- http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/02/10/the-truly-staggering-cost-of-inventing-new-drugs/
- http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/04/04/americas-gardasil-problem-how-politics-poisons-public-health/
- http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/09/05/how-a-440000-drug-is-turning-alexion-into-biotechs-new-innovation-powerhouse/
- http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/12/20/why-mercks-niacin-failure-will-scare-drug-researchers/
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
2/10/2012; 4/04/2012; 9/05/2012; 12/20/2012
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
A new estimate of the cost of inventing new medicines; a look at how politics got in the way of HPV vaccination; an exclusive profile of a super-expensive drug; how the failure of a niacin study will affect heart medicines.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
The estimate of the cost of new medicines relies on FDA data and SEC filings; the HPV story made use of the publicly available VAERs database for vaccine adverse events.
Explain types of human sources used.
All of these stories involved calling lots of sources; in the niacin story, where a broad swath of opinions was essential, many are named, but in the others the stories and ideas were run by executives, doctors, researchers, and other experts.
Results:
The new estimate of drug R&D costs has been widely cited, including by the drug giant Novartis; the Gardasil piece opened up a wide conversation and hundreds of reader comments. All the stories have been cited by other media outlets.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No. There have been debates about the R&D figure, but nothing that challenges its accuracy.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Talk to lots of people.