PBD Podcast History of Big Pharma & OxyContin | Gerald Posner | PBD Podcast | 663
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Oct 9, 2025 Gerald Posner, an investigative journalist and bestselling author, dives deep into the controversial ties between Big Pharma and the government. He reveals how the FDA enabled the aggressive marketing of OxyContin, driven by misleading labels. Posner also discusses the political influence of pharma lobbying and the dark history of opioid addiction patterns. Beyond pharma, he explores Vatican financial secrets and the implications of gender care drugs. This thought-provoking conversation sheds light on significant issues affecting society today.
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Pharma Roots In Battlefield Medicine
- Posner traces pharma origins to morphine demand in war and early companies like Pfizer and Eli Lilly.
- He notes early firms started by solving battlefield pain needs then scaled into modern pharma.
Focus Policy On Lowering Drug Prices
- Prioritize reforms that directly lower out-of-pocket drug costs to win public support.
- Deliver tangible price reductions to build political capital for broader pharma policy changes.
Philanthropy Bought Prestige For The Sacklers
- The Sackler family used philanthropy to buy cultural prestige while retaining vast wealth from OxyContin sales.
- In bankruptcy negotiations they paid billions yet preserved lifestyle and reputation benefits.
