BUSSINESS ETHICS

JOHNSON
&
JOHNSON
Case : Tylenol murders

 Company Profile:
started in the year 1886. It was
started to produce first sterile surgical dressings. It
has various products like baby powder ,disposable
contact lens, medicines and many types of medical
related products.
It was considered as one of the safest place to work
for the employees it has 160 branches in more than
60 companies and many subsidiary companies .
The following case is about which created history in
the field of medical ethics in united states of
America in 1982.
 Company credo
 The credo said the company had four major
responsibility in the following priority.
 1. Consumers.
 2. Employees.
 3. Communities.
 4. Stock holders.
 What happened in 1982
 James W Lewis the employee of McNeil
consumer product of subsidiary company of
J&J mixed cyanide in the capsules of Tylenol.
 7 people died.
 Foster the vice president of J&J took up the

charge handling the crisis.

 Emergency call back of the Tylenol capsules

which was distributed throughout the country

 How they handled the crisis
 They lost 100 million $ for the call back and disposed
these medicines in waste.
 They did not claim McNeil company for doing wrong

they claim them selves for doing wrong and take the
action on them selves.
 Foster said he believed only 3 steps which helped from

crisis:
1. The company was open to the media.
2. It was willing to recall the product
3. It appealed for the people trust in America by
adding Police and FBI action on them
 Whom helped them
 1. People
 The major friend is media .
 Media never wrote the negative aspect of the

company. Because the honesty of the

company was liked to the media. Media did
not mention the companies name in the news
article.
 People never thought or fought for the close

of the company
 What they did
 They made a video clip showing how good
are their products manufacturing units.
 They exchanged with Tylenol tablets with

capsules freely
 Surprisingly they never lost their stock

holders due to company good will

 People never dismissed other products of J&J
Thank
you