# Dr. Malhotra: Why I Went From Prescribing Pills to Fighting Big Pharma Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/dr-malhotra-why-i-went-from-prescribing-pills-to-fighting-big-pharma Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/dr-malhotra-why-i-went-from-prescribing-pills-to-fighting-big-pharma.md Podcast: [First Principles](https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985) Published: 2026-09-09T13:54:00+00:00 Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN9812706443.mp3?updated=1776258481 Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN9812706443.mp3?updated=1776258481 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/dr-malhotra-why-i-went-from-prescribing-pills-to-fighting-big-pharma Duration seconds: 2125 ## Resource What if the doctor who once promoted pharmaceutical treatments now claims those same companies have been lying to us for decades? In this episode, Adrian Wells sits down with Dr. Aseem Malhotra, the cardiologist who went from prescribing pills to fighting the very industry he once trusted. Dr. Malhotra reveals how he discovered that about 75% of clinical trials are now funded by pharmaceutical companies, and these industry-backed studies are 4 times more likely to report positive results. Even more shocking: for every 100 people taking statins for 5 years, only 1 to 2 will actually avoid a heart attack or stroke. 🎯 What You'll Learn: β€’ Why negative trial results get published 50% less often than positive ones β€’ How pharmaceutical companies systematically hide research that hurts their profits β€’ The real numbers behind statins that your doctor probably doesn't know β€’ What happens when a respected cardiologist speaks out against Big Pharma πŸ‘€ Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who wants to make informed decisions about their health and understand how financial incentives shape medical advice. πŸ“ Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the doctor who got banned for truth-telling [01:30] From drug advocate to industry critic: Dr. Malhotra's transformation [04:00] The statin scandal: why the numbers don't add up [07:00] How pharmaceutical funding corrupts medical research [10:00] The personal cost of challenging a multi-billion dollar industry [12:00] What patients can do to protect themselves This isn't about conspiracy theories. It's about following the money and asking the questions that make powerful people uncomfortable. Dr. Malhotra backs every claim with peer-reviewed research and real-world data. πŸ”” Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/dr-malhotra-why-i-went-from-prescribing-pills-to-fighting-big-pharma/transcription-requests` β€” Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/dr-malhotra-why-i-went-from-prescribing-pills-to-fighting-big-pharma.md` β€” Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.