In the wake of the newsletter scandal, one question keeps coming up: Why did AstraZeneca move so quickly to fire Mike Zubillaga? The speculation is palpable. Is there something else going on that might be revealed? As Peter Rost has noted, AstraZeneca operates under a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the HHS Office of Inspector General for two more years.

The CafePharma message board is filled now with comments about questionable activities involving improper use of medical sales liaisons to speak with docs. Some also have unusually harsh criticism for Zubillaga and his tactics, as well as higher ups who care only about sales call volume. Special scorn is saved for Tony Zook, who heads US operations.

Here’s one rant today: “What a weak message from Tony on the voicemail. Cover your A$$ some more Tony and let your troops hang while you hide in your fortress. Forget where you came from Tony? You’ve gone soft and let Zube take the bullet for trying to fight your war. Management runs for cover as soon as the stuff hits the fan…nice leadership gang.”

Even if the CIA turns out to be unrelated, the company has, nonetheless, done a poor job of explaining its actions. To be fair, no matter what AstraZeneca did after Zubillaga’s crass remarks became public may have not been good enough. To do nothing would have sparked charges of insensitivity, and worse. Yet the firing appears to some as misguided overkill.

Rather than seize the moment, AstraZeneca’s senior management is hiding. Pharmalot asked to speak with ceo Dave Brennan or Tony Zook, who runs the US operation, but the requests were denied. Maybe they’ll chat with someone else. Maybe they won’t. Maybe they hope it will blow over in a few days. After all, no one died. This isn’t about secret clinical-trial data.

This episode could yet go away quietly, but it could just as easily wind up as the poster child for distorted industry values. There’s a window here to explain company policy, the reasoning behind the recent decisions and a chance to do something no other drugmaker has done amidst several years of scandals - speak plainly about mistakes, motivations and money.

Dave, break the mold and show some leadership in an industry where, by and large, leadership has been lacking. Otherwise, it remains possible that more people may remember the name Mike Zubillaga than any other at AstraZeneca, yours included.

PharmaGossip poll showing 64 percent believe Zubillaga shouldn’t have been fired;
The Corporate Integrity Agreement;
BrandWeekNRx talks about public relations.[tags]AstraZeneca, Public Relations, Sales Reps[/tags]