logo

56 pages 1 hour read

Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2019

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Katherine Eban

Bottle of Lies

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2019
Book Details
Pages

512

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

Global • 2000s

Publication Year

2019

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Bottle of Lies by Katherine Eban exposes the deceit and fraud in the generic drug industry, focusing on Ranbaxy, an Indian pharmaceutical company. Through insider accounts and detailed investigations, Eban highlights compromised drug quality, regulatory failures, and the dangerous consequences for patient safety. She underscores the critical need for rigorous manufacturing safeguards and ethical corporate practices.

Informative

Mysterious

Unnerving

Dark

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

4.6

8,009 ratings

90%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

2%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Katherine Eban's Bottle of Lies delves into the dark side of the generic drug industry, earning praise for its rigorous investigative journalism and compelling narrative. While some found it overly detailed, the majority appreciated its eye-opening revelations and thorough research. It is both a stark exposé and a cautionary tale for consumers and healthcare professionals alike.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Bottle of Lies?

Readers who enjoy investigative journalism and expose works like Bad Blood by John Carreyrou and The Jungle by Upton Sinclair will be captivated by Katherine Eban's Bottle of Lies. The book appeals to those interested in the pharmaceutical industry's ethical dilemmas and regulatory failures.

4.6

8,009 ratings

90%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

2%

Not a fan

Character List

Katherine Eban

An investigative journalist and author known for her detailed reporting on the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on exposing corruption and unethical practices.

An FDA investigator noted for his meticulous and detail-oriented approach to uncovering fraud, particularly through digital data analysis, setting a trend within the agency.

A whistleblower and former Ranbaxy employee who uncovered significant fraud and regulatory violations at the company, contributing to a major investigation and subsequent fine.

An Indian pharmaceutical company known for its production of generic drugs and a culture prioritizing profit over quality, involved in unethical practices and regulatory violations.

A former process chemist at Ranbaxy, known for his quick problem-solving skills, who later brought controversial practices to another generic drug company.

A governmental agency tasked with protecting public health, portrayed as both a gold standard in drug regulation and plagued by its own bureaucratic challenges and historical inadequacies.

The CEO of Ranbaxy, characterized by his ambitious and competitive nature, focused on profit and expansion, often through unethical means.

Book Details
Pages

512

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

Global • 2000s

Publication Year

2019

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.