"Big Pharma and the Opioid Epidemic"

My presentation about the history of the drug industry and how the Sackler family created a multibillion dollar painkiller that left a trail of death and destruction

Last month at Hillsdale College, I gave an hour presentation about the origins of the modern American drug industry, how the Sackler family revolutionized the marketing of prescriptions in the U.S, and the long list of private industry and government failures that created the perfect storm that led to the country’s lethal opioid crisis.

My talk was part of a four-day “Big Pharma” forum sponsored by the school’s Center for Constructive Alternatives. Other speakers included

American Resurrection

,

Outspoken with Dr Naomi Wolf

and

Jordan Schachtel

The 15-minute portion in my presentation linked above is about how the modern pharmaceutical industry got its start in the middle of the 19th century with the Civil War’s huge surge in demand for an addictive product, morphine.

Even though the story I tell is infuriating at times, it is worth watching in order to better understand how Big Pharma works. There is a link on Youtube to the full speech.