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Pain Killer

An Empire of Deceit and the Origins of America's Opioid Epidemic, NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES
By Barry Meier
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Pain Killer by Barry Meier unveils the dark origins of the opioid crisis ignited by OxyContin in the 1990s. Once hailed as a miracle for severe pain, the drug's aggressive marketing by Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family sparked widespread addiction and devastation. Investigative journalist Meier was the first to expose the elusive Sacklers' role and follows the determined efforts of doctors, law enforcement, and families striving to halt this epidemic.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This gripping true crime investigation will appeal to readers interested in social issues, investigative journalism, and those seeking to understand the origins and impact of the opioid epidemic in America. Fans of nonfiction crime thrillers and current affairs will find it particularly compelling.

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Part thriller, part medical detective story, this is the origin story of the opioid crisis in America and a rollicking insight into the ways of big pharma and the greed of business that fuelled a national tragedy.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES STARRING UZO ADUBA AND MATTHEW BRODERICK 'This is the book that started it all. Barry Meier is a heroic reporter and Pain Killer is a muckraking classic' — Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Empire of Pain

Every catastrophe has a beginning. For the opioid crisis in America, the seed was a drug called OxyContin.

First hailed as a miracle drug for severe pain in the early 1990s, OxyContin went on to ignite a plague of addiction and death across America. This was fuelled by the aggressive marketing of its maker, Purdue Pharma, and the billionaire Sackler brothers who owned the company.

Investigative journalist Barry Meier was the first to write about the elusive Sackler family, their role in this catastrophic epidemic, and the army of local doctors, law enforcement, and worried parents that tried to bring them down.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as groundbreaking and powerful, Pain Killer is celebrated for its shocking and prescient investigative journalism. Endorsed by notable authors like Sam Quinones and David A. Kessler, it has been called a landmark and page-turning exposé, offering a fascinating look into the roots of America’s opioid catastrophe.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529356168

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 October 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Sceptre

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 169g

Pages: 240

Collections

Addiction & Recovery Barry Meier Biography & Memoir Crime & Thriller Education & Reference Fiction True Crime

About the Author

Barry Meier is a Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times investigative reporter. He's twice won the George Polk award for Investigate Reporting. Prior to joining the New York Times in 1989, he worked for the Wall Street Journal and New York Newsday.

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