Gardner Harris

Well, so Johnson & Johnson has myriad responses.

Much of what I relay in the book comes out of sworn testimony, not only in civil trials, but also I have files from multiple grand juries.

These are secret files in which Johnson & Johnson executives give sworn testimony to the behavior of their corporation.

But

As they basically always have with me, I went to them as soon as I got this book contract and said, look, I'm going to be working on this for a few years.

I'd love to talk to you.

I'd love to engage with you.

They shut me out.

In these grand jury files, I have 15.

thousands of names and cell phone numbers of executives.

And over the course of doing the research for this book, I called hundreds and hundreds of them.

And some 90% of these people told me to take a hike.

But 10% ended up talking to me.

I am certain that the 90% who told me to take a hike

immediately called corporate headquarters and said, do you know this guy is calling around and asking?

I also have friends who know the chief executives and went to them multiple times and said, look, this guy is a serious journalist.

He's doing a serious thing.

You should really consider talking to him.

They never changed that stance.

But Shamita, that has been their strategy ever since the 1970s,