Posted on 10/13/2021 7:38:21 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
They have been described as the most evil family in America – not by hyperbolic headline writers or disgruntled employees, but by members of the United States Congress.
The Sacklers owned and ran Purdue Pharma, the company that sold OxyContin, a high-strength painkiller that arguably fueled the opioid epidemic, responsible for the deaths of more than half a million Americans over two decades.
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The classy eight-episode series boasts a blue-chip cast including Michael Keaton (also an executive producer), Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg, Will Poulter, Kaitlyn Dever and Rosario Dawson. The first two episodes are directed by Oscar winner Barry Levinson; the last two by Strong himself. Inspired by a book by Beth Macy, it premieres on Hulu on 13 October.
Purdue launched OxyContin in 1996, suggesting to doctors that it could be used to treat back aches, knee pain and other common conditions. Richard Sackler, who has served as president and chairman of the company, helped persuade the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve it on the false premise that it was less addictive than other prescription opioids.
The opening episode of Dopesick dramatises Purdue’s hyper-aggressive marketing campaign, which saw hundreds of sales representatives swarm doctors’ offices to push the new wonder drug. A company official tells sales reps the initial rollout will be focused on south-western Virginia, eastern Kentucky and rural Maine and asks them why.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Among other things, it exposes the FDA for the incestuous crooks that they are, and is a perfect metaphor for the Fauci/China biological warfare virus/vaccine crime against humanity.
No one put a gun to anyone’s head and said take these drugs.
“National Drug Intelligence Center
OxyContin Diversion and Abuse
January 2001”
“The Pike County, Kentucky, Coroner reported 19 OxyContin-related deaths during calendar year 2000. In December 2000, seven OxyContin overdose deaths were reported in Southeastern Kentucky by two Kentucky State Police posts. The Logan Daily News reported in October 2000 that four Hocking County, Ohio, residents overdosed on OxyContin over an 18-day period. Two of the four died. There have been at least four OxyContin overdose deaths in Pulaski, Virginia, since 1998. In July 2000, The Williamson Daily reported five OxyContin-related overdose deaths in southwestern West Virginia since May 2000.”
https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs/651/abuse.htm
“OxyContin and heroin have similar effects; therefore, both drugs are attractive to the same abuser population. OxyContin is sometimes referred to as ‘poor man’s heroin, despite the high price it commands at the street level.”
“Kaitlyn Dever”
I LOVE that kid! I hope she rockets to fame and fortune. She was awesome in ‘Justified.’
That said, I lost a Nephew to opiates. Dead at 18. I lost a marriage and a Step-Son to opiates. ‘Dear Old Dad’ thought it was ‘cool’ to share his stash with his only son so they could ‘party’ together. They also sold drugs FROM OUR HOME while I was working 50-60 hour weeks. Also, not even REMOTELY cool. Kicked them both out when I figured out what they were up to.
Been there. Done that. Destroyed my family. Never going back. Not sure if after living through that, I can watch it. Sorry. :(
Purdue LIED about it. They told doctors it wasn't addictive. Doctors believed them because the FDA gave it a label saying it had less than a 1% addiction rate. That was a total lie. The FDA official who gave them the unprecedented label for Class II opioid quit the FDA a few years later and went to work for Purdue. They published infomercials with people who had never used it lying about how wonderful it was and how it had changed their lives.
But it's obvious that you are a proud ignoramus who doesn't require any actual information to form a fact-free opinion.
In my book that is not really much of an indictment. Sorta like the pot and kettle actually.
The Sackler family studied the great heroin epidemic of the late 1800’s-early 1900’s. Studied it extensively. Discovered that some people ngot hooked almost instantly, and would do anythi, ANYTHING, to get more.
The patriarch said, “Can you imagine holding the patent of heroin back then? You would be rich beyond your wildest dreams. He was right.
The family set out to invent or discover a drug that had the exact same effect on brain chemistry as heroin. They funded privat labs to do so. And thus, oxycodone was invented. They held the patent, and became billionaires.
I wonder if the series had the guts to reveal what I just did?
Add in the Obama Administration’s implementation of the ACA to kick it up another notch, by gigging doctors that didn’t overprescribe pain killers.
The answer is a resounding "yes."
“National Drug Intelligence Center
OxyContin Diversion and Abuse
January 2001”
“The Pike County, Kentucky, Coroner reported 19 OxyContin-related deaths during calendar year 2000. In December 2000, seven OxyContin overdose deaths were reported in Southeastern Kentucky by two Kentucky State Police posts. The Logan Daily News reported in October 2000 that four Hocking County, Ohio, residents overdosed on OxyContin over an 18-day period. Two of the four died. There have been at least four OxyContin overdose deaths in Pulaski, Virginia, since 1998. In July 2000, The Williamson Daily reported five OxyContin-related overdose deaths in southwestern West Virginia since May 2000.”
https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs/651/abuse.htm
“OxyContin and heroin have similar effects; therefore, both drugs are attractive to the same abuser population. OxyContin is sometimes referred to as ‘poor man’s heroin, despite the high price it commands at the street level.”
“Nov. 30, 1999: A sales representative emailed Dr. J. David Haddox, a Purdue executive, about the growing concern among physicians about news reports of the diversion and abuse of OxyContin, including people extracting the oxycodone in the tablet for ‘mainlining’ illegally.
“’While many sales people have sold controlled release opioids as having less abuse potential, the current situation has put us in an awkward situation,’ the sales rep wrote. ‘I feel like we have a credibility issue with our product. Many physicians now think, OxyContin is obviously the street drug all the drug addicts are seeking.’”
https://www.statnews.com/2019/12/03/oxycontin-history-told-through-purdue-pharma-documents/
Horrors, my condolences.
“At the time of approval, FDA believed the controlled-release formulation of OxyContin would result in less abuse potential, since the drug would be absorbed slowly and there would not be an immediate ‘rush’ or high that would promote abuse. In part, FDA based its judgment on the prior marketing history of a similar product, MS Contin, a controlled-release formulation of morphine approved by FDA and used in the medical community since 1987 without significant reports of abuse and misuse.
“Also at the time of OxyContin’s approval, FDA product labeling warned of the danger of abuse of the drug and that crushing a controlled-release tablet followed by intravenous injection could result in a lethal overdose. There was no evidence to suggest at the time that crushing the controlled-release capsule followed by oral ingestion or snorting would become widespread and lead to a high level of abuse.”
in the 1911-1999 dropdown, 1995 section”
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/timeline-selected-fda-activities-and-significant-events-addressing-opioid-misuse-and-abuse
“the number of people who admitted to using OxyContin for non-medical purposes increased dramatically from approximately 400,000 in 1999 to 1.9 million in 2002 and to 2.8 million in 2003.”
in the 2000-2004 dropdown:
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/timeline-selected-fda-activities-and-significant-events-addressing-opioid-misuse-and-abuse
The government in 1999 knew of a big problem.
I’ve been prescribed OxyContin for post-surgical pain three times. I’m wondering how anybody gets high on the stuff. All it does to me is put me to sleep. Aside from that the only long-term effect was massive constipation.
For the last few years I’ve been taking a lesser “opioid” drug to help me cope with disabling back pain. Without it I would have been suicidal long ago. This “War on Drugs” has made my life unnecessarily miserable by requiring me to drag myself personally to a brick-and-mortar pharmacy every month. My online pharmacy can’t dispense it anymore, nor am I allowed more than 30 days’ supply at any one time.
For every sob story about addiction there are hundreds like me who need the help, and are having a hard time getting it, or are being denied it altogether. We have been forgotten in this mad rush to demonize OxyContin and its’ analogues.
“Merck Index”, Tenth Edition, 1983
“6827. Oxycodone.
....
Caution: Abuse leads to habituation or addiction.”
I’m sorry you had to go through all that. And no, that’s not sarcasm; I mean it.
My condolences for your pain and heartache. Bad enough to lose a family but to have a husband and father turn his kid into a drugged out loser is the worst thing I can imagine. The fact you can still trust anyone speaks volumes about your strength and character.
My history as a pain patient led me to hydrocodone for the neuropathy in my legs and feet. During the day I could take the pain, just barely.
Nights were a different matter. Try to sleep with millions of white hot daggers stabbing you in the extremities ALL night. Before a doctor prescribed hydrocodone I would go days without sleep until I basically passed out from exhaustion. Hydrocodone gave me the ability to take one pill at night and get a full nights rest. I had my life back.
When Virginia restricted the prescription of pain meds they made it impossible for me to get pain med without going to a Pain Management Specialist. Those suckers areexpensive and my insurance won’t pay a penny on them. I was back to suffering.
Fortunately a new doctor put me on gabapentin. Gabapentin is an anti seizure medication that has the benefit of treating pain. While it doesn’t do nearly as good a job I can get it easily and use a menthol gel, like blue emu, and get a decent 4-5 hours of sleep before the pain wakes me and I have to reapply the gel.
It’s a bitch but it works, mostly.
My thoughts on people who abuse prescription drugs is that they are going to find a way to get high anyway. Prescriptions just take the risk out of buying on the street.
Odd how after the gov’t took away the pain meds fentanyl use started booming, eh.
Stoners gonna find a way to get stoned.
I find the claim no one knew a heroin/morphine derivative wasn’t addictive.
Nor do I believe the narrative you recite.
It sounds ludicrous.
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