logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
42m 33s

Pushing Painkillers | An Untapped Market...

Wondery
About this episode

Doctors once shied away from using opioids to treat chronic pain, citing the risk of addiction. But in the 1970s, a new generation of doctors started to argue that opioids should be reconsidered, and that allowing terminal patients to suffer in agony is torturous. As the palliative care movement grows, Purdue Frederick, a small pharmaceutical company, sees an opportunity to bring opioids out of the shadows and to the masses...to devastating effect.

You can binge all episodes of American Innovations exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Jun 23
Listen Now: Liberty Lost
In Evangelical homes across the United States, sex outside of marriage is a sin against God. So, when Abbi becomes pregnant at 16, her devout parents hide her away at the Liberty Godparent Home, a little-known facility for pregnant teens on the campus of Liberty University. The H ... Show More
5m 55s
Apr 14
Introducing: Law & Crime’s LUIGI
When Luigi Mangione allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, the media called it a senseless crime. But online, a different story emerged—one of rage, reckoning, and a suspected killer turned folk hero. More than just a true crime podcast, LUIGI, hosted by Jesse Weber, dares ... Show More
5m 39s
Dec 2021
The Mystery of Stuxnet | Cracking the Code | S57-E1
In the summer of 2010, a mysterious computer virus called Stuxnet lands on the desk of Symantec cybersecurity analyst Liam O’Murchu. Stuxnet is unlike anything O’Murchu has ever seen: a highly sophisticated piece of malware that serves no obvious purpose. O’Murchu and his colleag ... Show More
41m 1s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2023
Opioids in America | Cure for Pain | 1
Richard Sackler charts a new course for his family’s company, Purdue Pharma. At the center of the plan: a painkiller that could be the next blockbuster drug. Want to listen to the remaining episodes of Opioids in America? Episodes 2-5 are available exclusively and ad-free on Wond ... Show More
41m 43s
Apr 2019
Opioids and Cancer Pain: Patients’ Needs and Access Challenges
Dr. Pennell talks with Dr. Ray Page about efforts to address the opioid crisis impact onthe care of patients, and what role oncologists can play on this issue.   Hello, and welcome to the ASCO Journal of Oncology Practice podcast. This is Dr. Nate Pennell, medical oncologist at t ... Show More
14m 5s
Jun 2022
What we need to understand about opioids | Body Stuff
When we are in pain, we often turn to over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen. Sometimes, however, we’re prescribed opioid painkillers, and there’s a perception that this will be a more effective treatment, because opiods are the “strongest” treatment.  But a lot of what ... Show More
30m 54s
Nov 2023
CLASSIC: Who created the opioid epidemic?
In the U.S. doctors often prescribe opioids for pain management, and it's no secret that these substances are a big business for pharmaceutical companies -- and, increasingly, it's no secret that exposure to these legal pills are turning patients into unwilling addicts. So how ex ... Show More
1h 7m
Dec 2018
Treating chronic pain in the era of opioid abuse
Chronic pain affects 40 to 50 million people nationwide, but treating pain today is a complex issue. This episode is the first in our two-part series that addresses the opioid epidemic. We’ll hear from two physicians who are helping to improve chronic pain care in the era of opio ... Show More
20m 23s
Oct 2023
EP 443- Results Don’t Lie Part One-Bad Medicine
When you get hurt, you go to a doctor. But what do you do when your doctor’s prescriptions turn you into an opioid addict? Johnny Simon and Tim Cronin tried one of the first legal battles in America to hold physicians accountable for over-prescribing opioids. And they won. Johnny ... Show More
51m 34s
Feb 2023
How Do We Treat Opioid Addiction?
Mark Parrino has been involved with the delivery of health care and treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) since 1974. As the president of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD), he works with treatment providers across the country to devel ... Show More
56m 33s
May 2021
The Ice Pick Surgeon | Search for a Cure | 1
Walter Freeman is devastated when he learns the truth about mental asylums. The medical care is barbaric, and for patients, everyday life is a nightmare. So Freeman begins searching for an alternative. It's a quest that leads him to one of the most controversial procedures in med ... Show More
40m 49s
May 2023
S2 Episode 3: HIV and Opioid Use Disorder: Screening Tools, Chronic Pain Management, and Access to Care in the Outpatient Setting
Drs Michael S. Saag and Ellen F. Eaton discuss HIV and opioid use disorder, including opioid agonists for chronic pain management, tools for reducing mortality, and management in the outpatient setting. Relevant disclosures can be found with the episode show notes on Medscape (ht ... Show More
25m 34s