10.6M views · Apr 15, 2019 · 21:21 · 3 HN recommenders · 5 mentions · discussed 2019–2024
John Oliver's second Last Week Tonight segment on the opioid epidemic, covering the role of large companies in driving it. It touches on Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family.
Why Hacker News points people here: Commenters cite it, with Oliver's other two opioid segments, as a well-researched case against pharma marketing and the Purdue settlements.
“there are 3 John Oliver segments on the subject that will back up the "Good." statement”HN comment, 2021
“Highly recommended.”
Three-part Oliver series on the opioid crisis
I recently watched these 3 episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Highly recommended. Opioids III: The Sacklers: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ( link ) Opioids II: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ( this video ) Opioids: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ( link )
“There's a really great John Oliver segment about this”
Explains how pharma marketing drove US opioid prescribing
Yes! MAPS has conducted and collected some really great research around psychedelics and their use in the treatment of things like PTSD and addiction. Specifically, Ibogaine Therapy has shown some real promise around drug addiction [1]. Unfortunately, it's going to be quite a while before any psychedelics are FDA-approved. Right now, MDMA and Psilocybin are both in FDA trials (Phase 3 and Phase 2, respectively) but I think Ibogaine is still quite a ways out. Interestingly, in terms of your comment about Ibogaine's use outside of the US: other countries besides the US (and Canada) have not really seen quite the same problem in terms of opioid addiction as we have here in the US. This is mostly due to American pharmaceutical companies historically having been really successful at convincing US doctors to prescribe opioid-based pain medication [2], and due to the fact that pain was added as a 5th vital sign in 2001 by the Joint Commission [3]. That isn't to say that other countries haven't had problems with opioid addiction, but it hasn't generally been at nearly the scale of the problem in the US, and other countries have had varying rates of success with solutions that haven't been possible in the US thus far. [1] link [2] There's a really great John Oliver segment about this this video [3] link
“there are 3 John Oliver segments on the subject that will back up the "Good." statement”
Oliver segments backing up criticism of Purdue settlement
Good. For those that haven't watched them yet, there are 3 John Oliver segments on the subject that will back up the "Good." statement: Opioids link Opioids II this video Opioids III (this one focuses 100% on the Sacklers) link
“If that's what it says, then that's what it says" as Richard Sackler”
Sackler's evasive deposition answers
But it forces the other party to have evidence for everything. The point of the questioning is to gain additional evidence from the answers. But if all answers are "If that's what it says, then that's what it says" as Richard Sackler this video then it's apparently the effective way to go
“he made two others about the Opioid Crisis / Purdue Pharma / Sacklers, 3 in total since 2016”
One of three Oliver segments on Purdue and the Sacklers
Besides that episode, he made two others about the Opioid Crisis / Purdue Pharma / Sacklers, 3 in total since 2016: 2016: link 2019: this video 2021: link In addition there's some sites made by them as well (referred to in the video): link (with Bryan Cranston, Michael Keaton, Richard Kind, Michael K Williams) link
