1982 Tylenol murders
| Tylenol murders | |
| picture | |
| Type 1 | poisoning, black marketing |
| Type 2 | social scare, fear |
| Year | 1982 |
| Date | 09/29 |
| Place | Illinois, Chigaco |
| Numbers | 9, 11 |
| Perp | James Lewis |
| Linked to | |
| • media | |
| • Public relations | |
| Information | |
| Fakeologist | [ab 1] |
| Hoaxbusters | [HB 1] |
| Cluesforum | [CF 1] |
In September 1982 [1], seven people in Illinois died after taking potassium cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules. Johnson & Johnson’s CCO Larry Foster and advisor Harold Burson counseled CEO James Burke through the crisis. Working with the police, FDA and media, they issued a nationwide recall, delivered warnings and created new tamper-proof packaging. Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the tragedy set a standard and remains a model for effective crisis response and corporate responsibility[2].
Clues
- The story shows a cooperation between state and market institutions which is in these dimensions new.
- The story runs in the media as medical mystery[3].
- The reporting does not show much interest for the alleged victims of the poisoning.
- The reporting shows much more interest in the crisis management that the Coorporation Johnson & Johnson performed together with police, Federal Drug Administration and media.
- The story went down in PR curricula as model for crisis communication and is till today presented as that.
Photos
Videos
Audio
Numerology
References
Fakeologist
- ↑ [ ]
Cluesforum
- ↑ [ ]
Hoaxbusters
- ↑ [ ]