“If someone can explain to me the difference between McKinsey/Big Pharma, the opiate cartel and the organizations of people like Pablo Escobar, I’ll listen. You may wear nice suits and work in luxury offices, but you do exactly the same!”
In just a few minutes, U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib put Bob Sternfels, managing partner of the consulting firm McKinsey, in his place, accusing him of helping to boost sales of drugs like OxyContin, a highly addictive opioid.
The executive appeared before Congress to answer for McKinsey’s responsibility for fueling the opioid crisis. Over the past twenty years, the number of overdose deaths attributable to opiates has only increased. It is estimated that nearly 500,000 Americans died during this period.
However, the pharmaceutical industry has been pushing doctors and pharmacists for years to prescribe and sell these drugs by the bucket, without worrying about the impact on the population. Result: in 2021 a first firm Purdue, advised by McKinsey, was ordered to pay $4.5 billion.
Confronted with one of the McKinsey officials, the senator didn’t mince his words. Revealing the contents of emails from the consultancy that are more cynical than ever. Look :