Despite the notorious unpredictability of cancer drug development these actors are tasked with establishing a client-base and capturing the attention of potential investors, even before trials are completed. Combining theories of economic and cultural sociology, Mèutzel shows how stories are integral for the emergence of new markets; stories of the future create a market of expectations prior to any existing products. Making Sense uses thousands of press statements, media reports, scientific reports, and financial and industry analyses to illustrate these mechanisms, presenting a fresh view of how life-prolonging innovations can be turned into market products"--