The New York Times certainly wishes it were, meaning being called to account for seemingly reprehensible sales and marketing practices. Is the measure of the zeitgeist whether the CEO's of these companies have been called to explain themselves before Congress? Maybe. It may also be whether the industry's reputation is tarnished in the public mind. As to the latter: can you forget one of the last scenes in the movie version of "Thank You for Smoking" where the pharmaceutical industry rep is huddling with the other shunned industries such as Big Tobacco. Or, how about the very recent finale episode of season four of the series Catastrophe where the Rob character (played by Rob Delaney) continues to hate his job for a pharmaceutical company when the new top dog (played by Chris Noth) comes to visit the local offices, he is gleeful over the increase in Syphilis cases as a burgeoning market for one of the company's drugs. Syphilis good, right Rob?
Oh, I'd say we're at peak Tobacco moment with the pharmaceutical industry right now.
Missouri State of Mind 