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The Whistleblower: Confessions of a Healthcare Hitman
A number of books critical of the pharmaceutical industry have recently been published, but none has been an exposé written by a senior executive of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. The Whistleblower is at once an unmasking of how corporations take care of malcontents and a gripping story of one man's fight to maintain his family and his sanity. Starting in 2003, the book details the illegal, even criminal business practices the author witnessed at his corporation, as well as his crusade to legalize the reimportation of drugs. It also explains how in this post-Enron world whistle-blowers can't simply be fired, and what the author's corporation did to coerce and silence him. A story of a battle that continues today, one which any American who takes or will take prescription drugs has a stake in, The Whistleblower is a powerful testimony.
- GenresNonfictionHealth
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2006
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June 25, 2007A number of books critical of the pharmaceutical industry have recently been published, but none has been an exposé written by a senior executive of the world's largest pharmaceutical company, Pfizer. The Whistleblower is at once an unmasking of how corporations take care of malcontents and a gripping story of one man's fight to maintain his family and his sanity.
Until now, Dr. Rost's legal battle against Pfizer has not been disclosed, but his public efforts to legalize reimportation of drugs have been documented in hundreds of newspaper articles, from The New York Times, to the Washington Post, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Times. He has also participated in scores of radio and television interviews, from 60 Minutes to CNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX News programs. Journalists and news anchors have repeatedly asked how a senior drug company executive-a vice president at Pfizer-could speak out in favor of reimportation of drugs, against the wishes of his employer, and still have a job.
The Whistleblower will shock everyone, whether they follow the news or not. It begins in 2003 when Pfizer takes over Pharmacia, where Dr. Rost worked, and details the insidious techniques Pfizer used to terminate more than 10,000 Pharmacia employees. It reveals illegal, and even criminal business practices at Pharmacia, which Rost brought to light during the Pfizer acquisition, resulting in the FBI, the FDA's Enforcement Division, the Justice Department, the New York State Attorney General, and the Securities and Exchange Commission all calling him in for questioning over the course of the following year.
As the various cases moved forward, Dr. Rost became persona non grata at Pfizer. But in the post-Enron world of federal sanctions for retaliation against whistleblowers, he couldn't be fired or demoted, although he lost his department and was moved to an office next to corporate security. He is a department of one, a man whose job it is, in effect, to carry forward the cases against his employer.
But most of all this is the story of one senior industry executive who set out to change the entire pharmaceutical industry for the better, fighting on the behalf of American consumers for lower priced drugs. To win this battle, he testified before Congress and wrote this book, which exposes the drug industry's darkest and most closely guarded secrets. The Whistleblower is powerful testimony.
Until now, Dr. Rost's legal battle against Pfizer has not been disclosed, but his public efforts to legalize reimportation of drugs have been documented in hundreds of newspaper articles, from The New York Times, to the Washington Post, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Times. He has also participated in scores of radio and television interviews, from 60 Minutes to CNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX News programs. Journalists and news anchors have repeatedly asked how a senior drug company executive-a vice president at Pfizer-could speak out in favor of reimportation of drugs, against the wishes of his employer, and still have a job.
The Whistleblower will shock everyone, whether they follow the news or not. It begins in 2003 when Pfizer takes over Pharmacia, where Dr. Rost worked, and details the insidious techniques Pfizer used to terminate more than 10,000 Pharmacia employees. It reveals illegal, and even criminal business practices at Pharmacia, which Rost brought to light during the Pfizer acquisition, resulting in the FBI, the FDA's Enforcement Division, the Justice Department, the New York State Attorney General, and the Securities and Exchange Commission all calling him in for questioning over the course of the following year.
As the various cases moved forward, Dr. Rost became persona non grata at Pfizer. But in the post-Enron world of federal sanctions for retaliation against whistleblowers, he couldn't be fired or demoted, although he lost his department and was moved to an office next to corporate security. He is a department of one, a man whose job it is, in effect, to carry forward the cases against his employer.
But most of all this is the story of one senior industry executive who set out to change the entire pharmaceutical industry for the better, fighting on the behalf of American consumers for lower priced drugs. To win this battle, he testified before Congress and wrote this book, which exposes the drug industry's darkest and most closely guarded secrets. The Whistleblower is powerful testimony.
March 8, 2017
Not very well written, but an interesting look at the pharmaceutical industry from an insider who tried to make them do the right (legal) thing. Adds another look to how messed up our health care industry is.
January 28, 2016
Peter Rost's account of his whisteblowing activities and struggles at Phizer after he brought potentially illegal activites to his superiors notice. This book is less of an expose than the title and description would lead you to believe. The wrong doings in the pharmaceutical industry that lead Rost to become a whistleblower are tax fraud and marketing drugs for off-label use. The fact that pharma companies engage in these activites should surprise exactly no one.
What The Whistleblower is more interesting for, is Rost's story of what happened to him and how he was treated after he made these allegations. For two years he was kept on at Phizer as they played a cat and mouse version of chicken. He won't quit and they can't quite fire him without opening themselves up to more potential lawsuits, so they try to make things difficult for each other while pretending not to at the same time.
My main issue is that Rost tries to paint too rosy of a picture of himself. He clearly wants the reader to know that he is the good guy and was fighting against the big evil corporation, but some of his actions are clearly selfish and motiviated by different reasons than trying to do the right thing. At one point he actually sells out several colleagues that provided him with information.
It's an interesting story but the allegations against the pharma industry aren't anything groundbreaking and it's hard to feel too bad for a guy that was pulling down over half a million a year as a drug company exec just because he got put in a tough situation and was eventually fired.
What The Whistleblower is more interesting for, is Rost's story of what happened to him and how he was treated after he made these allegations. For two years he was kept on at Phizer as they played a cat and mouse version of chicken. He won't quit and they can't quite fire him without opening themselves up to more potential lawsuits, so they try to make things difficult for each other while pretending not to at the same time.
My main issue is that Rost tries to paint too rosy of a picture of himself. He clearly wants the reader to know that he is the good guy and was fighting against the big evil corporation, but some of his actions are clearly selfish and motiviated by different reasons than trying to do the right thing. At one point he actually sells out several colleagues that provided him with information.
It's an interesting story but the allegations against the pharma industry aren't anything groundbreaking and it's hard to feel too bad for a guy that was pulling down over half a million a year as a drug company exec just because he got put in a tough situation and was eventually fired.
July 15, 2007
At a glance this book looks like an exciting indictment of Big Pharma. The guy was VP of Marketing at Pfizer, and is spilling it all. Yet, the prose is dull, the story sad but nothing new, and the book overall is a disappointment.
I am absolutely no fan of drug companies, but this book won't tell you much that you don't already know.
I am absolutely no fan of drug companies, but this book won't tell you much that you don't already know.
July 4, 2014
After becoming a huge fan of Dr Ben Goldacre's work, this seemed like a good direction to follow. Started well but slowly declined into rambling and self absorbed. Some interesting points and I am glad he documented his findings. Brave to become a whistleblower. I admire his spirit.
Worth a read, but erratic and disorganised in areas.
Worth a read, but erratic and disorganised in areas.
July 23, 2015
Intriguing.
December 15, 2018
Picked up this book as research for a project on illicit tactics from Big Pharma. I figured the insider perspective would yield some info I couldn't find from a more removed perspective. Rost is obviously qualified to be writing about this subject but his voice doesn't really help the subject matter. Filled with lots of strange analogies and getting lost in technical details of financial stats and his legal battle, he loses sight of his audience a bit. He takes a fairly biased stance on the whole issue, understandably so, but it makes the book feel more like cashing in on a revenge story rather than presenting an objective and factual account of the events described.
The first part of the book detailing the buyout of his company was somewhat compelling but it kind of devolves from the there. The final 80 pages or so focus only on touting his media and political impact and constantly spouting quotes about himself from others. Ironic that he mentioned reaching out to the ghostwriter of successful Big Pharma book because he really could have used one himself. He has a compelling story no doubt but he really isn't the one to tell it.
The first part of the book detailing the buyout of his company was somewhat compelling but it kind of devolves from the there. The final 80 pages or so focus only on touting his media and political impact and constantly spouting quotes about himself from others. Ironic that he mentioned reaching out to the ghostwriter of successful Big Pharma book because he really could have used one himself. He has a compelling story no doubt but he really isn't the one to tell it.
June 7, 2019
The last third, from page 139 'How Corrupt is the Drug Industry', ok. I.e. some history etc. Otherwise he aint no writer and it is just a journal to himself. 3 stars only because it is important to show how corrupt the pharmaceutical industry is.
October 24, 2017
Hated it, very unsavory topic
August 3, 2016
I read this book because it was a requirement for my healthcare legal course for my graduate degree. Honestly, the book provides great insight into the world of mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers within the pharmaceutical industry and how to author disclosed illegal and fraudulent activity. However, buy the end, the author was incredibly desperate, understandable, but his desperation and antics clouded the beginning of the book.
May 24, 2008
A "healthcare thriller"; Pfizer exec reveals the naughtiness of Big Pharma. Marcia Angell is not crazy. What she write is true (gasp!)
September 16, 2008
A book which describes the corruption in Big Pharma and why Qui Tam law is important for future reform.
November 2, 2011
Reconfirmed why I'm getting out of this industry. Interesting story, but poorly organized & Rost doesn't do a great job convincing the reader that he's not a self-interested corporateer.
June 1, 2011
Okay, so this was more about one man's perspective working with pharmaceutical companies. Not really what I expected, but an okay read.
March 13, 2016
Very revealing story about when science meets big business. I'd recommend this to anyone who has an interest in marketing, pharmacuetical agencies, coorporations, or government.
July 30, 2015
Only for people in the industry, interesting but got tedious.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews