Elevate with Robert Glazer Gardiner Harris On The Dark Story Of Johnson & Johnson
11 snips
Feb 17, 2026 
Gardiner Harris, investigative journalist and author of No More Tears, who has exposed corporate and public health wrongdoing. He traces Johnson & Johnson’s scandals, unsafe product marketing, and cultural shifts that enabled harm. He also discusses talc and baby powder, Risperdal’s effects on children, and signs of dangerous corporate cultures. The conversation digs into accountability, regulatory capture, and reforms to restore trust.
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Appalachia Investigation Exposed Faked Dust Tests
- Harris uncovered coal mines faking dust tests by sampling fresh air at mine entrances instead of inside.
- His reporting led to stricter laws and temporary testing improvements, though problems later returned.
Police Beat Led To Investigative Career
- Harris's police reporting led to indictments and intense surveillance, which pushed him to investigate Appalachia.
- That assignment revealed systemic public-health abuses and launched his investigative trajectory.
1968 Marked A Cultural Turning Point
- J&J's ethical shift began after Robert Wood Johnson II died in 1968 and the company pursued darker practices.
- That turning point led to hiding asbestos in baby powder and other cover-ups.
