Thread by @benjamin_rubin

Seen #Dopesick ep 6?

I bet you were appalled by the "blood charts" & manipulated data Rick & Randy uncovered. Think that can't be real? No way #PurduePharma actually did that?

Let's start from the beginning. This is what a normal, scientific chart should look like...

1/5

2/5
The last chart had even intervals up the Y-axis. Totally normal. We learned how to read these in 6th grade

But #PurduePharma knew the data undermined the claim that OxyContin had fewer "peaks & valleys"

So they made a new one. Look at the Y-axis. Notice anything strange?

3/5
Did you see the Y-axis intervals narrowing? Purdue was compressing data to mislead you.

FDA didn't approve. OxyContin didn't actually have "fewer peaks and valleys"

But Purdue kept going. Look at this Y-axis. 1-10 = 10-100. If I didn't point it out, would you have noticed?

4/5

But Purdue knew they weren't supposed to do that. Very few people would notice the manipulation

So they didn't publish the charts. Sales Reps showed them to doctors in person

These are what they used. Look close. There aren't even numbers on the Y-axis! No data. Only lies

5/5
One more thing #Dopesick exposes:

Think this was a mistake by #Purdue? Oversight? An overzealous employee?

Think again. Purdue didn't "officially" distribute the charts. They trained Sales Reps to DRAW them to show doctors

They weren't scientific charts. They were doodles