i wanted to look closely at the perpetrators so i was very interested in the family who owned purdue pharma connecticut pharmaceutical company that a lot of people with the tip of this. of the crisis the drug that started this on the road to where we are today. it is not in opioid crisis per se it's a broad look of three generations of the families of family saga there is also two things in the history of this family that help explain the ways in which our treatment of pain and use of medicine has been hijacked by commerce and big pharma that's an origin story for the opioid crisis, tilted the lens of this one particular family. >> eric can you tell us a story of death of mod like and what made you write this account for the fight for justice patrick under patrick's book focuses on the causes and yours seems to describe your facts, tell us about death of mud lick. >> sure i'm also honored to be here with you, such incredible work with epidemic and i have a confession to make when i saw patrick coming out and i knew everything about the opioid epidemic i was totally wrong he has revelation a

i've dealt with purdue pharma before, i haven't dealt with sacklers and it's really a nasty company. you know, you should be congratulated for your courage, your conviction, your cajones, i guess would be the best way to put it, great, great work. i didn't have any black limousine stalking my house, but there was a lot of threats of litigation from the attorney general of west virginia. when i got some leaked documents, i notified him that i was doing, going to do a story about his role in this lawsuit against the distributors, and he had one of his underlings call our lawyer and call and e-mail me that if we printed this story, it would be a case of actual malice, and that we would face court sanctions. so i don't know what that meant, if that meant i was going to jail or somebody was going to jail. it didn't happen. and he also, ag retaliated he launched an investigation into the newspaper, the gazette mail i was working at at the time and subpoenaed us for all of our personnel records and all of our financial records, so that was in retaliation for what we had reported. and then l

>> with purdue pharma, they have multiple lawsuits, thousands of lawsuits filed against them. every time they would see all the records, cop entire case file which is absolutely unheard of in exchange for the plaintiff's of the families who lost loved ones, agreeing to a certain settlement, basically they were buying silence from these families. thanks to patrick and others, that's no longer the case, we no longer, we now know the whole story. as far as holding individuals accountable, that's probably not going to happen. there are manufacturers, i don't see that happening with distributors in terms of jail time or anything like that. >> i would agree, i think -- and i should say, this is part of a deeper problem in the united states which is that we are very accommodating of people who commit corporate crime and we make it ourur system, i think it makes it surpassingly easy for big corporations out of any individual liability in this happened with purdue, the corporation is guilty and agreed to pay a fine but there's no individuals charged at all and it begs the question to t

>> with purdue pharma, they has dozens of lawsuits that were filed.ith that entire case file that is absolutely unheard of. but then they agreed to certain settlements but as far as holding individuals accountable i don't see that in terms of jail time or anything like that. >> i would agree with eric. and this is part of the deeper problem in the united states and thoseo who commit corporate crime and it makes it surpassingly easy for big corporations. for individual liability and with purdue the corporation with the decline but and to the man on the street how can does that mean anybody did anything wrong? how is it could have engaged in the misconduct without any human agency? but i am afraid now you can contrast that with what happens with the street-level drug dealers who sell heroin and then when people take those drugs and i. and then sent away to prison for years. we don't see that in a corporate context. and in the event there is human cost of their that they would ever be personally held responsible the company will plead guilty and pay the

purdue pharma and convinced or persuaded doctors to start persuading oxycontin and it's created one of the biggest health crisis in west virginia history in u.s. history. that's all i'm going to say about that. >> eric eyre, a fight against the drug companies that deliver the opioid m epidemic. he's been our guest on book tv. thank you for your time. >> thank you for having me on, appreciate it. >> you are watching book tv, this is our coverage of this year's national book festival. coverage continues right here. >> with the senate out of session, join us this week for book tv. today, the book festival, we will hear from marcia chaplin on her books franchise. then former tennessee governor at the southern festival of books on his relief, and a national book festival, death and mud like. quote country fight against the drug company that deliver the opioid epidemic. 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span2. you can access our programs on mynetworktv.org. or follow along on c-span now. ♪♪ >> american history tv, saturdays on c-span2 exploring the people and events that tell the american story. 2:00 p

the state against the distributor and these are companies that ship opioids from factories like purdue pharma to pharmacies. so we went to court the whole case was argued under seal hidden away from the public and then ultimately when we prevailed in court we started to see the's gargantuan numbers how is it possible in three years that it could absorb or have use for 12 million and opioids it was impossible people were driving from all over from kentucky or ohio or from north carolina even as far away as florida to come to west virginia to buy prescription opioids mostly hydrocodone and oxycodone as well. host: honey people that temporarily wretchedness? >> there was a number of doctors and pharmacists. the pharmacist here in a town of 387 people, he was making close to $7 million per year at a tiny pharmacy. this is the size of the right aid or a walgreens justice shoebox that raking in close to $7 million per year other pharmacist were in the same boat and then a cash only pill mills often make millions as well. host: ids pharmacist and doctors in prison now? >> many have already served. n

purdue pharma is not bankrupt, and the catholic church is definitely not bankrupt.they can get for that michelangelo ceiling. now the boy scouts are the ones where i'm like yeah, you might actually be broke. these guys are rubbing sticks together to start a fire, my man, 12 pack of bic lighters is three bucks, get your lifing to. but for real we know it is all bullshit and shielding superrich corporations from punishment isn't what bankruptcy protection is supposed to be about. fortunately there say movement in congress to end some of these a us boos of bankruptcy laws. here to talk about it is california congresswoman katie porter. representative porter, welcome to "the daily show." >> thank you so much. >> trevor: let's jump straight into the issue at hand. i didn't know this before i was reading up on this issue but you taught bankruptcy law for years before joining congress, and now once again bankruptcy is in the conversation with johnson & johnson. them wanting to split off their baby powder company as a separate entity so johnson & johnson as a whole can't be

the drug distributors and these are companies that shift onto chip opioids from factories like purdue pharma to a pharmacy. this whole case hidden away from the public and when we ultimately prevailed in court we started seeing gargantuan numbers how is it possible in three years as a community neared mud lick could absorb or have use for 12 million opioid it was impossible what was happening people were driving from all over from kentucky from ohio from north carolina, even as far away as florida to come authors eric eyre death in mud like a fight against the temporarily rich from this? guest: there was a number of doctors and pharmacist but this pharmacist here in a town of 387 people he was making close to $7 million per year at a tiny pharmacy this is not the size of a rite aid or a walgreens these are shoeboxes of pharmacies, he is weakening close to $7 million a year other pharmacist in the same boat and then the cash only pill mill ran by doctors were also making millions as well. >> are these pharmacist and doctors in prison now? >> many have served time, not all that many have serve

this is, this is becoming a in america, very common knowledge that companies like purdue pharma, sat around a board room table and made a decision to target a blue collar areas in america. areas like southern ohio, eastern kentucky, west virginia, because they knew that their new powerful prescription opioid it would flourish there. while the case was the 1st, a drug company has one in over 3000 glossy. it was filed over a crisis, which has claimed the lives of half 1000000 people in the united states. i. for the last 20 years, the previous administration declared a nationwide emergency to after the number of debts women. opioid overdose rose 6 times in the united states. now in 2020 alone, more than 9000000 people were victims of appeal misuse, including teenagers and adults, majority of which were prescribed medicine, mostly pain relievers. j grant. sure again says the court ruling leaves the vulnerable with like justice. i can remember being 1718 years old and having a very minor injury and you know, being prescribed 40 milligrams of oxy gotten for injuries like that. there isn't

this is, this is becoming in america, the very common knowledge that companies like purdue pharma, sat around a board room table and made a decision to target blue collar areas in america. areas like southern ohio, eastern kentucky, west virginia, because they knew that their new powerful prescription opioid would flourish, their well, the k smart, the 1st trial wind for drug company, you know, in over 3 fans and blue seats. it was filed over a crisis which claimed the lives of half a 1000000 people in the us in 20 years. previous administration declared a nationwide emergency after the number of people to overdose. death did rise 6 times among americans in 2020 alone more than 9000000 people were victims of p. o misuse, including teenagers, and also adults, majority of which were prescribed medicine, mostly pain relief is j, brun. sure again says that the court ruling leads the vulnerable with no justice. i can remember being 1718 years old and having a very minor injury and you know, being prescribed 40 milligrams of oxy cotton for injuries like that. there's, i don't think there is

this is, this is becoming a in america, very common knowledge that companies like purdue pharma, sat around a board room table and made a decision to target a blue collar areas in america. areas like southern ohio, eastern kentucky, west virginia, because they knew that their new powerful prescription opioid it would flourish. there was the 1st time a drug companies, one and over 3000 lawsuits that have been filed. the opioid addiction crisis has claimed half a 1000000 lives in the united states, and 20 is the previous administration declared a nationwide emergency after 6 fold increase in fatal overdoses. on 2020 alone bull that 9000000 people were victims of opioid misuse, including teenagers, an adult, the majority of which were prescribed medicine, mostly pain relievers. are tracked. bradshaw says that the court ruling leaves the vulnerable with no justice. i can remember being 1718 years old and having a very minor injury and you know, being prescribed 40 milligrams of oxy gotten for injuries like that there's and i don't think there is a government or a doctor or any medical pr

this is, this is becoming a in america, very common knowledge that companies like purdue pharma, sat around a board room table and made a decision to target a blue collar areas in america, areas like southern ohio, eastern kentucky, west virginia. because they knew that their new powerful prescription opioid would flourish, their the case marked to the 1st trial when for a drug company. and the more than 3300 lawsuits filed over a crisis which has claimed half a 1000000 lives in the u. s. in 20 years, the previous administration declared a nation wide emergency after figure showed the number of opioid overdose. deaths had risen 6 times among americans since the end of the 20th century. there in 2020 alone more than 9000000 people were victims of opioids misuse, including teenagers, and adults. 97 percent of which were prescribed medicine, mostly pain relievers. jake bradshaw is just one person who became addicted to opioids. he says the court ruling leaves the vulnerable with no justice. i can remember being 1718 years old and having a very minor injury and you know, being prescribed

this is, this is becoming a in america, very common knowledge that companies like purdue pharma, sat around a board room table and made a decision to target a blue collar areas in america. areas like southern ohio, eastern kentucky, west virginia, because they knew that their new powerful prescription opioid it would flourish. there was the 1st time a drug companies, one in over 3000 in all suits that have been filed. the opioid addiction crisis is claimed, half a 1000000 lives in the u. s. in 20 years, the previous administration declared a nation wide emergency after a 6 fold increase in fatal overdoses. and 2020 alone. more than $9000000.00 people were victims of opioid misuse, including teenagers and adults, the majority of which were prescribed medicine, mostly pain relievers. jake bradshaw says the court ruling leaves the vulnerable with no justice. i can remember being 1718 years old and having a very minor injury and you know, being prescribed 40 milligrams of oxy cotton for injuries like that there's and i don't think there is a government or a doctor or any medical professi

they'd show you something that actually happened, purdue pharma, the sackler family did and said.ievable. >> jimmy: the disregard for human life. >> yeah. >> jimmy: and honestly, i have to say, when i watch it, it made my go, oh, i kind of maybe get why people don't want to take a vaccine. because you sow these seeds of distrust in society. >> that's the problem, you're right, exactly. you hit on it the head. there's so much distrust. now what when you see things like this -- but it's really well done. one of the things i really like about it, it doesn't -- you know, we saet it in appalachia, which that isn't the only place in the world this is going on, but it certainly is white hot down there, the issue. >> jimmy: yeah. >> and those people, we never disrespect them, you know? we never look down on them, you know? anyway, i'm glad you like it. >> jimmy: people in pain. >> yeah. >> jimmy: who want to not be in pain. >> yeah. >> jimmy: they're told this is something safe and not addict that i have they can take. >> when you watch it, and i hope you do, it's an eye-opener. it's one

very common knowledge, knowledge, knowledge companies act like companies act like companies at purdue, pharma at sat, sat, sat around and sat around the board room at table in at mann at mann, made a decision to talk to target target a blue collar in color areas, animal or america or areas like scholars, southern ohio or in ohio or eastern kentucky, west fricky west virginia. yeah. because yeah, because yeah they, they, they knew that they knew that their new or new variable per school. eric ship school, eric ship school, eric, shit, school airfoil air. or it would need to be something that blue collar were matt workers, math people work happening in my and i am spy. they knew they knew they knew mom laura, laura, so they're there. and we know since how, how, how we how we feel. wow. largely hours later, not knowing what we know in worse and worse in dylan, dylan people in courts, parts to provide the provide, provide, provide emily, emily, emily with families with emma with amazon's. emma emma emma, just emma's emma's m, or loved women's adapt wine. we've logged why i'm logged. why mr. loved

. >> what are we talking about >> oxycontin specifically, purdue pharma is the company that makes it.en it clearly is >> seth: please welcome back to the show, our friend peter sarsgaard, everybody [ cheers and applause ♪ ♪ >> seth: welcome back. >> thank you >> seth: it's so nice to see you. >> it's nice to be back with a bunch of people. >> seth: yeah. right? people are great >> in a space like this. [ cheers and applause i like people. >> seth: we haven't seen each other for years. >> you're not going to remember this but i think it was in 2015, you know, the race in shellmark down middle road. >> seth: yep, this is a 5k >> it's a 5k >> seth: 5k in martha's vineyard >> and i used to be a decent runner before i turned 50. >> seth: i remember that about you. >> yeah. are you aware that we raced each another? >> seth: no. >> you are not aware of that so at the start, i didn't realize you were a runner at the time and i was like a pretty decent runner so i line up, and you're like -- we're pretty close, i don't know why you didn't see me. i really saw you [ laughter ] you were kind of

mckenzie's work for purdue pharma was made public a major news story last year and mckenzie issued a public apology for its actions last year as well. so, why wasn't the fda aware of the work for purdue last year when it was front-page news and mckenzie was speaking publicly about it? >> speaking a for myself, i was aware of that. at that time, mckenzie was only doing consulting work of administrative nature for the fda so there was nothing that had to do with any product or standard or anything like that. >> i just want to point out that they were consulting on a track and trace system to monitor dangerous prescription drugs and the response to my letter also says that since finding out about the work for purdue, no additional contract has occurred. because my time is about to or has expired, i will follow-up with you and if the fda. it seems we have a major conflict of interest between the work at the same time it was working on the track and trace system it's something we have to get to the bottom of because it helped to fuel the opioid epidemic. first let me make clear ib believe

mckinsey's work for purdue pharma was made public in a major news story last year and mckinsey issued a public apology for its actions last year as well. so why wasn't the fda aware of mckinsey's work last year was on page news that mckinseywas speaking publicly . >> speaking for myself i wasn't aware of that. and at that time mckinsey was only doing consulting work of a administrative nature for the fda. so there was nothing that had to do with any product or any standard or anything like that. >> i'm sorry to interrupt but f animals out of time. i want to point out that they were consulting on a track and trace system to monitor dangerous prescription drugs. that your response to my letter also says that since finding out about mckinsey's work for purdue quote, no additional contract reviews or outreach tomckinsey has occurred . i will because my time is about to or has expired i will follow up with you and the fda. it seems to me we have a major conflict of interest between mckinsey's work for mckesson and purdue at the same time as it was working for the fda on track and trace sys