The US Prescription Opioids Killing 170 Each Day | Big Pharma's Impunity: Tackling the Opioid Crisis

Oxycontin. Codeine. Fentanyl. All prescription drugs to which countless patients have become addicted. As America battles an opioid crisis that sees 170 citizens die every day, lawyers and prosecutors are trying to bring an end to Big Pharma’s impunity. How did it happen?

Midwest City, Oklahoma. Family doctor, Regan Nichols, is on trial charged with five murders for over-prescribing opioids. Her lawyer insists that she was tricked into writing prescriptions by junkies and is being made a scape-goat. But others believe that doctors like Nichols bear a large responsibility for the crisis now engulfing the country.

Strong, opium-based pain killers like Oxycontin were traditionally only given to cancer sufferers. But from in the mid-1990s, they were rebranded and aggressively marketed for all types of pain. Patients were assured that these highly addictive drugs were completely safe. By the time the dangers of these pills became apparent and regulators started restricting access, it was too late. Denied the prescription drugs they had become dependent on and with a chronic lack of resources to treat addiction, addicts turned to harder drugs like heroin.

In this film, we follow those trying to reverse the trend: addicts struggling to get clean, lawyers and prosecutors trying to hold someone accountable and the police force building prevention.

This documentary was produced by Babel Press and directed by Sophie Przychodny. It was first released in 2019.

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[JavaDiscover]

Hey There! I hope you’re enjoying our documentaries so far!
Just adding a note here to let you all know that we’re currently releasing a selection of our award-winning documentaries to highlight some topics that are really important to us. The first is ‘Las Abogadas’, following four immigration attorneys over a four-year odyssey as the US government upends every law to protect those fleeing from violence and war ⤵

[evalevy]

The flip side of this is the rising rate of suicides among people with legitimate chronic pain diseases who now can't access to the medication that made their lives tolerable. There has to be a middle ground

[redfernj]

"Pain reminds us we're still alive" what an effing demeaning thing to say.

[colinclement]

I watch my 73 year old father suffer everyday because he is under medicated and suffers from EXTREME chronic pain. This man had NOTHING to do with the opioid crises. So why does he have to pay the price. There has to be a middle ground because this is insane.

[gobot]

The difference in treatment of Pablo Escobar and the Sacklerville family shows you exactly what matters in the US "justice" system.

[lindaknepp]

Yet the people who suffer because of chronic pain cannot get the medicine they need to be able to work. I am just one person of millions!

[Ozvideo]

I think a lot of people are ignoring two major reason for the crisis. They are, pharma companies should not be permitted to advertise on radio, TV or social media, there are only 2 countries in the world where that's legal, the US and New Zealand, and it should be illegal for medical professionals to receive a kick-back or any other benefit from pharma companies for prescribing their products.

As it stands, doctors are financially incentivized to over-prescribe or prescribe medications that shouldn't be prescribed at all.

[angelaf]

When chronic pain isn't managed we have an increase in suicides and people resorting to heroin! Part of the problem is people who legit need help don't get it and we're ALL grouped together as drug seekers.
I went to ER with the worst headache of my life. I was accused of being a drug seeker and sent home. 2 wks later my Dr did a MRI and I had had a stroke... At 35! I was in horrible pain, then felt absolutely disregarded and I was horribly hurt. Next time I went it happened again, and yes I'd had another stroke! Is it right for Drs to dismiss people because they are afraid someone is going to fool them into ordering unneeded meds? Is it right that even cancer patients have to scream and beg for moderate relief while dying? All aspects of this need examined, not just look and say "oh, there's too many addicts". There are also people like me who desperately need help.

[habitatone]

I'm greatful for the universal healthcare we have in germany. I had a small knee surgery two years ago, it took an hour of my time, i had 10 days off work (fully paid of course), i got some ibuprofen and it was "free"...because everybody pays 7.5% from our income into health care you can go to a real doctor for everything and get the right treatment. Doesn't matter if you have a cold or cancer, no extra costs. Thats why germans in general live longer than americans AND our health system is in fact cheaper than the one in the US.

[dlvox]

I broke my wrist several years ago. After several breaks previously I knew it was broken. The body goes into shock. Being former military, I made a makeshift splint with a magazine and duck tape and went to urgent care. The doctor saw me initially and scoffed at me when he saw my splint and when I told him my wrist was broken. He said “I’ll be the judge of that”. I sat in the waiting room for 3 hours in agony. Once I was seen and they performed a X-Ray and confirmed the fracture, the doctor walked in and said “I’m so sorry. We see so many drug seeking people in here daily I didn’t believe you”. He asked if I had a ride and injected me immediately with Demerol. And have me a 3 day supply of pain killers on the spot until I could see the Ortho. Perfect example of how and why abusers of medication ruin it and negatively impact those in true pain.

[shamsal-ani]

I had severe endometriosis that went unnoticed for years because a Dr yelled at me and told me I was a drug seeker and flagged my file permanently. I remember vowing not to trust another Dr again and strongly considered suicide that day. I was 22 years old when I began making my own opium medicine to control the pain.
Of course I became dependent.

After multiple surgeries and eventually hysterectomy, the Dr told me that I would not be given any opioids the day after surgery. Thank GOD the anaesthetist said that was unreasonable and prescribed enough oxy for the week.
Imagine how surprised that Dr was when they found out I’d asked for LESS pills than suggested to me.

Now I’m forever seen as a drug seeker despite multiple surgeries PROVING the severity of my issues.

[PrincessDie]

100 pills A DAY? WHAAAATT?!?!?! That's absolutely ridiculous

[lynnleigha]

100 pills a day? I've never stepped foot in a medical school and I know that's wrong

[angelaf]

I went to ER with the worst headache of my life. I had a blood pressure of 190/120, stroke level. I was accused of being a drug seeker and sent home. 2 weeks later I had an MRI that showed I'd actually had a stroke at 35! Drs have got to chill out a bit. Not everyone is a drug seeker and when you're not treating people ONLY because you think you might be fooled by someone...how many legit people are you denying the help and relief they desperately need?

[zulubeatsprince]

So your whole point is to make it harder for doctors to prescribe these drugs to people who actually need them because of liability from the people who ignore warnings and chose to abuse them... so this is why when I go to emergency room with real pain I have to go through 6 hours wait and questioning and odd stares before a doctor can get me a painkiller? ? Because someone somewhere abused this shit.. thanks for nothing.

[arturogomeztagle]

The fact prison is an outcome of a personal health crisis is disgusting. Legalize Every Drug.

[xoxoxoxoxo]

The rehabs are money making machines also. They actually need to keep some patients sick

[akkinak]

Did I hear correctly that someone was prescribed 100 pain pills a DAY?! Why would you not question that with your Dr? That's an astonishing amount of pills to take.

[Capronice]

I suffer from chronic back pain. It’s debilitating. Ever since I have been forced to take drug tests as if I was I were a criminal. I am given the least amount of medication possible. My pain is not properly medicated. Often I am in pain and must lay on my couch. Going out with friends and family is just about impossible. Discussing this with my doctor would only make my doctor consider me as drug seeking . I am forced to pay for frequent visits to my doctor and the industry is making a killing off of it I am sure.

[folaraj]

Worse than over-prescribing opioids is people having to exist 24/7 with unbearable pain and not getting the pain medication they desperately need to be able to function and have any quality of life.