The Constant Gardener

"Lorbeer claims in his confession that while acting for KVH he obtained the validation of Dypraxa by means of flattery and bribery. He describes buying health officials, fast-tracking clinical trials, purchasing drug registrations and import licenses and feeding every bureaucratic hand in the food chain. In Moscow, a validation by top medical opinion leaders could be bought for twenty-five thousand dollars. So he writes. The problem is that when you bribe one you must also bribe those you do not select, otherwise they will denigrate the molecule out of envy or resentment. In Poland it was not so different, but less expensive. In Germany, influence was more subtle but not very subtle. Lorbeer writes of a famous occasion when he chartered a jumbo jet for KVH and flew eighty eminent German physicians to Thailand for an educational trip." She was smiling as she related this. "Their education was provided on the journey out, in the form of films and lectures, also Beluga caviar and extremely ancient brandies and whiskies. Everything must be of the finest quality, he writes, because the good doctors of Germany have been spoiled early. Champagne is no longer interesting to them. In Thailand, the physicians were free to do as they wished, but recreation was provided for those who wanted it, also attractive partners. Lorbeer personally organized a helicopter to drop orchids on a certain beach where the physicians and their partners were relaxing. On the flight home, no further education was needed. The physicians were educated out. All they had to remember was how to write their prescriptions and learned articles."

But although she was laughing she was uneasy with this story, and needed to correct its impact.

"This does not signify that Dypraxa is a bad drug, Justin. Dypraxa is a very good drug that has not completed its trials. Not all doctors can be seduced, not all pharmaceutical companies are careless and greedy."

She paused, aware that she was speaking too much, but Justin made no attempt to deflect her.

"The modern pharmaceutical industry is only sixty-five years old. It has good men and women, it has achieved human and social miracles, but its collective conscience is not developed. Lorbeer writes that the pharmas turned their backs on God. He has many biblical references I do not understand. Perhaps that is because I do not understand God."

Carl had gone to sleep on the swing, so Justin lifted him out and, with his hand on his hot back, walked him softly up and down the tarmac.

"You were telling me how you telephoned Lara Emrich," Justin reminded her.

"Yes, but I distracted myself deliberately because I am embarrassed that I was stupid. Are you comfortable or shall I take him?"

"I'm fine."

The white Mercedes had stopped at the bottom of the hill. The two men were still sitting inside it.

"In Hippo we have assumed for years that our telephones are listened to, we have a certain pride about this. From time to time our mail is censored. We send ourselves letters and watch them come to us late and in a different condition. We have often fantasized about planting misleading information on the Organy."

"The what?"

"It is Lara's word. It is a Russian word from Soviet times. It means the organs of state."

"I shall adopt it immediately."

"So maybe the Organy listened to us laughing and rejoicing on the telephone when I promised Lara I would send her a copy of the document to Canada immediately. Lara said unfortunately she does not possess a fax machine because she has spent her money on lawyers and is not permitted to enter the hospital precincts. If she had possessed a fax machine, maybe there would be no problem today. She would have a copy of Lorbeer's confession, even if we did not. Everything would be saved. Maybe. Everything is maybe. Nothing has a proof."

"What about e-mail?"

"She has no e-mail anymore. Her computer had a cardiac arrest on the day after she attempted to publish her article, and it has not recovered."

She sat pink and stoical in her vexation.

"And therefore?" Justin prompted her.