On a gorgeous summer afternoon, Bill biked 25km from his residence to the National Park bordering his hometown. A decisive battle of country’s “Revolutionary War” was fought in a section of the park, thus the national repute. For some rest, he lied down on his back on the neatly-trimmed grass. A stunning view of the blue sky with cloud-clusters floating along in a gentle breeze appeared at distant. Soon his mind started to drift. He imagined, as if that fierce battle, led by a young general, was taking place nearby. After the victory, the general, instead of instituting a dictatorial regime, would become the President of the country via a democratic process, to guide the young nation forward. Soon, Bill’s mind swung like a pendulum in other direction. Recently, a dictatorial president has been attempting to take away several social benefits from the poor citizens to offer rich tax-benefits to his wealthy friends. And that’s when an old question that had been bothering him for all these years, resurfaced.
Almost three decades ago, Bill, a freshly-minted doctorate in biological sciences, met Dr. Robert Jones, a fellow scientist during a scientific conference. Dr. Jones, an entrepreneur had just resigned his corporate job. He then started a new company in order to find cures for several life-threatening diseases utilizing cutting-edge tools of then-nascent field of biotechnology. In the process, he assumed the role of the CEO of his organization. On Dr. Jones’s invitation, Bill would join him in the endeavor. For next several years, Bill, along with a group of scientists carried out ground-breaking research to put the company’s name on the scientific-map of the pharmaceutical research. During that period, Dr. Jones supported their efforts wholeheartedly.
Then came an offer from a small European laboratory. They had gotten regulatory clearance to sell a novel medicine that afflicted only a small number of population. They approached Dr. Jones to find a market for their new medicine in US. Being entrepreneurial in nature, Dr. Jones accepted the challenge. Based on European clinical data, the drug won the regulatory approval and found its way to the market. However, to their surprise, the prescribing physicians noticed that the medicine was also helping a far broader set of co-morbid patients from other disease-classes. They alerted Dr. Jones, but no new clinical trial was ever reported. However, during next few years, the profit from the sale of the medicine skyrocketed bringing the scrutiny of the government.
Finally, dropped the bombshell! In a wire-tapped sting operation of the federal agencies, top executives were caught red-handed promoting the medicine to the physicians for unauthorized off-label use. A staggering fine of half a billion dollar was levied to keep the executives out of prison.
Dr. Jones, the scientist-turned-businessman would suddenly expire at a young age, succumbing to a disease that he hoped to find a cure for. To date, the question that haunts Bill whether Dr. Jones himself was an active participant in the conspiracy or not!
Almost three decades ago, Bill, a freshly-minted doctorate in biological sciences, met Dr. Robert Jones, a fellow scientist during a scientific conference. Dr. Jones, an entrepreneur had just resigned his corporate job. He then started a new company in order to find cures for several life-threatening diseases utilizing cutting-edge tools of then-nascent field of biotechnology. In the process, he assumed the role of the CEO of his organization. On Dr. Jones’s invitation, Bill would join him in the endeavor. For next several years, Bill, along with a group of scientists carried out ground-breaking research to put the company’s name on the scientific-map of the pharmaceutical research. During that period, Dr. Jones supported their efforts wholeheartedly.
Then came an offer from a small European laboratory. They had gotten regulatory clearance to sell a novel medicine that afflicted only a small number of population. They approached Dr. Jones to find a market for their new medicine in US. Being entrepreneurial in nature, Dr. Jones accepted the challenge. Based on European clinical data, the drug won the regulatory approval and found its way to the market. However, to their surprise, the prescribing physicians noticed that the medicine was also helping a far broader set of co-morbid patients from other disease-classes. They alerted Dr. Jones, but no new clinical trial was ever reported. However, during next few years, the profit from the sale of the medicine skyrocketed bringing the scrutiny of the government.
Finally, dropped the bombshell! In a wire-tapped sting operation of the federal agencies, top executives were caught red-handed promoting the medicine to the physicians for unauthorized off-label use. A staggering fine of half a billion dollar was levied to keep the executives out of prison.
Dr. Jones, the scientist-turned-businessman would suddenly expire at a young age, succumbing to a disease that he hoped to find a cure for. To date, the question that haunts Bill whether Dr. Jones himself was an active participant in the conspiracy or not!
