Uncovering the dark secrets of Johnson and Johnson

Diane Rehm: On My Mind

Johnson & Johnson was founded in the late 1800s and grew into one of the most trusted brands in America for its baby powder, Tylenol, Band-Aids, then cutting edge pharmaceuticals. Today, the company is worth more than $380 billion.

But behind the success, says investigative journalist Gardiner Harris, lies a wake of deceitful and dangerous corporate practices that have threatened the lives of millions.

“These guys are incredibly intimidating,” he says of the company. “And when they don’t succeed in buying you off, which is what they have done over the decades for doctors, journalists and lawyers, they sue.”

Harris is a former pharmaceutical reporter for The New York Times. He has spent decades looking into the long history of lies, cover-ups and malfeasance of Johnson & Johnson. He joins Diane to talk about his new book, No More Tears.