Impulsive: 4. Big Pharma, Big Secret

Impulsive: 4. Big Pharma, Big Secret

From Shadow World by BBC Radio 4

February 13, 2026 · 15 min · Season 7 · Episode 4

About this episode

The episode investigates the hidden issues within the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on a report from GlaxoSmithKline regarding side effects of a drug.

When BBC Investigations correspondent Noel Titheradge first started looking into this story, he set about finding insiders who knew what had gone on inside the pharmaceutical companies that made them. He contacted former staff and officials, cold called potential whistleblowers - and then he got lucky. Someone shared an internal report from the drug company GlaxoSmithKline which revealed that they’d been aware of fifteen cases of “increased libido” in patients taking their dopamine agonist Ropinirole, including cases of paedophilia and indecent behaviour. The report had been published in 2003, three years before warnings appeared on patient leaflets - and thirteen years before Steve started taking the drug. Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline. If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor. Presenter: Noel Titheradge Producer: Lucy Burns Editor: Matt Willis A BBC News Long Form Audio production

People in this episode

Host: Noel Titheradge

Topics covered

  • pharmaceutical industry
  • whistleblowing
  • medical ethics
  • drug safety
  • patient advocacy

Keywords

  • Big Pharma
  • Ropinirole
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • increased libido
  • whistleblower
  • drug safety
  • medical ethics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: GlaxoSmithKline, BBC, BBC News Long Form Audio

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