One of the rules of successful public relations is to "tell the truth" and tell it early. Some companies never seem to learn this lesson. There is no way to tell from repeated contradictory statements, half-truths, and omissions just how the Genentech anti-HER2 Lottery really works. Their clinical research organization, NCGS, seems to insist that its view of "the truth" get out onto the Internet, but their view seems to keep changing.
In accordance with their wishes to get their public relations statements before the public, and my wishes to help women and men with breast cancer understand the difficulty of getting straight answers on many things, I post here the third attempt by NCGS to "clarify" things. Decide for yourself. And note that there is still no documentation offered for any of the versions of the anti-HER2 Lottery adjustments story.
Sigh.
Mr. Bonine:
Because the number of people requesting the drug varies, and in order to inform patients as immediately as possible, the lottery system calculates a probability of getting the study drug on a monthly basis. The probability is based on the number of requests during the previous months and the amount of available study drug. Once that month's probability is set, no "adjustments" are made during that month.
Sincerely,
Gail G. Boyce
Vice President, Operations
Melissa L. Jameson, QA Coordinator
Phone: (803)723-9555
Fax: (803)723-9933
E-Mail: ncgs_is@awod.com
NCGS and Associates, Inc.
One Unity Alley Suite 3000
Charleston, SC 29401