No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson

Select one chapter and analyze the sources Gardiner Harris uses to back up his argument in that chapter. Are the sources reliable? Are there claims he makes that are unverified? How does that impact the chapter’s argument?

How does Gardiner Harris use personal narratives like that of Austin Pledger to illustrate the impacts of the drugs and products covered in No More Tears?

Assess the reforms Harris suggests at the end of Chapter 39. Are these reforms sufficient to address the issues Harris identifies in No More Tears? Why or why not?

To what extent is Johnson & Johnson’s lack of corporate ethics and accountability worse than other medical companies operating in the United States? How do other companies act in similar ways as J&J?

To what extent are individual executives at Johnson & Johnson like former CEO Alex Gorky responsible for the Risperdal and opioid scandals? What choices could or should they have made differently?

Select a controversial and/or recalled Johnson & Johnson medical device, product, or drug not extensively covered in the book, such as Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Physiomatic hernia mesh, or liquid Motrin for infants. Describe the issues with the product. How do they reflect the trends identified by Gardiner Harris? What new factors, if any, do they bring to light?

Harris often emphasizes how Johnson & Johnson’s public image is at odds with its internal practices. Select a Johnson & Johnson product mentioned in this text and analyze the advertising that surrounded the product when it was on the market, and/or the company’s general PR tactics at the time. What tactics does the company use to project a positive image around itself and/or its controversial products?

What is the emotional impact of No More Tears? How does Gardiner Harris use language that creates a sense of pathos and urgency around this topic?