PCJ – Chapter 699 Landslide

“Mayor Zhang, there have been several cases at the Second Hospital where the cancer specialty drug was ineffective. The patients’ families are filing complaints and demanding compensation from Meishan Pharmaceutical.” Secretary Tang Yuekang rushed in.

“How is that possible?” Zhang Jiaohua was very surprised. Until now, there had never been a single ineffective case with this specialty drug. Suddenly having multiple cases at once was definitely suspicious.

“This is a report just submitted by the Biyun District Public Security Bureau,” Tang Yuekang said.

“Investigate! Have the Biyun District Public Security Bureau conduct a thorough investigation to find out where the problem lies!” Zhang quickly thought of a possibility.

One ineffective case might be an accident, but multiple consecutive ineffective cases definitely are not. Either the drug itself has a problem, or someone swapped the real cancer specialty drug with fake ones! The latter seemed more likely.

Zhang immediately asked Meiqing about the situation.

“We also just received news from the pharmaceutical factory. However, all the cancer specialty drugs on the market are from the same batch, so it’s impossible for just one hospital to have all the defective products,” Meiqing gave her opinion.

Zhang nodded, “I agree with you. Actually, this kind of situation is not surprising. I know the black market price for this cancer specialty drug has already risen to seven figures. Some people are bound to take desperate risks.”

“These bastards care only about their own interests and don’t care if others live or die. I have already instructed the pharmaceutical factory to urgently provide new cancer specialty drugs for these patients. The supply to the Second Hospital has been temporarily suspended. Until the investigation is complete, we will not resume supplies to that hospital,” Meiqing said.

“That’s the right approach. But we must not let those greedy people go unpunished,” Zhang said.

Such matters can’t withstand an investigation. Soon, the Biyun District Public Security Bureau reported that a staff member from the Second Hospital’s pharmacy department and a nurse had swapped the cancer specialty drugs. They replaced the used cancer drug packaging with glucose solutions to fake the cancer drug, while giving the real cancer specialty drugs to a pharmaceutical representative to sell on the black market. The money was split three ways.

The pharmacy staff and the nurse were a couple, who had fallen into heavy debt due to gambling. Desperate, they targeted the cancer specialty drug.

When their crime was about to be exposed, they attempted to flee, but police officers from Bijiang City set up a checkpoint and caught them. This ended the widespread online rumors about the cancer drug ineffectiveness cases, officially solving the case.

However, several swapped cancer specialty drug doses had already disappeared, and had quickly made their way overseas through certain channels.

Pfizer obtained some of these doses.

“Immediately conduct testing and analysis of this drug to crack its components. Whoever first successfully analyzes it will be rewarded one hundred million US dollars and be given 10% shares of this new drug,” Pfizer’s president, Earl, announced to the company’s top researchers.

This huge incentive motivated all the researchers eagerly.

What surprised them was that the components of this drug were not as complex as expected. As a traditional Chinese medicine, the formula was complex, but Pfizer’s scientists, with rich experience and advanced technology, were able to identify the main components from dozens of mixtures. Using computer software analysis, they could roughly recreate the herbal prescription.

Pfizer’s research center had two very strong teams — one led by Madden and the other by Barnes.

Madden and Barnes were once close friends but became rivals due to conflicts over interests. Each now led a top team at Pfizer’s research center.

“This bonus is ours for sure!” Madden was very confident.

Barnes sneered coldly, “We don’t need empty talk to feel victorious. We will conquer with strength.”

Earl was pleased to see the competition between the two teams, believing competition would drive motivation. Harmony was not necessary.

A few days later, both teams came together with the same results.

“Since both teams agree, let’s speed up the development,” Earl said, confident nothing was impossible for these two teams.

Suddenly, Madden stood and said, “This is not the only discovery. We detected a rare crystalline substance in the drug solution. We suspect this crystal is responsible for the drug’s extraordinary effect.”

Barnes’s team had not noticed or recognized this, so Madden’s team had gained an edge.

“Quickly find out what this crystal is,” Earl ordered.

Madden and Barnes’ teams performed various tests on the mysterious substance but could not determine its nature.

They could not detect it! Even with the world’s most advanced instruments, this strange substance eluded all analysis.

At first, Earl was patient and encouraged the researchers to keep trying. But after days of repeated results, Earl finally lost his temper.

“What are you doing? You pride yourselves as the world’s top researchers, yet you can’t identify the components of a drug right in front of you?” Earl was disappointed that their skills were declining despite chasing fame and fortune.

On another front, due to the drug swapping incident, stricter regulations were introduced. Meishan Pharmaceutical worked hard to prevent issues at all points—from factory to hospital to patient.

While Zhang Jiaohua and Meiqing discussed how to ensure orderly distribution of cancer treatment drugs to patients, Tang Yuekang burst into the office nervously.

“Mayor Zhang! Something bad has happened!”

“What is it?” Zhang felt a bad premonition.

“There’s been a tunnel collapse near Bihu Lake. Fifteen construction workers are trapped inside. The situation is very urgent,” Tang said.

“Any casualties?” Zhang asked.

“Not yet, but the tunnel entrance is blocked. They can’t get out,” Tang said helplessly.