Empire of Pain

 

I must have a morbid fascination with this book because this is the 2nd time I've listened.

It's very long and upsetting.

This is the story of the Sackler family.  According to one Senate hearing member, "the most evil family in America!"  The father, three sons, and then the grandchildren.  The three sons became doctors and bought a small pharmacy.  They invented and marketed a drug called OxyContin.  They sold it using hundreds of sales reps on the basis that was was non-addicting, if used under a doctor's care.  Which was a blatant lie.  Thru the invention of that drug, the family became multi millionaires.  

They were very philanthropic, BUT, it was all on the back of the thousands of people who died taking their drug.  Which they heavily marketed early on as NON-ADDICTIVE.  Which, of course, was  a total lie.  How it got past the FDA is so sordid and points out that money can buy anything, as Satan says in the temple movie.  The father of the entire clan once said, “you can build a fortune back if it’s lost but not a good name if it’s lost”

Throughout the entire book and to the very end, the Sackler family makes no apologies and refuse to acknowledge that they had anything to do with the horrible crisis causing the deaths of thousands of user.  No one in their family has ever been charged or sent to jail.  Which is truly astounding!  Their good name is lost for sure.

This book is so unsettling and makes me so angry.  I cannot even imagine the research that Keefe did on this book covering generations and years of family fortunes, business, lives, etc.

I give it four stars.  I would give it five, but it's just a little long and overwhelming in terms of length.  (I wonder if I will read it again.)


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