Behind the Bastards

Part Two: The Sackler Family: America's Deadliest Drug Dealers

Apr 18, 2019
James Heaney, an actor and comedian known for his sharp wit, joins the discussion on the Sackler family and their infamous connection to the opioid crisis. They delve into the aggressive marketing tactics used by Purdue Pharma to promote OxyContin, revealing a disturbing lack of accountability. Heaney and the host critique the Sacklers' controversial philanthropy juxtaposed against their catastrophic impact on public health. They also examine the societal consequences of addiction and how greed has shaped the nation’s health landscape, drawing parallels to organized crime.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Purdue's Sales Tactics

  • Purdue's sales force doubled to over 600, matching the number of DEA agents.
  • They targeted high-prescribing doctors, essentially creating "pill mills."
INSIGHT

Misleading Statistics

  • Purdue claimed addiction rates were less than 1%, based on studies of acute pain.
  • This misleading statistic fueled the opioid crisis.
ANECDOTE

Unconventional Marketing

  • Purdue used free coupons for OxyContin, similar to tactics falsely attributed to street dealers.
  • They also gave out branded merchandise like fishing hats and CDs.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app