A very bitter pill.

Blood on the Carpet

In 1988 Keith McCollogh set up a medical research company, British Biotech, and began to develop a potential cancer treatment. He was so confident of success that he persuaded a financier to launch his shares on the stock market. In 1992 he recruited Dr Andrew Millar and trials were begun on cancer patients. The same year he called a press conference to announce the success of the drug and shares in the company soared. Andrew Millar was alarmed, for the drug could not be made available for another two years, and on hearing disturbing reports about possible side effects of the drug on one of the trial patients he decided to conravene the rules of the rules of the trial and examine the data. He found no basis for concern about side effects, but neither did he find grounds for McCullough's confidence in the drug. Wall Street officials were also becoming concerned over McCullough's confident press releases and summoned him to New York. He sent Millar to defend the company, an experience which the latter found intimidating in the light of what he had discovered. On his return he spoke frankly to McCullogh about his concern over the gap between the claims made for the drug and the facts he had perceived from the trial data. However, a new drug under development by British Biotech zacutex (for hepatitis) seemed a sounder proposition, until regulators warned the company of their serious doubts about it. Keith McCullogh ignored the warning and concentrated on maintaining investor confidence by issuing confident statements about zacutex. It was not long before the regulators announced that this drug would be rejected. One of the firm's major investors met Andrew Millar to find out what was going on at British Biotech, and a decision was taken to force McCullogh out. McMullogh found out and sacked Millar. The row became public, panic took hold of the shareholders, the value of the company plummeted and such was McCullogh's desire for revenge that Andrew Millar really feared his former boss would be able to issue a restraining order, declaring him insane. He fought back, revealing that US regulators were investigating British Biotech. Keith McCullogh could not withstand the reaction to this news and resigned. In 2000, British and US regulators criticised British Biotech for making misleading claims and Andrew Millar received an apology and a settlement. Neither the cancer nor the hepatitis drug has yet succeeded. British Biotech continues to carry out drug research, with Andrew Millar as chief executive. Keith McCullogh is chairman of an internet healthcare company.

documentary about the rise and fall of the British Biotech attempt to produce a cure for cancer and the eventual dispute between the chief scientist and the managing director with the resultant adverse media coverage.

[Place of publication not identified] : BBC TV, 2001.

1 videocassette (VHS) (45 min.) : sound, color, PAL.

Not known