be tested for cyanide. But they actually did the exact opposite of that.
It is a longstanding myth that Johnson & Johnson inspected most or all of the Tylenol capsules that were in Chicago area outlets at the time of the Tylenol murders. This myth is debunked by one of Johnson & Johnson’s own documents.
Thomas N. Gates, the Medical Director for McNeil Consumer Products, wrote a “Dear Doctor letter,” dated October 13, 1982, in which he said J&J, the FDA, and the local authorities had tested two million Tylenol capsules nationwide. Gates wrote:
The Food and Drug Administration, the investigative authorities in the Chicago area, and McNeil Consumer Products Company scientists have collectively examined over 2 million individual capsules collected randomly throughout the country and have found no evidence of cyanide contamination.
The final count of inspected Tylenol capsules was two million; the same amount cited in Gates’ October 13 th letter. Of those 2 million inspected capsules, 1.5 million were from outside the Chicago area; 500,000 were from inside the Chicago area. FDA Deputy Commissioner, Mark Novitch, confirmed that the FDA had randomly tested a total of 1.5 million Tylenol capsules nationwide, primarily from outside the Chicago area.
The New York Times reported on October 7, 1982 that Chicago authorities had tested more than 310,000 Tylenol capsules from about 6,200 bottles, and 170,000 tablets from about 3,400 bottles turned in by Chicago area residents. Of the 500,000 capsules tested from the Chicago area, 310,000 were tested by Chicago authorities, meaning 190,000 were tested by Johnson & Johnson. At 50 capsules per bottle, Johnson & Johnson tested just 3,800 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules out of about 10,000 bottles tested in the Chicago area and about 40,000 bottles tested nationwide.
There were about 165,000 retail outlets nationwide selling Tylenol products in 1982. About 11,000 were in the Chicago area; 2,000 were in the city of Chicago. If each of the 11,000 Chicago-area stores had 20 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules on hand, then about 220,000 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules were in Chicago area stores on the day of the murders. J&J tested just 3,800 of those Chicago Tylenol bottles, representing about 1.72 percent of the Extra Strength Tylenol capsules in Chicago area stores on the day of the Tylenol murders. J&J may have actually inspected fewer than 3,800 bottles of Tylenol capsules.
United Press International (UPI) reported on October 22, 1982, that “authorities said workers at J&J’s temporary lab in the company’s Lemont distribution center had examined more than 100,000 Tylenol capsules from the Chicago area, representing about 70 percent of those Tylenol capsules that had been shipped to Lemont.” This UPI report indicated that J&J inspected a total of only about 143,000 capsules from about 2,857 bottles (100,000 / 0.70 = 142,857; 142,857 / 50 = 2,857).
By Saturday afternoon, October 2 nd , local residents had turned in about 1,500 bottles of Tylenol to authorities in Chicago’s suburbs and an unspecified number of bottles to authorities in the City of Chicago. They continued to turn in Tylenol capsules for several more days, so it appears that all 2,857 to 3,800 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules inspected by J&J had been turned in by Chicago area residents, meaning J&J must not have inspected any of the Tylenol capsules from Chicago area stores. The Tylenol capsules from Chicago area hospitals, repackaging facilities, and distribution centers were also not inspected.
The statistical analysis done in the previous chapter further suggests that hundreds of bottles of cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules had been distributed to Chicago area stores. Yet authorities will admit to finding only eight Tylenol bottles containing about 55 cyanide-laced Extra Strength Tylenol capsules.
In J&J’s letter to its shareholders, released in early 1983,
It is a longstanding myth that Johnson & Johnson inspected most or all of the Tylenol capsules that were in Chicago area outlets at the time of the Tylenol murders. This myth is debunked by one of Johnson & Johnson’s own documents.
Thomas N. Gates, the Medical Director for McNeil Consumer Products, wrote a “Dear Doctor letter,” dated October 13, 1982, in which he said J&J, the FDA, and the local authorities had tested two million Tylenol capsules nationwide. Gates wrote:
The Food and Drug Administration, the investigative authorities in the Chicago area, and McNeil Consumer Products Company scientists have collectively examined over 2 million individual capsules collected randomly throughout the country and have found no evidence of cyanide contamination.
The final count of inspected Tylenol capsules was two million; the same amount cited in Gates’ October 13 th letter. Of those 2 million inspected capsules, 1.5 million were from outside the Chicago area; 500,000 were from inside the Chicago area. FDA Deputy Commissioner, Mark Novitch, confirmed that the FDA had randomly tested a total of 1.5 million Tylenol capsules nationwide, primarily from outside the Chicago area.
The New York Times reported on October 7, 1982 that Chicago authorities had tested more than 310,000 Tylenol capsules from about 6,200 bottles, and 170,000 tablets from about 3,400 bottles turned in by Chicago area residents. Of the 500,000 capsules tested from the Chicago area, 310,000 were tested by Chicago authorities, meaning 190,000 were tested by Johnson & Johnson. At 50 capsules per bottle, Johnson & Johnson tested just 3,800 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules out of about 10,000 bottles tested in the Chicago area and about 40,000 bottles tested nationwide.
There were about 165,000 retail outlets nationwide selling Tylenol products in 1982. About 11,000 were in the Chicago area; 2,000 were in the city of Chicago. If each of the 11,000 Chicago-area stores had 20 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules on hand, then about 220,000 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules were in Chicago area stores on the day of the murders. J&J tested just 3,800 of those Chicago Tylenol bottles, representing about 1.72 percent of the Extra Strength Tylenol capsules in Chicago area stores on the day of the Tylenol murders. J&J may have actually inspected fewer than 3,800 bottles of Tylenol capsules.
United Press International (UPI) reported on October 22, 1982, that “authorities said workers at J&J’s temporary lab in the company’s Lemont distribution center had examined more than 100,000 Tylenol capsules from the Chicago area, representing about 70 percent of those Tylenol capsules that had been shipped to Lemont.” This UPI report indicated that J&J inspected a total of only about 143,000 capsules from about 2,857 bottles (100,000 / 0.70 = 142,857; 142,857 / 50 = 2,857).
By Saturday afternoon, October 2 nd , local residents had turned in about 1,500 bottles of Tylenol to authorities in Chicago’s suburbs and an unspecified number of bottles to authorities in the City of Chicago. They continued to turn in Tylenol capsules for several more days, so it appears that all 2,857 to 3,800 bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol capsules inspected by J&J had been turned in by Chicago area residents, meaning J&J must not have inspected any of the Tylenol capsules from Chicago area stores. The Tylenol capsules from Chicago area hospitals, repackaging facilities, and distribution centers were also not inspected.
The statistical analysis done in the previous chapter further suggests that hundreds of bottles of cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules had been distributed to Chicago area stores. Yet authorities will admit to finding only eight Tylenol bottles containing about 55 cyanide-laced Extra Strength Tylenol capsules.
In J&J’s letter to its shareholders, released in early 1983,
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