STAT

From rural Kentucky to HBO: The story of the Sackler deposition hits pop culture big-time

John Oliver did one of his trademark deep dives into the opioid addiction crisis, spotlighting the alleged role that drug distributors and manufacturers had in starting the conflagration.

What started as an obscure legal fight in eastern Kentucky more than three years ago has reached a pop culture pinnacle: a mention on HBO’s Sunday night lineup.

On the host did one of his trademark deep dives into the opioid addiction crisis, spotlighting the alleged role that drug distributors and manufacturers had in starting the conflagration. The segment focused partly, a member of the billionaire family that controls OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma and a onetime Purdue president. The deposition about Purdue’s marketing of the painkiller was filed under seal in a Kentucky courthouse, and STAT filed a motion in 2016 to have it made public.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT1 min read
STAT+: Element Biosciences, An Illumina Rival, On Its Genomics Ambitions — And Why It Hasn’t Gone Public
Element Biosciences' modest growth comes at a time when some other players are struggling in a sequencer market dominated by Illumina.
STAT1 min read
Genetic Variant Common Among West African Descendants Contributes To Large Cardiovascular Disease Burden
A new study in JAMA identifies a genetic variant commonly found in people of West African descent that raises a type of cardiovascular disease risk.
STAT1 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Watching BIO Layoffs, AstraZeneca Plans To Double Revenue, And More
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization on Monday announced 30 layoffs that are part of a restructuring.

Related Books & Audiobooks