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Inflection Point: War and Sacrifice in Corporate America
Replete with intrigue, Inflection Point is the true story of the author and her legal team at Pfizer who found themselves at the epicenter of the decade long, world-wide, multi-billion battle for control over the world's most prescribed pharmaceutical product, Lipitor®. The author charts the course of the team's courageous effort to protect the company's most prized asset, and the unforeseen personal consequences suffered as a result. In New York, London, Paris, Copenhagen, and Ottawa, from the White House to Wall Street, in boardrooms and courtrooms, in the media and behind closed doors, critical disputes are won and lost in a struggle for survival. Inflection Point is a fast-paced, high-stakes legal thriller and memoir. But it is also a cautionary tale posing a question as fundamental as it is Have the efforts to bring affordable medicines to consumers helped to cripple the very industry that invents life-saving drugs in the first place?
238 pages, Hardcover
Published May 2, 2016
4 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Traci Medford-Rosow
6 books636 followersUSA Today bestselling author of Inflection Point: War and Sacrifice in Corporate America (2016), Unblinded: One Man's Courageous Journey through Darkness to Sight (2018), and Unsheltered Love: Homelessness, Hunger, and Hope in a City under Siege (2022).
Traci Medford-Rosow is currently a partner in the New York City law firm, Richardson & Rosow.
Traci Medford-Rosow is currently a partner in the New York City law firm, Richardson & Rosow.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 3, 2018
This is really two or three stories woven into one.
Most prominent: The battle "Big Pharma" Pfizer was forced to wage to retain the patent on the most-prescribed drug in the world, Lipitor.
For most people I presume, "Big Pharma" is cast as the villain. Corrupt businessmen charging outrageous prices for medicines so they can live the high life. Like most things, it's not anywhere near as clear as all that. Imagine if your company spent literally millions of dollars and literally decades in some cases to research, test and gain approval for a pharmaceutical intended to save the lives of vast numbers of people. Just when your company is about to reap the benefits of all this time and effort, a change in the law allows smaller companies to challenge your patent. Now you have to spend many millions more to defend these patents in court. At first glance, the intent of this law is to open the market and make valuable medicine more accessible to the masses. But, again, like most things, there are unintended consequences.
This is the inside story of that battle, told from the POV of a woman right in the center of that battle, the head of the Intellectual Property division of Pfizer, whose job it is to protect Pfizer's patent on Lipitor.
But it is much more than that. This revealing look at a very complex issue also brings to light the very real personal struggles of the human beings at the center of this whirlwind of litigation, rulings, and endless hours of work.
As an added bonus, there is an extremely coherent explanation of the events surrounding the enactment of Obamacare. The political maneuvering and the behind-the-scenes compromises and deals that were made are explained in a context I had never appreciated before.
Am I suggesting that Pfizer is a pitiful victim in all of this? Of course not. But it's always illuminating and worthwhile to view such a complicated issue from both sides. A very worthwhile read.
Most prominent: The battle "Big Pharma" Pfizer was forced to wage to retain the patent on the most-prescribed drug in the world, Lipitor.
For most people I presume, "Big Pharma" is cast as the villain. Corrupt businessmen charging outrageous prices for medicines so they can live the high life. Like most things, it's not anywhere near as clear as all that. Imagine if your company spent literally millions of dollars and literally decades in some cases to research, test and gain approval for a pharmaceutical intended to save the lives of vast numbers of people. Just when your company is about to reap the benefits of all this time and effort, a change in the law allows smaller companies to challenge your patent. Now you have to spend many millions more to defend these patents in court. At first glance, the intent of this law is to open the market and make valuable medicine more accessible to the masses. But, again, like most things, there are unintended consequences.
This is the inside story of that battle, told from the POV of a woman right in the center of that battle, the head of the Intellectual Property division of Pfizer, whose job it is to protect Pfizer's patent on Lipitor.
But it is much more than that. This revealing look at a very complex issue also brings to light the very real personal struggles of the human beings at the center of this whirlwind of litigation, rulings, and endless hours of work.
As an added bonus, there is an extremely coherent explanation of the events surrounding the enactment of Obamacare. The political maneuvering and the behind-the-scenes compromises and deals that were made are explained in a context I had never appreciated before.
Am I suggesting that Pfizer is a pitiful victim in all of this? Of course not. But it's always illuminating and worthwhile to view such a complicated issue from both sides. A very worthwhile read.
October 31, 2017
Inflection Point is the true story of what happens when big Pharma faces the challenge of protecting the patent rights of the world’s most popular drug, Lipitor. Traci Medford-Rosow, a high-profile attorney and courageous advocate for public health, shares her story of Pfizer’s battle for survival in an increasingly complex business environment. At the same time, Medford-Rosow and her legal team are slaying giants, we learn about the personal issues and health concerns that bring her to her knees. An immensely readable, well-documented tale that will leave the reader both informed and inspired.
July 29, 2020
A good book outlining the viewpoint of big pharma and the other side of the Lipitor litigation.
August 24, 2019
Full disclosure, I have a connection to the underlying subject. The story is engrossing without getting too technical into the lipitor IP litigation. My biggest "complaint" is that the ending seems somewhat anticlimactic. Then again sometimes real life is just that, I suppose Mrs. Medford-Rosow may be happier just for that.
July 25, 2017
Inflection Point: How the Convergence of Cloud, Mobility, Apps, and Data Will Shape the Future of Business examines how businesses can leverage the trends occurring, and changing, every day in the information technology (IT) field. It examines the success and failures of businesses impacted by inflection points. Written in terms the average layman can understand, Inflection Point is a fascinating look at the birth and transformation of IT trends in the business world.
I couldn’t help but compare Inflection Point to Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, which examines trends and why they become popular in society and popular culture. In much the same way, Scott uses former Intel CEO Andy Grove’s definition of an inflection point: “an event or a series of interrelated events that result in a significant change in the progress of a company, an industry, a sector, an economy, or even a nation,” which is very similar to Gladwell’s definition of a tipping point: “that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.” While Gladwell examines this phenomena from a sociological perspective, Stawski examines it from an IT and business perspective.
Scott breaks down how companies can anticipate inflection points within their respective industries and how they can stay ahead of the trend wave. Additionally, he provides real-world examples of businesses that have succeeded or failed, based on their ability to recognize and adapt to inflection points. He highlights steps taken by companies whose CEOs or COOs have embraced changes in technology and taken their companies to the next level while their competition floundered and failed.
He provides a detailed explanation and description of cloud computing and encourages companies not to worry about ‘how’ it works, but, instead, focus on the fact it works and what the expected outcome should be. This is good advice for the average person as well as the CEOs and COOs of the business world. You don’t have to understand combustible engines to get in your car and drive.
Scott also does a very good job of addressing the issue of security with regard to cloud computing. In the age of compromised data, when everyone is affected by the IT breaches of Target and the government’s Office of Personnel Management, security should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. He highlights that the majority of data breaches have occurred against businesses employing the traditional IT model. By breaking down the different cloud computing models, he explains how security can be leveraged at each level of useage.
Although written from a business perspective, Inflection Point is an extremely useful analysis of changing IT trends for the average person. Scott uses simple, easy-to-understand language to explain the current trends within the IT enterprise – cloud computing, Software as a Service, and Big Data. He incorporates real-life experiences from his personal life as a hobby sailor, as well as his professional life as a consultant, to draw analogies between how we use IT in our personal life and how businesses can use IT to further their interests.
Posted with permission from the Sacramento Book Review
Originally written on April 20, 2016 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
I couldn’t help but compare Inflection Point to Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, which examines trends and why they become popular in society and popular culture. In much the same way, Scott uses former Intel CEO Andy Grove’s definition of an inflection point: “an event or a series of interrelated events that result in a significant change in the progress of a company, an industry, a sector, an economy, or even a nation,” which is very similar to Gladwell’s definition of a tipping point: “that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.” While Gladwell examines this phenomena from a sociological perspective, Stawski examines it from an IT and business perspective.
Scott breaks down how companies can anticipate inflection points within their respective industries and how they can stay ahead of the trend wave. Additionally, he provides real-world examples of businesses that have succeeded or failed, based on their ability to recognize and adapt to inflection points. He highlights steps taken by companies whose CEOs or COOs have embraced changes in technology and taken their companies to the next level while their competition floundered and failed.
He provides a detailed explanation and description of cloud computing and encourages companies not to worry about ‘how’ it works, but, instead, focus on the fact it works and what the expected outcome should be. This is good advice for the average person as well as the CEOs and COOs of the business world. You don’t have to understand combustible engines to get in your car and drive.
Scott also does a very good job of addressing the issue of security with regard to cloud computing. In the age of compromised data, when everyone is affected by the IT breaches of Target and the government’s Office of Personnel Management, security should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. He highlights that the majority of data breaches have occurred against businesses employing the traditional IT model. By breaking down the different cloud computing models, he explains how security can be leveraged at each level of useage.
Although written from a business perspective, Inflection Point is an extremely useful analysis of changing IT trends for the average person. Scott uses simple, easy-to-understand language to explain the current trends within the IT enterprise – cloud computing, Software as a Service, and Big Data. He incorporates real-life experiences from his personal life as a hobby sailor, as well as his professional life as a consultant, to draw analogies between how we use IT in our personal life and how businesses can use IT to further their interests.
Posted with permission from the Sacramento Book Review
Originally written on April 20, 2016 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
November 26, 2016
A true story that reads like a suspense thriller, “Inflection Point” by Traci Medford-Rosow provides not only an insider’s look into the massive pharmaceutical industry, but an emotionally charged story of personal conflicts, defeats and victories. Medford-Rosow spent ten years of her life in an epic battle to protect the patent rights of a corporate giant, Pfizer; a battle that opened old wounds and challenged her beliefs of right from wrong.
The underlying stories, the sub-plots in “Inflection Point” are intricately woven into the primary back-room and court battles that keep the reader involved and turning the pages. There is insight into the enormous power of the pharmaceutical industry, its predominance over global politics and the lives of millions of people. Here too, is the story of a woman’s life. Medford-Rosow lets it all out in her first book. You’ll read about her trials, tribulations, victories and defeats on her path to becoming a Vice President and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at Pfizer, and the intrigues of legal battles that guarantee a mind-boggling experience. As an opponent to the overbearing dominance of Big Pharma on the lives of people, this story confirmed my personal beliefs about this industry. What surprised me, in a good way, was the personal story of Medford-Rosow. How she maintained her professionalism and dedication to her employer while battling her personal demons was a great story in and of itself. I highly recommend “Inflection Point” for readers of legal machinations and courtroom battles, and those who love stories of personal sacrifice and ultimate victory over their demons.
The underlying stories, the sub-plots in “Inflection Point” are intricately woven into the primary back-room and court battles that keep the reader involved and turning the pages. There is insight into the enormous power of the pharmaceutical industry, its predominance over global politics and the lives of millions of people. Here too, is the story of a woman’s life. Medford-Rosow lets it all out in her first book. You’ll read about her trials, tribulations, victories and defeats on her path to becoming a Vice President and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at Pfizer, and the intrigues of legal battles that guarantee a mind-boggling experience. As an opponent to the overbearing dominance of Big Pharma on the lives of people, this story confirmed my personal beliefs about this industry. What surprised me, in a good way, was the personal story of Medford-Rosow. How she maintained her professionalism and dedication to her employer while battling her personal demons was a great story in and of itself. I highly recommend “Inflection Point” for readers of legal machinations and courtroom battles, and those who love stories of personal sacrifice and ultimate victory over their demons.
June 6, 2016
"An incredible memoir that is an inherently fascinating read, "Inflection Point" provides a rare insider's look at an aspect of the pharmaceutical industry that is seldom revealed to the public. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Inflection Point" deserves as wide a readership as possible as the issues of public health and the role played by 'big pharmacy' is under increasing controversy and political scrutiny. Simply stated, "Inflection Point" needs to be a part of every community and academic library collection for the benefit of non-specialist general readers and academia alike” —Helen Dumont, Midwest Book Review/Bookwatch, http://www.midwestbookreview.com
February 10, 2016
Exceptional story of personal transformation woven.
A captivating real life story painted like a canvas with profuse
Colors. A page turner.
A captivating real life story painted like a canvas with profuse
Colors. A page turner.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews