A half-decade has passed since pharmaceuticals have consistently had a major impact on public health. From the questionable safety of certain treatments and medical devices to outright deceptions carried out by top executives, there's never been an absence of scandals rocking the healthcare industry.
One of the most infamous cases in recent history is Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products. For decades, people tried to sue J&J over these products, claiming they caused cancer. The company had kept this information under wraps until 2018 when a report from Reuters revealed that its talc could sometimes contain asbestos, a known carcinogen. This new evidence fueled the lawsuits and public distrust in J&J's baby powder products, with the company eventually removing talc from all of its products.
Another major issue within the pharmaceutical industry is Biogen and Eisai’s Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm. In 2021, the FDA approved this treatment despite mixed data supporting its effectiveness. The approval was made under accelerated procedures, which often require less rigorous evidence than standard approvals. Critics soon pointed out that the relationship between top Biogen employees and FDA officials had given them an undue influence on the process.
In response to growing criticism about the high price of Aduhelm, Biogen initially set its list price at $56,000 a year. However, in recent years, other treatments for Alzheimer's have been developed and approved that seem to offer real benefits.
Purdue Pharma is perhaps infamous poster child for the opioid crisis. The company’s blockbuster painkiller OxyContin was released in 1996 and helped fuel growing rates of opioid use disorder. Purdue Pharma admitted downplaying the addictive risk of its products, paying doctors kickbacks, and failing to prevent diversion of its drugs to the black market.
Its high-profile case led to the company shuttering its doors in 2019 after a settlement with federal and state governments totaling $4 billion. However, roughly 50,000 Americans still died from opioid overdoses last year.
Another notable scandal involves Martin Shkreli's company Turing Pharmaceuticals, which raised the price of Daraprim by over 5,000 percent. Shkreli was convicted of securities fraud in 2017 and sentenced to seven years of prison. His company ultimately reached a settlement with the FTC, resulting in a $64 million fine.
Abbott's tainted baby formula also made headlines in 2022 when the FDA warned families against consuming its powdered formulas due to Cronobacter contamination. Abbott had failed to maintain sanitary conditions at one of its facilities, leading to several children being hospitalized and two infants dying.
Last but not least is Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos. In 2015, she claimed her "Edison" device could perform blood tests with just a few drops from a finger prick, allowing patients to get test results quickly. However, this turned out to be an elaborate deception. The FDA has since launched several investigations into the company and Holmes herself. She was convicted of investor fraud in 2022 and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
In all these cases, we see how scandals have had a lasting impact on people's lives. They are a reminder that even when it comes to pharmaceuticals and medical devices, there is rarely such a thing as a free lunch – but the stakes can be high indeed.
One of the most infamous cases in recent history is Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products. For decades, people tried to sue J&J over these products, claiming they caused cancer. The company had kept this information under wraps until 2018 when a report from Reuters revealed that its talc could sometimes contain asbestos, a known carcinogen. This new evidence fueled the lawsuits and public distrust in J&J's baby powder products, with the company eventually removing talc from all of its products.
Another major issue within the pharmaceutical industry is Biogen and Eisai’s Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm. In 2021, the FDA approved this treatment despite mixed data supporting its effectiveness. The approval was made under accelerated procedures, which often require less rigorous evidence than standard approvals. Critics soon pointed out that the relationship between top Biogen employees and FDA officials had given them an undue influence on the process.
In response to growing criticism about the high price of Aduhelm, Biogen initially set its list price at $56,000 a year. However, in recent years, other treatments for Alzheimer's have been developed and approved that seem to offer real benefits.
Purdue Pharma is perhaps infamous poster child for the opioid crisis. The company’s blockbuster painkiller OxyContin was released in 1996 and helped fuel growing rates of opioid use disorder. Purdue Pharma admitted downplaying the addictive risk of its products, paying doctors kickbacks, and failing to prevent diversion of its drugs to the black market.
Its high-profile case led to the company shuttering its doors in 2019 after a settlement with federal and state governments totaling $4 billion. However, roughly 50,000 Americans still died from opioid overdoses last year.
Another notable scandal involves Martin Shkreli's company Turing Pharmaceuticals, which raised the price of Daraprim by over 5,000 percent. Shkreli was convicted of securities fraud in 2017 and sentenced to seven years of prison. His company ultimately reached a settlement with the FTC, resulting in a $64 million fine.
Abbott's tainted baby formula also made headlines in 2022 when the FDA warned families against consuming its powdered formulas due to Cronobacter contamination. Abbott had failed to maintain sanitary conditions at one of its facilities, leading to several children being hospitalized and two infants dying.
Last but not least is Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos. In 2015, she claimed her "Edison" device could perform blood tests with just a few drops from a finger prick, allowing patients to get test results quickly. However, this turned out to be an elaborate deception. The FDA has since launched several investigations into the company and Holmes herself. She was convicted of investor fraud in 2022 and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
In all these cases, we see how scandals have had a lasting impact on people's lives. They are a reminder that even when it comes to pharmaceuticals and medical devices, there is rarely such a thing as a free lunch – but the stakes can be high indeed.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around all these scandals within the healthcare industry... Like, how did they all get away with this for so long? 
The prices of Aduhelm and Daraprim are just insane, and it's crazy that some of these companies were able to get away with downplaying or ignoring the risks associated with their products. 
I mean, it's not like they're curing cancer or anything - sometimes it feels like they're just making bank off people who need help.
Like, how do these companies get approved for treatment without rigorous evidence? And what about the relationships between top executives and FDA officials? That just seems fishy to me... 
Have there been any real consequences for all this? I mean, Biogen and J&J are still kicking around, and some of these execs are still raking it in. 
It's like, where's the accountability?
I'm so fed up with the pharma industry's lack of transparency 
. It's like they're hiding behind fancy suits and slick marketing to cover up their shady practices 
. The fact that people have died or suffered because of these companies' greed is just heartbreaking 
. And don't even get me started on how long it takes for accountability to kick in 
. I mean, we've had scandals like this for decades and what's changed? Not much 
.
. They have the power to save lives with their medicines, but instead they're using that power to line their pockets 
.
) who bring attention to these issues and push for change 
. We need more of that kind of activism, not just from governments but also from individuals like us 
. It's time to demand better from our healthcare system 
just read about all these pharma scandals and I'm SHOOK 
first off, J&J's talcum powder products are WILD 
who knew they were hiding asbestos in their baby powder?! 
that's crazy! And Biogen's Aduhelm? 
what's up with that?!
their opioid crisis is still killing people to this day 
and Martin Shkreli's Turing Pharmaceuticals? 
they raised the price of Daraprim by 5,000%?! 
how could they not take care of their facilities?! 
Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos 
she was selling fake blood test results to patients and now she's in prison 
it's like, hello accountability! 
. I'm all for a free market, but when it comes to life-or-death stuff like this, I think there needs to be some regulation 
.
... and then got 11 years in prison? That just seems too easy 
... and less emphasis on making a quick buck off someone's suffering 
In addition to these high-profile cases, I think there's also an underlying issue with the regulatory environment that allows these egregious malfeasances to occur in the first place 
For instance, accelerated approval procedures can be a double-edged sword – while they do facilitate the development and distribution of life-saving treatments, they can also create opportunities for undue influence and corruption 
. Purdue Pharma is like the poster child for companies that care more about profits than people's lives. It's just not right. And what's with these high prices? $56,000 a year for a treatment that might not even work? That's insane 
.