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

“As one moved closer to the plant’s sterile core, where vials of medicine sat exposed, the rules became even more restrictive. Employees there had to move slowly and deliberately, so as not to disturb the unidirectional air flow. Even to take notes, FDA investigators had to use sterile, lint-free paper. There was a good reason for these rules. One small slip—a failure to filter air properly, a misreading of bacterial samples, the exposed wrist of a technician—could result in a contaminated product that would kill instead of cure.”

The passage emphasizes the strict rules and regulations in place within this pharmaceutical plant, which are designed to maintain the utmost cleanliness and sterility. These rules serve to highlight the seriousness of the work being done and the consequences of any error. The passage concludes by emphasizing the potentially lethal consequences of even the smallest oversight or mistake. These examples illustrate the fine line between life-saving medicine and a contaminated product that could harm or kill patients, introducing The Importance of Manufacturing Safeguards.

“The goal in the brand-name world was to make the best possible drugs for the highest possible price. It was the heyday of the branded drug industry, with companies reaping billions in profits on the success of big-name drugs. The largesse at BMS reflected this. Office Christmas parties included caviar and champagne […] In the generic world, the culture would be different because the goal was different: to make the best cures affordable and available to all.”

Eban sets up a clear dichotomy between brand-name and generic drug companies through her language. Eban’s choice of words like “largesse” and descriptions of office Christmas parties with “caviar and champagne” creates a vivid picture of opulence and extravagance in brand-name drug companies. On the other hand, the language shifts when describing the culture of the generic drug world, with the implication being that the culture should be “different”—yet, as Eban’s examination of Ranbaxy will later show, this is not always the case after all.