The Great Capsule Controversy

Tainted medicine makes a whole industry swallow hard

Four years ago, when seven people in the Chicago area died after taking cyanide-laced capsules of Tylenol pain reliever, the crime seemed so horrible --so peculiarly horrible--that it was hard to believe it would ever be repeated. And yet it has been, again and again. Last February tainted Tylenol capsules killed a Peekskill, N.Y., woman. A month later traces of rat poison were found in Contac cold capsules and Teldrin allergy medication in Houston and Orlando. Two weeks ago, medical investigators discovered that two residents of Auburn, Wash., had died as a result of swallowing toxic Excedrin capsules. Bristol-Myers quickly pulled...

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