name on the next set of charts, to make it appear as though a different set of patients was taking the tests," the suit reads. "On one occasion, Upjohn sent some of its own staff to Fabre's Clinic to 'cleanse' the records prior to an expected FDA audit."

Sued for civil conspiracy, fraud, negligence and battery, Fabre cleared the rap after the Upjohn Company, which was also sued in the case, settled out of court in 1997 for a "substantial" sum of money, according to Paris, Texas,attorney Michael Mosher.

More recent investigations have cited Fabre for less dramatic problems such as record-keeping infractions. In 1999 inspectors issued Fabre a citation of "inspectional observations" and criticized his office's failure to record which patients were given drugs at which time. Fabre atequivalent.

The trial represented significant risk, since about one of every 100 patients who take Clozaril develops a potentially fatal disease known as agranulocytosis. Of those who contract it, about 3 percent die, according to Novartis literature.

A far less common and more often fatal side effect known as myocarditis results in a weakened and inflamed heart in about 32 of every 100,000 patients on the drug. Of the 30 reports of myocarditis associated with the drug in the United States as of August 2000, 17 proved fatal. Other side effects include high fevers, seizures, hypotension and hyperglycemia.

When pharmaceutical companies discover a new drug, testing begins at the most elementary level, that of simple modeling and theoretical predictions. Then it winds its way through the animal kingdom. If no "profound