"And where is your conscience in all that?" "Still intact, still in place," she responded sharply.”If I'm asked about my resignation I'll answer honestly. It's simply that I don't propose to bring it up, simply to make myself look good.”
Celia had reminded Quentin, too, of the lack of any scientific grounds for her resignation-a weakness she had been aware of at the time, and her reason for not going public. She now informed the Senate subcommittee, "No doubts whatever about the safety of Montayne arose until a report from Australia in June 1976. Even then, there seemed no reason for concern because an Australian government investigation...”
Step by step she traced the Montayne story. The recital took forty minutes, at which point Celia concluded, "My company has complied with committee subpoenas by supplying documents confirming all that I have said. We remain ready to cooperate in any other way, and to respond to questions.”
The questions began at once, the first from the committee counsel, Stanley Urbach, long-faced and thin-lipped, who gave the impression of smiling only on rare occasions. "Mrs. Jordan, you referred to the first Australian report that raised possible doubts about Montayne. That would be seven to eight months before your company placed the drug on sale in the United States. Is that correct?" She calculated mentally.”Yes.”
"Mentioned in your statement were two other adverse reports, one from France, another from Spain, both also occurring before your company's U.S. marketing of Montayne. Again correct?" "Not entirely, Mr. Urbach. You called them adverse reports. What they were-at that point-were allegations which had been investigated by Laboratoires Gironde-Chimie and declared unsubstantiated.”
The lawyer made an impatient gesture.”If we are quibbling about words, let me ask you this: Were the reports favorable?" "No, and perhaps I can save us time. In the pharmaceutical business 'adverse reports' has a specific meaning. In that sense, those from France and Spain were not.”
Urbach sighed.”Would the witness settle for 'critical reports?” "I suppose so.”
Celia already sensed this was going to be difficult, and that she was in for a hard time. Senator Donahue cut in.”The point counsel is making is perfectly clear. Were you people-your company-aware of those three reports prior to Montayne's being placed on sale here?" "Yes, we were.”
"Yet you still went ahead and marketed the drug?" "Senator, with any new drug there are always negative opinions. All of them must be examined carefully and assessed...”
"Please, Mrs, Jordan. I am not asking for a lecture on the practices of the pharmaceutical industry. My question requires a simple 'yes' or 'no.' I repeat: Knowing about those reports, did your company go ahead and sell that drug to pregnant American women?" Celia hesitated. "We are waiting, Mrs. Jordan.”
"Yes, Senator, but...”
"The answer 'yes' will be sufficient.”
Donahue nodded to Urbach.”Carry on.”
"Would it not have been better and more prudent," the subcommittee counsel asked, "for Felding-Roth to have done more investigating of those reports and delayed the launching of Montayne?" Celia thought wryly: that had been her argument which, later, caused her to resign. Remembering her role here, she answered, "With hindsight, yes. Of course. But at the time, the company was proceeding on scientific advice.”
"Whose advice?" She considered before answering. It had, of course, been Lord's advice, but she wanted to be fair.”Our director of research, Dr. Lord, but he was acting on what seemed authentic data from Gironde-Chimic.”
"We will ask Dr. Lord about that later. Meanwhile....”
Urbach consulted notes. Did the decision to go ahead, and not to delay Montayne despite those adverse... excuse me, critical reports have any relation to anticipated profits?" "Well, profits are always a factor "Mrs. Jordan! Yes or no?" Inwardly, Celia sighed. K`hat was the good? Every question was a trap, a contrived progression toward a preconceived conclusion. She conceded, "Yes.”
"Were those profits critical to your company?" "It was believed so, yes.”
"What were those profits expected to be?" The remorseless, loaded questions continued. Yet, she found time to ask in a corner of her mind: Were they so unfairly loaded when touching so very close to truth? Wasn't there a time, not long ago, when she would have asked those same questions herself? And wasn't it ironic that she was appearing here in place of Sam Hawthorne who ought to have had these questions put to him, but was dead? For the first time since Hawaii, she was reminded of Andrew's cautioning words: "If you go back... the Montayne mess and responsibility will rub off on you.” As happened so often, Andrew had been right. Her ordeal was interrupted by a lunch recess, Senator Donahue informing her, "Mrs. Jordan, you may stand down, but please be available for more questions later.”
The senator then announced, "The next witness after lunch will be Dr. Vincent Lord.”
12
Quentin and Celia ate a sandwich lunch and drank coffee from a thermos in the rear of a limousine which had been waiting for them outside the Old Senate Office Building.”It's faster and more private than we'd get elsewhere," Quentin had said when announcing the arrangement. Now they were parked on Jefferson Drive, not far from the Smithsonian, with the uniformed chauffeur pacing to and fro outside. Vincent Lord had been invited for the limousine lunch, but declined, having made other arrangements. "You're being made to look bad, and I mean bad personally," Quentin said, after a while.”How do you feel about that?" Celia grimaced.”How would anyone feel? I don't like it.”
"What's happening is a tactic.”
The lawyer sipped his steaming coffee. "Any investigation of this type, which is a political exercise, requires a showcase villain. Representing your company, you happen to be the one available. But I could do something to change that.” "Do what?" "Let me explain some background first. Donahue and his staff know about your stand within the company against Montayne, and your resignation because of it. There's no way they wouldn't know; they're thorough people. They probably know, too, the terms you insisted on when coming back, and they're certainly aware of the Felding-Roth Doctrine, and that you were its author.”
"Then why...”
"Hear me out. Also, try to look at it their way.”
Quentin nodded to a group of passing tourists who had peered into the limousine, then he turned his attention back to Celia.”Why should Donahue's people concern themselves with bolstering your image? And if they did, who else could they focus on critically? Certainly not a dead man; he's beyond their reach.”
"I suppose I understand all that, and I know you said this is a political exercise," Celia admitted.”Just the same, isn't the truth important at all?" "If I were a lawyer on the other side," Quentin said, "I'd answer your question this way: Yes, truth is always important. But concerning Montayne, the truth lies in what the company-Felding-Roth-did, because it marketed Montayne and is responsible. As to you individually-yes, you did resign. But you also came back and, in doing so, accepted your share of responsibility for Montayne, even after the fact.”
Quentin smiled grimly. "Of course, I could argue the whole thing the other way and be equally convincing.”
"Lawyers!" Celia's laugh was hollow.”Do they ever believe in anything?" "One tries to. Though perpetual ambivalence is a hazard of the profession.”
"You said there was something you could do. Just what?" "On the subcommittee," Quentin pointed out, "are several minority members friendly to your industry. There's also a minority counsel. None of them have spoken up yet, and probably won't, because doing so might suggest they were in favor of Montaynean impossible position. But what one of them will do, if I request it as a favor, is have questions asked to bring out your personal record and make you look good instead of awful.”