The client was a leading Indian pharmaceutical company with operations in India, USA and Europe. The Company operates a large R&D centre in India and is engaged in drug discovery as well as clinical trials.

The crisis unfolded when one of the clinical trials ‘subjects’ died. His family maintained that the death was due to negligence on part of those conducting the trials and held the Company responsible. Soon after his death, his family lodged a complaint with the local police accusing the company of gross negligence.

Reporters picked up the story and approached the family who filled them on details (modest family background and how large companies exploited them). All the local newspapers carried the story with photographs on the front page, and local TV channels gave the incident huge footage. The Company was shown in very bad light. The newspaper stories rallied the local population who demonstrated in front of the Company’s clinical trials facility. Large crowds gathered with posters asking for ‘blood’ and this provided great ‘photo-ops’ the media.

The Company officials did not know how to deal with the media and made themselves unavailable. The absence of any comments or clarifications from the Company led to widespread speculation and received front page in billing in all local newspapers.

On the recommendation of an existing client and on references from some leading journalists, the Company engaged Pressman to advise and assist them on handling this issue.

The volunteer had not been visiting the clinical trial facility for several weeks and he died on account of an ailment. The statement of the doctor treating him corroborated this fact.

To vindicate the stand that the death was not the result of any lapses on the company’s part, it was important to explain the methodology of conducting such trials. The cornerstone of the strategy was to highlight the client’s outstanding track record and its high standards of ethics and safety. Third party endorsement formed a critical component of the strategy.

A detailed backgrounder on how clinical trials are conducted, precautions taken, compliances with internationally specified norms, regular monitoring of health of the subjects, was prepared for the media. The document also detailed the credentials of the doctors and administrators responsible for the trials.

Two senior consultants were deputed to the city where an emergency session was held with local management. On Pressman’s advice, a senior company director was also flown in from the Company’s corporate offices. Protocol issues were put in place, a company spokesperson nominated and media trained. A local media information desk was set up and manned by a senior company executive who was also given a crash course in media training.

A team of three (Company Director, local facility head and Pressman consultant) sought meetings with editors of the local media and visited them individually to explain the Company’s position. The explanatory note along with relevant background information was sent to the journalists covering the story.

As a result of the various measures taken, the media onslaught subsided and subsequent stories spelt out the company’s stand. Through a well-crafted strategy, a local crisis was contained and prevented from becoming a major national issue that could have had major repercussions for the Company. Pressman’s relationships with the editors and the senior journalists and knowledge of how the media works played an important role in this assignment.