Pharma

Big Pharma parody Trustus Pharma is good for a laugh. Trust us.

If Big Pharma is looking for a version of NBC television’s The Office, the animated […]

If Big Pharma is looking for a version of NBC television’s The Office, the animated parody videos of Trustus Pharmaceuticals fit the bill.

A YouTube user who goes by the handle ZombieSymmetry has uploaded seven videos showing scenarios at a pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing site for Trustus, which uses the simple but catchy corporate slogan “Disease Happens.”

Credit to the blog of Raleigh, North Carolina life sciences recruiter Beaker, where MedCity News first saw the link to the Trustus videos. ZombieSymmetry’s YouTube channel says this about Trustus: “A collection of scientists, misfits and corporate stooges at an imaginary pharmaceutical plant must deal with endless inane corporate ‘initiatives’ while struggling to maintain their sanity.” The posts are all recent; the first video appeared on Jan. 15. In the most recent video, corporate lackey Oliver presents the latest managerial initiative called the “Flagship Vision.” In an ominous metaphor for Big Pharma, Oliver’s slides use a picture of the Titanic. Why? “It had survivors,” Oliver explains.

My favorite video is the one describing “The Future of Pharma.” It shows new hire Mike talking with site manager Heidi, who is immersed in the corporate speak of Kaizen training and another corporate initiative called “5s.”

In the exchange, Mike notes how at Trustus, science appears to have taken a backseat to corporate goals. “Don’t you do chemistry here?” he asks.

Heidi: Chemistry is the past, Mike. We are the future. Once you learn to be a team player, we will have a project assignment for you to sink your teeth into. But it won’t involve doing any chemistry. Once you join a project team, you’ll be assigned a specific portion of the chemistry. Mostly, your job will consist of selecting companies in China where that chemistry may be outsourced.

Mike: Ah, I see. So then we just come up with the ideas here. Is that it?

Heidi: Ah, no. We mostly get our ideas from other companies. Either by acquiring the companies or by licensing in their projects.

M: So then, what we do at our site is develop the projects. We take the raw laboratory processes and then develop them so they are suitable for manufacturing. Is that it?

H: That’s how it was in the past, Mike. Now, most of the development work is done at our corporate headquarters before the projects are transferred to our site.

M: So, the company gets projects from other companies. The projects are developed at our corporate headquarters  and then transferred to us. And then we portion out the work to Chinese firms.

H: Check the big brain on Mike. Now you’re getting it.

ZombieSymmetry leaves no clue as to who he or she is. Perhaps it’s a pharma industry veteran with the battle scars to prove it. Maybe it’s someone at a small biotech poking fun at the pharma industry. Either way, the take on the pharma industry is funny because it comes with a touch of truth.

 

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