Podcasts about Purdue Pharma

SPONSORS: 1) MARS MEN: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com JOIN PATREON FOR EARLY UNCENSORED EPISODE RELEASES: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey CLIPPERS DISCORD: https://discord.gg/8QmWEKJ3BT (***TIMESTAMPS in description below) ~ Ben Westhoff is an investigative journalist and one of the most respected experts on the fentanyl crisis in America. His 2019 book, Fentanyl, Inc. exposed the entire fentanyl market problem to the mainstream FOLLOW BEN: IG: https://www.instagram.com/ben.westhoff/?hl=en BOOK: https://a.co/d/03cARvfi DOC: https://www.antagonistfilm.com/ FOLLOW JULIAN DOREY YT: https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey/ X: https://x.com/juliandorey JULIAN YT CHANNELS - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@juliandoreyclips - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP ****TIMESTAMPS**** 00:00 - Fentanyl Inc., Rave Deaths, China Labs 08:50 - Undercover in China, Suspicious Lab Visit, CCP Rebates 22:51 - Capitol Hill Testimony, Fentanyl Analogs, India Precursors 29:55 - Naltrexone, Vivitrol, Addiction Treatment, Methadone Business 39:49 - Psychedelics, Capitalism, Naltrexone Documentary, Dark Web Dealers 49:29 - Fent-Laced Coke, Antagonist, Percy Menzies, Vivitrol Trials 58:18 - AA, Opioids, Alcohol, Compulsive Behaviors, Naltrexone Critics 01:10:32 - Addictive Personalities, Purdue Pharma, Suboxone Pill Mills 01:11:10 - Standard American Diet, Veganism, Factory Farming, New Holocaust 01:23:43 - Factory Farming, Forks Over Knives, Subsidies, Protein Obsession 01:39:29 - McDonald's Subsidies, Vegan Costs, Grocery Prices, Sports Gambling 01:48:14 - Silk Road, Bitcoin, Gold, Dark Web Dealers 01:58:45 - Online Drug Markets, Snowden, FISA, Hip Hop Journalism 02:08:08 - Eazy-E, Cancel Culture, Substack, NuWaubians, MF DOOM 02:21:05 - Afrika Bambaataa, Music Journalism, Kanye, Narratives 02:29:01 - Streaming, West Coast Hip Hop, Jimmy Iovine, Tupac 02:40:53 - Interscope Records Scandals CREDITS: - Host, Editor & Producer: Julian Dorey - COO, Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ - In-Studio Producer: Joey Deef - https://www.instagram.com/joeydeef/ Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 434 - Ben Westhoff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Day in Legal History: Kennedy Signs the Equal Pay ActOn this day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, the first federal statute aimed directly at sex-based wage discrimination. The law took the form of an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which meant that it slid into an existing enforcement framework run by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor — a deliberate choice that bypassed the need to build new institutional machinery and harnessed thirty years of FLSA caselaw and habits of compliance. The legal hook is the Act's “equal pay for equal work” command: employers may not pay employees of one sex less than employees of the opposite sex for jobs requiring “equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions.”Four affirmative defenses are written into the text — a seniority system, a merit system, a system measuring earnings by quantity or quality of production, or “any other factor other than sex” — and that fourth catch-all has done more work in litigation than the other three combined, shaping how courts evaluate market-based, education-based, and prior-salary-based pay differentials decades later. The wage gap at the moment Kennedy signed was about 59 cents on the dollar; six decades on, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics's standard measure, it sits closer to 84 cents. That tells you something about how a clean, structurally well-designed statute can still leave a lot of the work undone, because the gap is and always was about more than identical pairs of jobs at the same employer.The Equal Pay Act is not the whole story of American workplace-equality law; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and a long line of state-law analogues do much of the modern enforcement work. But June 10, 1963 is the day Congress, with the President's signature, said for the first time that paying a woman less than a man for the same work was unlawful, full stop. Everything that has followed in this corner of the law has been built on top of that sentence.The Federal Circuit on Monday affirmed a Delaware district court judgment invalidating four Purdue Pharma patents covering an abuse-deterrent, low-toxicity version of the opioid OxyContin, in a decision the patent bar has been waiting on for months. The case is Purdue Pharma L.P. v. Epic Pharma LLC. The patents covered Purdue's reformulation of OxyContin to make the pills crush-resistant and to reduce a manufacturing impurity, and the asserted innovation grew, the company said, out of its discovery of the source of a particular toxic impurity that had previously eluded chemists at competing labs. Purdue's argument on appeal was, in essence, that the discovery of the impurity's source was itself nonobvious, and that the resulting patents inherited that nonobviousness. The Federal Circuit said no.The panel held that the relevant obviousness inquiry asks whether the claimed reformulation — not the discovery that motivated it — would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention, and that once the prior art is taken into account, the answer is yes. The practical consequence of the ruling is large. It opens the door wider for generic abuse-deterrent OxyContin alternatives and clarifies a doctrinal point pharmaceutical companies have been pressing on for years: a hard-won research insight does not, on its own, automatically save a patent from obviousness if the resulting product was within the prior art's reach. Purdue's options now are a rehearing petition at the Federal Circuit, a cert petition at the Supreme Court (which the company has already pursued in a related case last spring), or quiet acceptance. Expect a cert petition. Expect the cert petition to be denied. Watch the generic-drug filings that follow.Fed. Circ. Panel Backs Invalidation Of OxyContin PatentThe plaintiffs in the Eastern District of Virginia lawsuit over the Trump administration's $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” — a story we covered earlier htis week— went back to Judge Leonie Brinkema on Tuesday and asked for permission to conduct limited discovery into whether the Justice Department's recent representation that it would stop work on the fund is a real commitment or a litigation convenience.The plaintiffs' problem is straightforward: acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has filed papers saying the program is “not going forward,” but President Trump publicly described the fund last week as a “great idea” that many Republicans support, and the executive order that created the fund has not been formally rescinded. From a litigation-strategy standpoint, the plaintiffs do not want to walk away from a live case on the strength of a DOJ filing, accept dismissal as moot, and then find out three months later that the fund has been quietly resurrected under a different name.Judge Brinkema has a hearing scheduled for Friday, June 12, on whether to extend the temporary restraining order into a preliminary injunction. The Tuesday filing teed up the broader mootness fight that will dominate Friday's hearing: when does a federal agency's promise to stop doing something actually deprive a court of jurisdiction to enjoin the underlying program, and what discovery, if any, is a plaintiff entitled to before that determination is made. The doctrine here — voluntary cessation, capable of repetition yet evading review, and the heavy burden the Supreme Court has placed on the party claiming mootness — favors the plaintiffs procedurally. Whether Brinkema agrees on Friday is the question to watch.‘Anti-weaponization' fund challengers question its demise – Roll CallSCOTUSblog's John Elwood walked through a useful relist roundup on Tuesday, and the four cases sitting in the relist pile are worth flagging because each of them touches a different load-bearing wall in federal practice. The first is a prolonged-detention challenge to immigration custody under Section 1226(c). The ACLU is asking the Court to clarify that very long mandatory-detention periods trigger procedural due process review under the Mathews v. Eldridge balancing test, picking up on the Second Circuit's willingness to do so. The second is Newberry v. Texas, a case where Texas itself has confessed error — a rare procedural posture in which the State agrees the defendant should win — and the question is what the Court does when the parties on both sides ask for the same remedy. The third is Kian v. Florida, a Sixth Amendment challenge to the use of six-person juries in serious felony cases, on the theory that the historical understanding of “jury” in the founding era assumed twelve and that the Court's mid-twentieth-century cases approving six-person juries were wrong on the originalist analysis. The fourth is Maxwell v. Thomas, a federal habeas case asking whether the First Step Act‘s halfway-house and home-confinement provisions are properly enforceable through 28 U.S.C. § 2241 habeas petitions, an issue with a real circuit split. None of these have been granted yet — they are relists, which means at least one Justice is interested but the Court has not yet decided whether to hear them — but the mix is the part to watch: it tells you what the Justices are circling without committing to. Expect at least one of these to be granted before the term ends.A random assortment of relists: prolonged detention, confessions of error, small juries, and new rules on habeas | SCOTUSblog This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Madre mía, qué ganas más tontas nos están entrando de unas semanitas de cuarentena. Un puñado de días para estar tranquilitos en casa mientras el mundo ahí fuera está paralizado. En este episodio de La Paella Rusa lanzamos nuestra plegaria al hantavirus para que nos proporcione una temporada de ritmos lentos. No hace falta que nadie muera, solo ansiamos un poco de espíritu de pandemia, un rato de confinamiento. Mientras esperamos que ocurra, repasamos lo que sabemos de momento sobre el crucero portador del virus y sus moradores. También hablamos de ghosting. De traición. De amar demasiado. De haber amado y haber perdido. Es decir, hablamos del exministro de Transportes José Luis Ábalos, sus recientes declaraciones como acusado en el juicio del Tribunal Supremo y sus peripecias previas a caer en desgracia. Además, nos preguntamos si estará haciendo amigos en prisión. Confiamos en que así sea. ¡Ah! Y abordamos el panorama de las próximas elecciones andaluzas. Vox, Moreno Bonilla, la izquierda a la izquierda del PSOE, el carnaval de Cádiz…Porque, ya sabéis, no hay mayores expertos en Andalucía que los integrantes de este programa. En esta ocasión os dedicamos la sección Psoeizados a vosotros, personas paellísticas, con un minuto y resultado de las propuestas que nos han llegado sobre potenciales candidatos a caer hechizados por los influjos de PEDRO. ¡¡La Perroporra sigue en marcha y esperamos vuestras apuestas!! Y como es costumbre, La Paella Rusa cierra el programa con su recomendación cultural semanal. Esta vez hablamos de… opiáceos. Lo hacemos con El imperio del dolor, de Patrick Radden Keefe (Reservoir Books, 2021). ¡Dentro sinopsis! “El apellido Sackler adorna los muros de las instituciones más distinguidas: Harvard, el Metropolitan, Oxford, el Louvre... Es una de las familias más ricas del mundo, benefactora de las artes y las ciencias. El origen de su patrimonio siempre fue dudoso, hasta que salió a la luz que lo habían multiplicado gracias a OxyContin, un potente analgésico que catalizó la crisis de los opioides en Estados Unidos. El imperio del dolor empieza en la Gran Depresión, con la historia de tres hermanos dedicados a la medicina: Raymond, Mortimer y el infatigable Arthur Sackler, dotado de una visión especial para la publicidad y el marketing. Años después, contribuyó a la primera fortuna familiar ideando la estrategia comercial de Valium, un revolucionario tranquilizante, para una gran farmacéutica. Tras unas décadas fue Richard Sackler, el hijo de Raymond, quien pasó a dirigir los negocios del clan, incluida Purdue Pharma, su propia empresa fabricante de medicamentos. Basándose en las tácticas agresivas de su tío Arthur para vender el Valium, lanzó un fármaco que había de ser definitivo: OxyContin. Con él ganaron miles de millones de dólares, pero terminaría por arruinar su reputación. Desde 2017, Patrick Radden Keefe ha investigado los secretos de la dinastía Sackler: las complicadas relaciones familiares, los flujos de dinero, sus dudosas prácticas corporativas... El resultado es una bomba periodística que relata el auge y declive de una de las grandes familias americanas y su oscuro emporio de la salud”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A pro-immigrant coalition recently rallied on the Capitol steps. They were there to pressure Governor Josh Shapiro to use his executive power to limit the state's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority has been approved to spend over $711 million to connect remaining locations in the Commonwealth to high-speed internet service.The new owners of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette are making deep cuts to the newsroom staff.The twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks has its detractors, but is making daylight saving time or standard time permanent a better idea? Why state lawmakers are considering a package of competing bills that could end the twice yearly time changes.The names of four Dauphin County firefighters were added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial over the weekend in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is announcing that - as of May 1st - the $7.4 billion national settlement reached with Purdue Pharma and its owners takes legal effect. The milestone marks nearly a decade of investigations and litigation as a result of the opioid crisis.A former Philadelphia City councilor will lead the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission's board. It's the latest in a series of changes at the PHRC.

Today on America in the MorningSpirit Shutdown The rapid shutdown of Spirit Airlines sent shockwaves through the transportation industry, and passengers seeking refunds after the airline ran out of money due to the sustained rise in jet fuel costs.  The now-former airline is still processing refund requests and working to get stranded crew members home.  Correspondent Julie Walker reports the Spirit Airlines shutdown has left customers stranded and scrambling.   US-Iran Impasse Iran and the United States traded proposals to end the war, but with both sides still not close to an agreement, the Trump administration says the blockade of Iranian ports will continue, but the US Navy will soon begin escorting ships through the vital Strait of Hormuz, where there was an attack on a cargo ship over the weekend linked to Iran's military.  Correspondent Donna Warder reports.   Giuliani Health Concerns Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized in critical but stable condition.   Texas Mass Shooting Texas police are asking for the public's help in identifying suspects in a mass shooting at a party that killed two teenagers and injured 10 other people.  Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.   Second Missing Student Found The body of a second missing Florida grad student has been found by police, this time in Tampa Bay.  Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports.   Supreme Court Could Take Up Abortion Pill Case The US Supreme Court is likely the next stop after abortion pills by mail were banned following a lower court ruling, a legal defeat for abortion activists.  Correspondent Jennifer King reports.   Blanche Discusses Comey Case Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says the recent indictment of former FBI Director James Comey goes beyond a social media post that irritated President Donald Trump.  Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.   Portland Car Ramming A chaotic scene in Portland, Oregon after a driver plowed his car into an athletic club, killing himself as he set off an explosive device.  Katie Clark reports that while police have ruled out terrorism, they believe he may have been a disgruntled employee set on revenge.   Unusual Weekend At Newark Airport Saying it was a busy weekend at Newark International Airport may be an understatement.  What's Next For Perdue Pharma Questions surround what's next in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids.  Correspondent Jennifer King reports. Missing Soldiers There's a search underway in Morocco for two US servicemen who went missing during a joint US-Morocco military training exercise.   Finally   Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep were the queens of the weekend box office, but questions were raised by a well-known movie director about the film that came in second place.  Entertainment reporter Kevin Carr has details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Sather opens with a refreshingly honest rant on self-inflicted health crises, the difference between ignorance and nescience, and why leading by example is the most powerful tool in your health arsenal. Then the news gets spicy. Fauci's senior NIAID adviser David Moranz has been indicted for obstructing COVID investigations, Peter Daszak is all but confirmed as a coconspirator, and Fauci himself faces a May 11 statute of limitations deadline. Purdue Pharma gets dissolved and hit with a $5 billion penalty. The farm bill strips pesticide liability protections from Big Ag, and Thomas Massey's PRIME Act opens the door for local farmers to sell directly to consumers. Trump nominates Dr. Nicole Safier for Surgeon General, drawing cautious optimism. And Ron Johnson keeps the pressure on with new VAERS data and evidence the CDC hid the myocarditis signal entirely.

AP correspondent Jennifer King looks at what's next in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids.

Today's Headlines: The Atlantic reported that Pete Hegseth has been feeding Trump a sanitized version of the Iran war while JD Vance and actual military brass warn about depleted missile stockpiles and the reality that Iran isn't opening the Strait of Hormuz over a social media post. Trump responded by posting that Iran told him they're "in a state of collapse" — a claim that appears to have originated entirely in his own head. Iran's actual proposal — a long-term ceasefire with toll collection on the strait and nuclear talks postponed — was called unacceptable by Marco Rubio, though other senior officials hadn't officially rejected it yet. On the energy, the UAE abruptly quit OPEC with one day's notice, saying it wants to sell more oil than the cartel allows — which won't immediately affect gas prices but adds long-term volatility to an already chaotic energy market. Back in Congress, the Senate voted 51-47 to reject legislation requiring Congressional approval before starting a war with Cuba, with John Fetterman joining Republicans to kill it. In case you forgot, King Charles is still here and he  addressed Congress with a lovely speech about the environment, Ukraine, NATO, and rule of law — none of which apply to the administration he was visiting — while Epstein survivors held a separate roundtable with Rep. Ro Khanna, since Charles declined to meet with them. Meanwhile, the FCC ordered an accelerated review of Disney's broadcast licenses years ahead of schedule over Jimmy Kimmel's Melania joke, and James Comey was indicted a second time on two charges of threatening the president's life over a beach seashell arrangement spelling "86 47." In other congressional chaos, New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. hadn't been seen since March 5th before surfacing with a vague statement about a "personal medical issue" — while records show he was actively trading between $50,000 and $190,000 in stocks the entire time. Over in Silicon Valley, Elon Musk took the stand in his own lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman, and separately backed out of his promise to support Rep. Thomas Massie — the only Republican pushing to release the Epstein files — just as Massie faces a Trump-backed primary challenger. And finally, Purdue Pharma was ordered to dissolve itself by end of week as part of its criminal opioid settlement — the company admitted wrongdoing, its owners face zero personal consequences, because of course. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Atlantic: The Pentagon May Not Be Telling Trump the Full Picture About the War Axios: Trump claims Iran told U.S. it wants Strait of Hormuz open ASAP NYT: UAE Says It Will Leave OPEC as Iran War Strains Oil Markets Axios: Senate rejects curb on Trump military action in Cuba BBC: King Charles and Queen Camilla attend state dinner at White House - live updates PBS: WATCH: Epstein survivors and families join Rep. Khanna for roundtable ahead of King Charles visit AP News: US will issue commemorative passports with Trump's picture for America's 250th birthday WaPo: James Comey indicted over 2025 social media post allegedly threatening Trump CNBC: FCC launches review of Disney broadcast licenses years ahead of schedule AP News: Judge approves OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's criminal sentence, a last step before it dissolves Politico: Tom Kean Jr. says he'll be back ‘very soon' - Live Updates Axios: Elon Musk sits out Thomas Massie's primary  Axios: Elon gets his day in trial against Sam Altman and OpenAI Mother Jones: FDA May Finally Make It Illegal to Shock Autistic Kids as Punishment Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Day in Legal History: Rodney KingOn April 29, 1992, a California jury acquitted four Los Angeles police officers charged in the beating of Rodney King, a Black motorist whose assault had been captured on videotape the year before. The beating took place on March 3, 1991, after a police chase, when officers repeatedly struck King while a bystander recorded the incident from nearby. The footage became one of the most important pieces of video evidence in modern American legal history, not because it settled the matter, but because it showed how even seemingly clear evidence can be interpreted differently in a courtroom.To much of the public, the video appeared to show obvious police brutality. To the defense, it became something to be slowed down, segmented, and reframed as a series of split-second decisions by officers claiming fear and loss of control. When the jury acquitted the officers, the verdict landed in Los Angeles as a statement about far more than one criminal prosecution. For many residents, especially Black Angelenos, it confirmed the belief that the legal system was unwilling or unable to hold police accountable for violence against Black citizens.The verdict triggered several days of unrest across Los Angeles, leaving more than 60 people dead, thousands injured, and large portions of the city damaged. The case also forced the country to confront the relationship between race, policing, prosecutorial burden, and jury perception. The state-court acquittals did not end the legal story, because federal prosecutors later brought civil rights charges against the officers.In 1993, two officers, Laurence Powell and Stacey Koon, were convicted in federal court, while two others were acquitted. King also later received a civil damages award from the City of Los Angeles. April 29 remains a major date in legal history because it revealed the limits of video evidence, the difficulty of prosecuting police officers, and the deep public consequences that can follow when a courtroom verdict collides with what millions of people feel they have already seen.Purdue Pharma was sentenced in federal court in New Jersey to $5.5 billion in fines and penalties tied to its 2020 guilty plea over misconduct connected to OxyContin sales. The sentencing helps clear the path for Purdue to wind down through bankruptcy and fund a broader $7.4 billion opioid settlement. Before approving the plea deal, Judge Madeline Cox Arleo heard hours of testimony from people who described addiction, death, and family devastation connected to the opioid crisis. More than 200 victims submitted letters, and more than 40 people spoke in court.Purdue's chairman, Steve Miller, apologized directly to victims after the judge instructed him to do so. Arleo also apologized from the bench, telling victims that the government had failed them by missing opportunities to stop Purdue's conduct earlier. Many speakers said financial punishment was not enough and argued that Purdue's owners, the Sackler family, or company executives should face prison time. The judge said she could not impose jail time because the Justice Department had charged the company, not the individual owners or executives. Although the formal sentence is $5.5 billion, most of that amount will not actually be paid, with the government expected to collect $225 million if Purdue uses its remaining assets to pay creditors.The settlement includes money for governments and an $865 million fund for individuals, but many victims worry they will be excluded because they cannot produce old prescription records. Purdue says it is on track to exit bankruptcy as a new nonprofit company focused on opioid addiction treatment and overdose-reversal medicines.Purdue Pharma receives $5.5 billion sentence, paving way for opioid settlement | ReutersThe Justice Department has indicted former FBI Director James Comey over a 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged as “86 47,” which prosecutors say amounted to a threat against President Donald Trump. The case was filed in federal court in North Carolina and charges Comey with threatening the president's life and transmitting a threat across state lines. Comey has said he did not intend violence, explaining that he deleted the post after learning some people interpreted the numbers that way.Trump and his allies had argued the message was a threat, with “47” referring to Trump as the 47th president and “86” being read by them as a call to remove him violently. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the indictment as a standard threat case, while critics and Comey's lawyers say it looks like a politically motivated prosecution. The Secret Service had previously looked into the post and interviewed Comey, but he was not charged at that time. One should also place the indictment in the broader context of Trump's Justice Department pursuing cases against people and groups seen as political opponents.Comey already faced a separate criminal case over alleged false testimony to Congress, but that case was dismissed after a judge found a problem with the prosecutor's appointment, and the government is appealing. Comey's lawyers are expected to argue that the new case is both retaliatory and protected by the First Amendment. The central legal fight will likely be whether the post was a “true threat” or protected political speech.Trump's DOJ indicts former FBI director James Comey over ‘86 47' post | ReutersThe Trump administration has fired all current members of the National Science Board, according to two former board members who spoke to Reuters. The board, created in 1950, helps oversee the National Science Foundation and advises both the president and Congress on science and engineering policy. It had more than 20 members, who were appointed to six-year terms, and most of them came from academia, with others from national labs, nonprofits, and private industry. Former board members Yolanda Gil and Keivan Stassun said they were told by email that their removals were effective immediately.According to Gil, all 22 current members were terminated and no explanation was given. Stassun said the move was disappointing but not surprising in light of other Trump administration actions affecting scientific research and independent federal bodies. The National Science Foundation referred questions to the White House. A White House official said the NSF's work would continue without interruption and suggested that the board's congressionally created powers may need to be updated. The firings fit into a broader pattern described by political experts as an effort by the administration to reshape independent institutions by replacing existing officials with more loyal leadership.Trump administration fires entire National Science Board | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

OPEC faces a double crisis as it manages both the energy shock caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the departure of the UAE. Also in this edition: Airbus reports some disappointing quarterly results. Plus, OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is sentenced to $5.5 billion in fines for its role in the deadly opioid crisis in the US.

Honderdduizenden mensen in Brussel hebben last van vliegtuiglawaai door de drukke vliegroute RNP 07. Ze vragen om oplossingen, maar zijn die er wel? Kosovo houdt voor de derde keer in een jaar verkiezingen. Hoe komt het dat Kosovo nog altijd z'n draai niet vindt in de Balkan? En farmaceutisch bedrijf Purdue Pharma wordt ontbonden. Het speelde een grote rol in de opiatencrisis in de VS, die aan meer dan 700.000 mensen het leven kostte. Hoe is het zo ver kunnen komen?

Des logos qu'on voit partout. Des marques banales. Des noms qu'on prononce chaque semaine sans même y penser.Mais dès qu'on gratte un peu, quelque chose apparaît. Scandales bien réels, campagnes mal expliquées, rumeurs virales, paniques morales, symboles surinterprétés, boycotts amplifiés par les réseaux sociaux… et soudain, les grandes entreprises deviennent des personnages parfaits pour nourrir l'imaginaire complotiste.Dans cet épisode, on plonge dans un univers où Starbucks est accusée de financer des guerres, où KFC élèverait des poulets mutants, où Target deviendrait une menace pour l'enfance, où Bud Light se transforme en symbole politique, et où Big Pharma et Big Tech brouillent elles-mêmes la frontière entre méfiance légitime et paranoïa pure.On revient aussi sur des cas beaucoup plus sérieux qui ont nourri cette culture du doute, comme Purdue Pharma, Martin Shkreli, Cambridge Analytica et les grandes plateformes qui monétisent notre attention, nos émotions et parfois même notre colère.Dans l'aftershow, on quitte les marques comme simples cibles de rumeurs pour aller voir celles et ceux qui transforment activement la peur en modèle d'affaires. Alex Jones, The Epoch Times, Joe Rogan, Russell Brand, RFK Jr., Tucker Carlson… tout un écosystème où le complotisme ne circule pas seulement comme une croyance, mais comme un produit.Voyez le film Undertone de A24, dans une salle québécoise dès le 13 mars 2026!nordvpn.com/distorsion : Rabais exclusif sur ton abonnement + plus 4 mois gratuits!ÉrosEt Compagnie : 15% de rabais avec le code DistorsionPatreon | Site Web | Boutique Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

This Day in Legal History: McDonald's Franchise OpeningOn this day in 1955, Ray Kroc opened his first franchise location for McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois, marking a turning point in American business and legal history. Although franchising existed before this moment, Kroc's model introduced a new level of uniformity and control that reshaped how franchise systems operate. He required strict adherence to standardized procedures, branding, and product quality, which became central features of modern franchise agreements. These agreements are legally binding contracts that define the relationship between franchisors and franchisees, including fees, territorial rights, and operational obligations. As McDonald's expanded rapidly, it exposed gaps in existing business laws governing franchising practices. This growth led to increased scrutiny over issues such as disclosure requirements and fairness in contract terms.By the 1970s, concerns about deceptive practices and unequal bargaining power prompted regulatory responses, including the Federal Trade Commission's Franchise Rule. This rule requires franchisors to provide detailed disclosures to prospective franchisees, improving transparency and reducing fraud. Kroc's model also raised legal questions about liability, particularly whether franchisors could be held responsible for the actions of independently owned franchise locations. Courts have since developed tests to determine the level of control necessary to establish such liability. Additionally, franchise law has evolved to address disputes over termination rights and non-compete clauses. The McDonald's system became a case study in how private contracts can shape an entire industry's legal framework. Today, franchising remains a major part of the global economy, with legal standards that can be traced back to the system Kroc helped popularize.The NAACP filed a lawsuit against xAI in federal court in Mississippi, alleging that the company violated environmental laws while operating a gas-powered plant tied to its data center near Memphis. The complaint claims xAI built and ran the plant without obtaining required permits under the Clean Air Act. According to the NAACP, the plant emits harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde, which are linked to serious health risks including asthma, heart conditions, and cancer. The organization argues that these emissions disproportionately affect nearby communities with large Black populations.The lawsuit also alleges that xAI deliberately avoided regulatory oversight by skipping the permitting process, which would have required pollution controls and environmental review. The plant is described as a major regional source of smog-forming emissions, potentially releasing large quantities of pollutants into the air. The NAACP is seeking court orders to halt operations until proper permits are obtained, require emission controls, and impose financial penalties for violations. The case reflects broader concerns about environmental justice, corporate compliance, and the rapid expansion of infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence technologies.NAACP Sues Musk's XAI Over Data Center Pollution In Miss. - Law360Albertsons has agreed in principle to pay $773 million to resolve claims brought by several states, local governments, and Native American tribes over its alleged role in the opioid crisis. The agreement involves attorneys general from states including California, Colorado, Illinois, and Oregon, though some terms—such as requirements for future conduct—are still being negotiated. The states claim the company contributed to the public health crisis through its pharmacy operations, while Albertsons maintains the settlement does not admit wrongdoing.This deal is part of a broader wave of opioid-related litigation targeting companies across the pharmaceutical supply chain. Governments have accused pharmacies, distributors, and manufacturers of contributing to widespread addiction through improper practices. Other major settlements, including those involving Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, have pushed total payouts in opioid cases beyond $50 billion nationwide.Funds from the Albertsons settlement are expected to support addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery programs, with allocation plans already in place in some states. Officials emphasized that these settlements aim to both address past harm and fund ongoing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.State AGs, Albertsons Chain Reach $773M Opioid Deal - Law360Amazon has agreed to acquire Globalstar for about $11.6 billion as part of its push into satellite-based internet services. The deal will give Amazon access to Globalstar's satellite network, spectrum rights, and infrastructure, helping expand its low Earth orbit (LEO) system aimed at providing global connectivity without relying on traditional cell towers.Under the agreement, Globalstar shareholders can receive either cash or Amazon stock, with the total deal value capped at $90 per share. A majority of Globalstar shareholders have already approved the transaction, but it still requires regulatory clearance and fulfillment of certain operational conditions before closing, which is slotted for 2027.The acquisition positions Amazon to compete more directly in the growing satellite internet market, where companies like SpaceX's Starlink currently dominate. Globalstar's existing technology and planned satellite upgrades are expected to strengthen Amazon's ability to deliver direct-to-device connectivity worldwide. The deal also ties into Amazon's partnership with Apple, supporting satellite features on devices like iPhones and Apple Watches.Paul Weiss, Skadden Lead Amazon's $11.6B Globalstar Deal - Law360A law student at Texas Tech University has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the school violated her First Amendment rights by disciplining her over comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk. The student, Ellen Fisher, alleges she was unfairly singled out for punishment while other students who discussed the same topic were not disciplined. She received a written reprimand, which she argues could negatively affect her ability to become a licensed attorney.Fisher maintains that her statements were part of normal academic discussion and did not celebrate Kirk's death, despite claims from at least one witness. She also argues the university's investigation was flawed because it ignored testimony supporting her version of events. The university concluded her remarks could have been perceived as celebratory and violated professional conduct standards.The lawsuit seeks to block the disciplinary action, obtain damages, and secure a ruling that the university infringed on her constitutional free speech rights. The case comes amid broader national debates over campus speech and how universities respond to controversial or sensitive political discussions.Texas law student sues to stop sanctions over Charlie Kirk comments | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Emily Dufton joins me to talk about how the death of her high school friend after 15 years of escalating opioid use led her on a journey to uncover the origins of the American opioid crisis and our failure to treat patients. She traces those roots back to the well‑intentioned but misguided efforts of the Nixon Administration in the 1970s, the punitive turn of the Reagan‑era War on Drugs, and the policies that followed. Emily also connects these policy choices to the rise of pharmaceutical profiteering—from Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, to other drug manufacturers who have collectively paid more than $60 billion in fines and civil penalties for practices that, in many ways, helped start the fire and then attempted to sell the hose.To read Emily's book, Addiction, Inc.:Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America's Forgotten War on Drugs, DuftonContact me at silverliningshandbookpod@gmail.comCheck out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the official court audio of the hearing held April 2, and is docketed on the court's docket.There have been some hearings in the Saks bankruptcy proceedings since the last Saks hearing posted to this podcast. The hearings concerned, for the most part, a dispute with a particular party as opposed to macro developments in the cases. The hearings were somewhat lengthy and broken up over a few recordings, and not available on the podcast but are available on the court's docket and the case administration site. https://cases.stretto.com/Saks/court-docket/ (Search the docket for the files named audio).This latest hearing being streamed here was held on April 2, 2026 and concerns an emergency request to lift the automatic stay. The automatic stay is a protection that goes into effect by operation of law under section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code, when a bankruptcy petition is filed. In this case as it typical the Saks chapter 11 debtors are protected by the stay, not only from contractual obligations, but also from continuing to defend personal injury litigation arising from injuries sustained before Saks Global went into bankruptcy. In this case it sounds like an individual plaintiff wanted to proceed with personal injury litigation in Massachusetts and sought bankruptcy court approval via counsel. The bankruptcy court was responsive, held a hearing, and continued the hearing to a final hearing on May 7. The court encouraged the parties to work things out, in other words to at least agree to a date the automatic stay will lift. This is after the judge suggested a 60 day time frame at the outset of the hearing.The court noted that the court will not allow the stay to stop the case from going to trial indefinitely. I think it would be interesting for the lawyer who argued against the automatic stay being lifted to listen to what he is saying to the court, and ask himself why he would try to deprive a personal injury claimant of continuing litigation when it doesn't make a difference in terms of the future of Saks Global. Also the law is pretty clear, even with outlier cases like Purdue Pharma, which some people estimated pays just $40k for wrongful death claims - that personal injury claims can't be liquidated in bankruptcy court.As the court noted, at some point bankruptcy courts allow personal injury claims to be liquidated, in other words to continue on their path to jury trial or other payout under applicable non bankruptcy law.

In this episode of Living Undeterred, host Jeff Johnston sits down with Ryan Hampton, a nationally recognized recovery advocate, author, and founder of Mobilize Recovery, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation on addiction, mental health, and systemic change.Ryan shares his personal journey of long-term recovery and how lived experience has fueled his work confronting the opioid crisis head-on—from organizing families affected by addiction to taking on Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family from inside the historic bankruptcy case. He opens up about what he learned while helping negotiate one of the most consequential settlements in public health history, why true justice often gets lost in the process, and how victims' voices are too often sidelined.The conversation also explores Ryan's current run for the Nevada State Assembly, the urgent mental health crisis facing states across the country, and why building a “care economy” is essential for both public health and long-term economic stability. Along the way, Ryan and Jeff reflect on personal accountability, prevention, recovery pathways, and what it really takes to live undeterred in the face of criticism, burnout, and political pressure.This episode is a powerful reminder that advocacy isn't abstract—it's personal. And lasting change only happens when people with lived experience step into the arena.

To justify bombing Venezuela and abducting President Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump falsely accused him of leading the so-called "Cartel de los Soles". But the US Department of Justice was forced to admit that this "Suns Cartel" doesn't exist. The USA lied -- while the CIA actually has trafficked drugs in Latin America. Ben Norton reports. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44c0jf5ygyE Topics 0:00 US attacks Venezuela 0:21 (CLIP) Trump wants Venezuela's oil 1:12 Trump's colonial war on Venezuela 2:08 US DOJ admits it lied about Maduro 3:25 92-year-old judge oversees show trial 3:53 "Cartel de los Soles" doesn't exist 5:05 WMD lie 5:46 Venezuela does NOT produce fentanyl 6:28 Cocaine-producing countries 7:12 (CLIP) Biden official admits truth 8:21 CIA trafficked drugs in Venezuela 11:01 (CLIP) 60 Minutes on CIA drug trafficking 11:42 DEA agent accuses CIA of trafficking 12:58 CIA, cocaine, Nicaraguan Contras 14:47 Trump pardoned Hondura drug trafficker 16:13 (CLIP) Juan Orlando Hernández 16:39 Ecuador's drug-linked President Noboa 17:42 Colombia's drug lord Álvaro Uribe 18:50 USA armed Mexican cartels 19:34 US allies in Mexico are narcos 20:23 Drug links to Argentina's Javier Milei 20:43 Marco Rubio's links to cocaine trafficking 22:52 US Special Forces links to drugs 23:55 Trump attacks Colombia President Petro 24:37 Afghanistan opium production 25:59 Opioid epidemic in USA 26:34 Purdue Pharma and Sackler family 28:55 US imperialism based on lies 29:42 Outro

One on One Video Call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_USTrueLife: Rites of Passage - Episode: The Cultivation of DependenceIn this eye-opening episode of TrueLife: Rites of Passage, host George Monty exposes the dark underbelly of modern dependency engineering—how corporations systematically turn free individuals into captive consumers through biological, psychological, and economic addictions. From pharmaceuticals that hook you for life to hyper-palatable foods and addictive apps, Monty reveals how “customer lifetime value” is just code for human farming, where independence is eroded for perpetual profit.  Monty dives deep into real-world examples: Purdue Pharma's deliberate strategies to create dependence with OxyContin, as uncovered in internal documents  ; Eli Lilly's knowledge of Prozac's permanent neurochemical changes and severe discontinuation syndrome since 1984  ; and the infamous 2018 Goldman Sachs report questioning if “curing patients” is a sustainable business model, favoring chronic treatments instead.   He also uncovers the DSM-5's expansion of mental disorders in 2010, influenced by pharmaceutical ties  ; AstraZeneca's proton pump inhibitors creating “annuity patients” through long-term use  ; and Meta's (Facebook's) 2021 leaked memo admitting Instagram worsens body image issues for 32% of teen girls to keep users hooked.  Beyond drugs, Monty explores food engineering at Frito-Lay, where flavors are lab-designed to mimic cocaine-like dopamine hits  ; Meta's 2017 internal tactics using variable rewards to ensure users return compulsively ; and the shift to subscription models in software and finance that make opting out impossible.This episode challenges listeners to audit their dependencies—medications, apps, subscriptions—and reclaim autonomy. End with a call to action: Research your “needs,” break the hooks, and become unfarmable. Tune in for tomorrow's unmasking of automated compliance.https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/11/goldman-asks-is-curing-patients-a-sustainable-business-model.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/04/curing-disease-not-a-sustainable-business-model-goldman-sachs-analysts-say/https://www.statnews.com/2019/12/03/oxycontin-history-told-through-purdue-pharma-documents/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2622774/https://www.wisnerbaum.com/advocacy_campaigns/ssri-documents/https://www.scribd.com/document/413333146/Eli-Lilly-Prozac-Documents-What-Do-They-Revealhttps://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/04/curing-disease-not-a-sustainable-business-model-goldman-sachs-analysts-say/https://www.aaup.org/academe/issues/2010-issues-4/diagnosing-conflict-interest-disorderhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3302834/https://www.bradleygrombacher.com/nexium-proton-pump-inhibitor-lawsuit-claims-severe-patient-injurieshttps://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2023/astrazeneca-settles-nexium-and-prilosec-product-liability-litigations.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/sep/14/facebook-aware-instagram-harmful-effect-teenage-girls-leak-revealshttps://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/frito-lay-sued-over-no-artificial-flavors-claim-on-poppables-snacks/https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2025/10/07/pepsico-sued-over-mold-made-citric-acid-in-poppables/ One on One Video call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_US

The story everyone knows about the opioid epidemic goes like this: Big, bad Purdue Pharma aggressively marketed its potent painkiller OxyContin, hooking legions of unsuspecting Americans on the pharmaceutical equivalent of heroin. It's a compelling tale—and it's wrong in almost of its particulars. Let's take a closer look.

Most people believe the chart on the screen — Dr. Jon explains why you shouldn't. If you've ever sat in a conference session staring at a chart and wondering whether you're seeing real data or a dressed-up story, this episode is for you. Dr. Jon Belkowitz breaks down how data in the concrete industry is often stretched, normalized, cherry-picked, or misleading — and how to spot it before making decisions that affect a structure's performance. We get into why people present data, what questions you should ask before trusting it, what error bars mean, and when it's time to ask tougher questions. This conversation also touches on motivations, funding sources, normalized datasets, Purdue-Pharma-style chart tricks, and why peer review still matters. What You'll Learn Why is data really presented in this industry — truth, persuasion, or something in between? How charts can hide peaks or exaggerate trends What error bars actually mean and why they matter When to question normalized or percentage-based data Signs that a dataset should be tossed out completely How to read peer-reviewed papers quickly without wasting time Why checking funding sources matters Why asking questions doesn't make you “anti” anything Chapters 00:00 – Why We're Talking About Data 01:00 – What Motivates People to Present Data 04:00 – The Role of Data in Confidence and Decision-Making 07:30 – Normalized Data and How It Can Mislead 12:00 – Purdue-Pharma-Style Chart Tricks 15:30 – What Error Bars Actually Tell You 21:00 – When to Question What You're Being Shown 25:30 – Reading Research Papers Without Wasting Time 30:00 – Motivation, Funding, and Hidden Bias 34:00 – Final Thoughts Guest Info Name: Dr. Jon Belkowitz Company: Intelligent Concrete Email: jon@intelligent-concrete.com Website: www.intelligent-concrete.com Concrete Logic Academy Earn PDHs in the same straight-talk format as the podcast: https://www.concretelogicacademy.com Support the Podcast Support the show: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/donate KUIU helps support the podcast: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu Media, sponsorship, or content inquiries: seth@concretelogicpodcast.com Credits Producer: Douglas H. Clarke, Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media Music by Mike Dunton: https://www.mdunton.com/ Where to Find Seth Seth Tandett — concrete nerd and host of the Concrete Logic Podcast. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast Podcast Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com

In this gripping episode of the Medical Sales Podcast, Samuel sits down with Jennifer Jones, a former top Purdue Pharma rep who lived through one of the most turbulent eras in pharmaceutical history. Jennifer recounts her shocking personal encounters with the FBI, the emotional strain of grand jury testimony, the collapse of Purdue from the inside, and the complicated reality reps faced far beyond the headlines. She shares raw stories of ethical dilemmas, patient advocacy, "pill mill" misconceptions, and the unseen pressures of pain management in the 2000s. Jennifer then opens up about rebuilding her life and identity after Purdue's shutdown, scaling a thriving wine business, launching a coaching company, and ultimately returning to medical device sales where she now leads in cardiology. This conversation delivers rare honesty about pharma, entrepreneurship, career reinvention, and what it truly takes to survive, grow, and lead in medical sales today.   Connect with Jennifer Jones: LinkedIn Connect with Me: LinkedIn Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here's How »

"Dopesick" — the Emmy Award-winning series that dives deep into one of the most devastating crises of our time: the opioid epidemic. The show pulls back the curtain on Purdue Pharma, the company that aggressively marketed OxyContin and helped fuel addiction across America. It's gripping television based on real events—and real people.Today on Grieving Out Loud, you'll hear from two of those real-life heroes. Rick Mountcastle, the inspiration behind one of the main characters in season one—portrayed by actor Peter Sarsgaard—was one of the first to take on the powerful Purdue Pharma. His real-life story is every bit as compelling as what you saw on screen.Also joining me is Ed Bisch, whose story helped inspire characters in "Dopesick" and "Raising Lazarus." After losing his teenage son to an OxyContin overdose at the very beginning of the opioid epidemic, Ed refused to stay silent. Long before most people had even heard the name OxyContin, he was sounding the alarm—calling out Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family when few others would.See how your state is utilizing opioid settlement money here: opioidsettlementtracker.comSend us a textBehind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated.They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.They were More Than Just A Number. Support the showConnect with Angela Follow Grieving Out Loud Follow Emily's Hope Read Angela's Blog Subscribe to Grieving Out Loud/Emily's Hope Updates Suggest a Guest For more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charityWishing you faith, hope and courage!Podcast producers:Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

Send us a textGood morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. Today, we delve into the intricate tapestry of scientific advancements, regulatory decisions, and strategic maneuvers shaping our industry.One of the notable stories involves Agios Pharmaceuticals, which is pushing forward with its sickle cell disease treatment, Pyrukynd, for FDA approval. This comes despite mixed results from their Phase 3 clinical trials, which led to a significant drop in their stock value. This scenario underscores the complexities of navigating clinical trial outcomes while pursuing breakthroughs in treating challenging diseases like sickle cell.Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals has marked a significant milestone with the FDA's approval of Plozasiran. This achievement not only marks Arrowhead's entry into the commercial sector but also highlights the competitive dynamics within biotech, as companies like Ionis Pharmaceuticals vie for market dominance with innovative therapies. Further strengthening its position, Arrowhead also received FDA approval for Redemplo, a siRNA-based therapeutic for rare genetic metabolic disorders. Despite facing volatility due to safety concerns in its partnership with Sarepta Therapeutics, this approval underscores RNA interference therapies' potential in precision medicine.In corporate strategy news, Alkermes is making moves to acquire Avadel Pharmaceuticals, offering up to $2.37 billion and overshadowing a competing bid from Lundbeck. Such acquisitions are part of a broader trend of consolidation in the industry aimed at expanding portfolios and market reach. Avadel's decision to accept Alkermes' revised offer over Lundbeck's bid highlights ongoing consolidation trends as companies expand their portfolios in competitive markets like narcolepsy drugs.On the investment front, Celltrion has committed $478 million to upgrade a U.S. manufacturing facility acquired from Eli Lilly. This expansion is crucial for increasing manufacturing capabilities within the biosimilars sector, where demand for cost-effective therapeutics is on the rise. Additionally, Celltrion's exploration beyond biosimilars with a potential $350 million deal involving Trioar's antibody platform demonstrates ambition to diversify its portfolio towards innovative biologics.Teva Pharmaceuticals is fostering innovation by inviting startups to tackle key challenges within biopharma through a global platform. This initiative reflects a growing trend toward open innovation and collaboration, seeking novel solutions to complex issues across research and development and manufacturing efficiencies.In regulatory news, the controversial $7.4 billion settlement plan involving the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma has received approval from a bankruptcy judge. This paves the way for Purdue's transformation into Knoa Pharma and highlights ongoing legal and ethical reckonings related to opioid liabilities within the industry.Cytokinetics remains committed to its independent path as it awaits FDA approval for its cardiovascular drug Aficamtem. The company's determination to commercialize without big pharma support reflects a trend where smaller biotech firms strive for autonomy while bringing first-in-class drugs to market.On an infectious disease front, Merck has demonstrated significant progress with its HIV treatment Islatravir in Phase 3 trials. This places Islatravir as a potential competitor against Gilead's Biktarvy, showcasing ongoing innovation within antiviral drug development.Additionally, Dexcom has gained clearance for its type 2 diabetes software integrating continuous glucose monitoring technology. This advancement exemplifies how digital health technologies are transforming chronic disease management bySupport the show

Today's Headlines: The House finally voted on releasing the Epstein files, and it was a blowout: 427–1, with Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins as the lone no vote. Speaker Mike Johnson is still trying to get the Senate to redact names (interesting), but survivors held a powerful press conference beforehand urging Trump to stop playing politics and just release the files himself. Meanwhile, the first real accountability domino fell: Larry Summers is stepping back from Harvard and the Center for American Progress over his deep Epstein ties — though OpenAI's board is staying suspiciously quiet about whether he's out there too. Over in the Oval Office, Trump hosted Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for what was supposed to be a big investment-and-F-35s photo op, but it immediately derailed when reporters asked about Epstein and, awkwardly, MBS's role in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Trump waved that off with a casual “things happen,” then snapped at ABC's Mary Bruce for asking why he hasn't released the Epstein files, calling her a “terrible reporter” and demanding ABC lose its broadcast license. Very normal, very innocent behavior. In foreign policy news, the UK has reportedly stopped sharing intel on drug smuggling boats over concerns about recent U.S. strikes — something Secretary of State Marco Rubio swears is absolutely not happening because “it didn't come up once.” The courts were also busy. A federal judge said the DOJ's case against James Comey may have been tainted by “profound investigative missteps,” another court blocked Texas's new gerrymandered congressional map for 2026 (pending the inevitable SCOTUS appeal), and a bankruptcy judge finally approved a $7 billion Purdue Pharma settlement after six years of legal trench warfare — money that will go to families, governments, hospitals, and tribes devastated by the opioid crisis. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Live updates: Trump presidency, Epstein files release heads to House for vote AP News: Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers steps down from public commitments after Epstein emails ABC News: Trump defends Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing, threatens ABC News in White House meeting – as it happened | Mohammed bin Salman People: Donald Trump Lashes Out at ABC Reporter over Another Epstein Question, Saying 'Your Crappy Company' Should Lose Its FCC License NBC News: U.K. withholds intelligence on alleged drug boats over U.S. strikes, sources say CNN: Judge says James Comey indictment may be tainted by ‘profound investigative missteps' Democracy Docket: Federal Court Blocks Texas Gerrymander - Democracy Docket Financial Times: Judge rules Purdue Pharma must pay $7bn in bankruptcy settlement Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's Gist Healthcare Podcast: Medicare Part B premiums rise 10 percent next year, the White House is in talks about extending ACA enhanced tax credits, and a federal judge signs off on Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy plan tied to the opioid crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Medical Sales Podcast, Samuel sits down with Jennifer Jones, a former top Purdue Pharma rep who lived through the rise, collapse, and aftermath of one of the most controversial chapters in pharmaceutical history. Jennifer opens up about her early passion for pain management, what reps were taught, how Q12 vs Q8 dosing shaped patient experiences, and the moment Purdue shut down while she was on vacation. She shares the emotional toll of grand jury testimony, FBI investigations, and watching once-trusted leaders face prison time, while also revealing the patients and physicians who were genuinely trying to do the right thing. From navigating "pill mill" stereotypes to seeing pain doctors wrongly targeted, Jennifer gives a raw, inside look at the complexities reps faced long before the media headlines. Now a thriving medical device rep in cardiology, she talks about rebuilding her career, stepping into entrepreneurship, and rediscovering her purpose in healthcare. This is one of the most honest conversations ever recorded about pharma, pain management, and what it means to survive, grow, and lead in medical sales.   Connect with Jennifer Jones: LinkedIn Connect with Me: LinkedIn Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here's How »

Connecticut will get $64 million from Purdue Pharma. Regulators reject a bid from Eversource to sell Aquarion. Structural issues persist on a bridge to Fire Island. Plus, the latest from WSHU's new series Good at Heart.

Mike Quinn, Plaintiff Attorney, joins Lisa Dent to discuss a judge approving OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma's latest deal to settle thousands of lawsuits related to OxyContin use. Quinn shares his experience representing people and families who were affected by OxyContin abuse.

AP correspondent Marcela Sanchez reports on a major opioid settlement.

In our news wrap Friday, a federal bankruptcy judge will approve Purdue Pharma’s latest deal to settle lawsuits over the damage of opioids, Charlotte is bracing for an expected surge of federal agents as President Trump looks to expand his immigration crackdown and the Trump administration is dropping plans to make airlines compensate passengers for flight delays caused by carriers. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

This week we talk about OxyContin, opium, and the British East India Company.We also discuss isotonitazene, fentanyl, and Perdue.Recommended Book: The Thinking Machine by Stephen WittTranscriptOpioids have been used as painkillers by humans since at least the Neolithic period; there's evidence that people living in the Iberian and Italian Peninsulas kept opium poppy seeds with them, and there's even more evidence that the Ancient Greeks were big fans of opium, using it to treat pain and as a sleep aid.Opium was the only available opioid for most of human history, and it was almost always considered to be a net-positive, despite its downsides. It was incorporated into a mixture called laudanum, which was a blend of opium and alcohol, in the 17th century, and that helped it spread globally as Europeans spread globally, though it was also in use locally, elsewhere, especially in regions where the opium poppy grew naturally.In India, for instance, opium was grown and often used for its painkilling properties, but when the British East India Company took over, they decided to double-down on the substance as a product they could monopolize and grow into a globe-spanning enterprise.They went to great lengths to expand production and prevent the rise of potential competitors, in India and elsewhere, and they created new markets for opium in China by forcing the product onto Chinese markets, initially via smuggling, and then eventually, after fighting a series of wars focused on whether or not the British should be allowed to sell opium on the Chinese market, the British defeated the Chinese. And among other severely unbalanced new treaties, including the ceding of the Kowloon peninsula to the British as part of Hong Kong, which they controlled as a trading port, and the legalization of Christians coming into the country, proselytizing, and owning property, the Chinese were forced to accept the opium trade. This led to generations of addicts, even more so than before, when opium was available only illicitly, and it became a major bone of contention between the two countries, and informed China's relationship with the world in general, especially other Europeans and the US, moving forward.A little bit later, in the early 1800s, a German pharmacist was able to isolate a substance called morphine from opium. He published a paper on this process in 1817, and in addition to this being the first alkaloid, the first organic compound of this kind to be isolated from a medicinal plant, which was a milestone in the development of modern drug discovery, it also marked the arrival of a new seeming wonder drug, that could ease pain, but also help control cold-related symptoms like coughing and gut issues, like diarrhea. Like many such substances back in the day, it was also often used to treat women who were demonstrating ‘nervous character,' which was code for ‘behaving in ways men didn't like or understand.'Initially, it was thought that, unlike with opium, morphine wasn't addictive. And this thinking was premised on the novel application method often used for morphine, the hypermedia needle, which arrived a half-century after that early 1800s isolation of morphine from opium, but which became a major driver of the new drug's success and utility. Such drugs, derived scientifically rather than just processing a plant, could be administered at specific, controllable doses. So surely, it was thought, this would alleviate those pesky addictive symptoms that many people experienced when using opioids in a more natural, less science-y way.That, of course, turned out not to be the case. But it didn't stop the progression of this drug type, and the further development of more derivations of it, including powerful synthetic opioids, which first hit the scene in the mid-20th century.What I'd like to talk about today is the recent wave of opioid addictions, especially but not exclusively in the US, and the newest concern in this space, which is massively more powerful than anything that's come before.—As I mentioned, there have been surges in opioid use, latent and externally forced, throughout modern human history.The Chinese saw an intense wave of opioid addiction after the British forced opium onto their markets, to the point that there was a commonly held belief that the British were trying to overthrow and enslave the Chinese by weighing them down with so many addicts who were incapable of doing much of anything; which, while not backed by the documentation we have from the era—it seems like they were just chasing profits—is not impossible, given what the Brits were up to around the world at that point in history.That said, there was a huge influx in opioid use in the late-1980s, when a US-based company called Purdue Pharma began producing and pushing a time-released opioid medication, which really hit the big-time in 1995, when they released a version of the drug called OxyContin.OxyContin flooded the market, in part because it promised to help prevent addiction and accidental overdose, and in part because Purdue was just really, really good at marketing it; among other questionable and outright illegal things it did as part of that marketing push, it gave kickbacks to doctors who prescribed it, and some doctors did so, a lot, even when patients didn't need it, or were clearly becoming addicted.By the early 2000s, Purdue, and the Sackler family that owned the company, was spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to push this drug, and they were making billions a year in sales.Eventually the nature of Purdue's efforts came to light, there were a bunch of trials and other legal hearings, some investigative journalists exposed Purdue's foreknowledge of their drug's flaws, and there was a big government investigation and some major lawsuits that caused the collapse of the company in 2019—though they rebranded in 2021, becoming Knoa Pharma.All of which is interesting because much like the forced legalization of opium on Chinese markets led to their opioid crisis a long time ago, the arrival of this incredibly, artificially popular drug on the US market led to the US's opioid crisis.The current bogeyman in the world of opioids—and I say current because this is a fast-moving space, with new, increasingly powerful or in some cases just a lot cheaper drugs arriving on the scene all the time—is fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid that's about 30-50 times more potent than heroin, and about 100 times as potent as morphine. It has been traditionally used in the treatment of cancer patients and as a sedative, and because of how powerful it is, a very small amount serves to achieve the desired, painkilling effect.But just like other opioids, its administration can lead to addiction, people who use it can become dependent and need more and more of it to get the same effects, and people who have too much of it can experience adverse effects, including, eventually, death.This drug has been in use since the 1960s, but illicit use of fentanyl began back in the mid-1970s, initially as its own thing, but eventually to be mixed in with other drugs, like heroin, especially low-quality versions of those drugs, because a very small amount of fentanyl can have an incredibly large and potent effect, making those other drugs seem higher quality than they are.That utility is also this drug's major issue, though: it's so potent that a small amount of it can kill, and even people with high opioid tolerances can see those tolerances pushed up and up and up until they eventually take a too-large, killing dose.There have been numerous efforts to control the flow of fentanyl into the US, and beginning in the mid-20-teens, there were high-profile seizures of the illicitly produced stuff around the country. As of mid-2025, China seems to be the primary source of most illicit fentanyl around the world, the drug precursor produced in China, shipped to Mexico where it's finalized and made ready for market, and then smuggled into the US.There have been efforts to shut down this supply chain, including recent tariffs put on Chinese goods, ostensibly, in part at least, to get China to handle those precursor suppliers.Even if that effort eventually bears fruit, though, India seems to have recently become an alternative source of those precursors for Mexican drug cartels, and for several years they've been creating new markets for their output in other countries, like Nigeria, Indonesia, and the Netherlands, as well.Amidst all that, a new synthetic drug, which is 40-times as potent as fentanyl, is starting to arrive in the US, Europe, and Australia, and has already been blamed for thousands of deaths—and it's thought that that number might be a significant undercount, because of how difficult it can be to attribute cause with these sorts of drugs.Nitazenes were originally synthesized back in the 1950s in Austria, and they were never sold as painkillers because they were known, from the get-go, to be too addictive, and to have a bad tradeoff ratio: a little bit of benefit, but a high likelihood of respiratory depression, which is a common cause of death for opioid addicts, or those who accidentally overdose on an opioid.One nitazene, called isotonitazene, first showed up on US drug enforcement agency radars back in 2019, when a shipment was intercepted in the Midwest. Other agencies noted the same across the US and Europe in subsequent years, and this class of drugs has now become widespread in these areas, and in Australia.It's thought that nitazenes might be seeing a surge in popularity with illicit drugmakers because their potency can be amped up so far, way, way higher than even fentanyl, and because their effects are similar in many ways to heroin.They can also use them they way they use fentanyl, a tiny bit blended into lower-quality versions of other drugs, like cocaine, which can save money while also getting their customers, who may not know what they're buying, hooked, faster. For context, a fifth of a grain of nitazene salt can be enough to kill a person, so it doesn't take much, less than that, if they want to keep their customers alive, to achieve the high they're looking for. A little bit goes a long, long way.This class of drugs is also difficult to detect, which might be part of the appeal for drug makers, right now. Tests that detect morphine, heroin, and fentanyl do not detect natazines, and the precursors for this type of drug, and the drugs themselves, are less likely to be closely watched, or even legally controlled at the levels of more popular opioids, which is also likely appealing to groups looking to get around existing clampdown efforts.Right now, drug agencies are in the process of updating their enforcement and detection infrastructure, and word is slowly getting out about nitazenes and the risk they potentially pose. But it took years for sluggish government agencies to start working on the issue of fentanyl, which still hasn't been handled, so it's anyone's guess as to when and if the influx of nitazenes will be addressed on scale.Show Noteshttps://www.wired.com/story/a-new-type-of-opioid-is-killing-people-in-the-us-europe-and-australia/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02161116https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00024-0/fulltexthttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/03/nitazenes-synthetic-opioid-drug-500-times-stronger-than-heroin-fatalhttps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03280-5https://theconversation.com/10-times-stronger-than-fentanyl-nitazenes-are-the-latest-deadly-development-in-the-synthetic-opioid-crisis-265882https://www.cato.org/blog/fentanyl-nitazenes-why-drug-war-keeps-making-danger-worsehttps://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/fentanyl-and-us-opioid-epidemichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purdue_Pharmahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodonehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fentanylhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitazeneshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioidhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_opioid_epidemichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid_epidemic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

The candidates for Nassau County Executive square off in a contentious debate. Connecticut could soon have another professional sports team. Creditors approve the latest settlement plan from Purdue Pharma. Plus, the troubling trend for our region's forests.

Americans don't talk about state attorney generals very much. Technically it's “attorneys general”—like “sisters-in-law” instead of “sister-in-laws”—but don't get hung up on the wording. It's what AGs actually do that matters so much.A state attorney general is basically the top legal expert in their state; they're also known as The People's Lawyers because they fight for us, their constituents, against bad actors who don't have our best interests in mind. That can mean prosecuting companies that are polluting waterways or landlords who are illegally raising rent prices or banks that are selling people's private data. Sometimes state AGs band together on lawsuits, like a recent case against Purdue Pharma for aggressively pushing medications like OxyContin and contributing to the opioid crisis we're facing in this country.Unfortunately, we also have a lot of examples of the harm that a corrupt or extremist attorney general can do. (Ken Paxton, for example) But the good news is, we the people have the power to elect them. In all but seven states (AK, HI, NH, NJ, WY, TN, & ME), voters choose their AG at the ballot box. Most attorneys general are up for election in 2026 or 2028, and in one pivotal state, Virginia, voters will get to elect a new attorney general in just a couple of months.This November, Jay Jones—a lawyer and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates—will square off against the current Virginia Attorney General, Jason Miyares. Miyares is a Republican and a supporter of Donald Trump, campaigning for him and supporting his policies.If you live in Virginia, be sure you come to the polls in November prepared to vote for attorney general. And if you don't live in Virginia, chances are you'll have the chance to vote for your own AG very soon! It's not just about rejecting extremism. It's about choosing a “People's Lawyer” who actually works for the people.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Americans don't talk about state attorney generals very much. Technically it's “attorneys general”—like “sisters-in-law” instead of “sister-in-laws”—but don't get hung up on the wording. It's what AGs actually do that matters so much.A state attorney general is basically the top legal expert in their state; they're also known as The People's Lawyers because they fight for us, their constituents, against bad actors who don't have our best interests in mind. That can mean prosecuting companies that are polluting waterways or landlords who are illegally raising rent prices or banks that are selling people's private data. Sometimes state AGs band together on lawsuits, like a recent case against Purdue Pharma for aggressively pushing medications like OxyContin and contributing to the opioid crisis we're facing in this country. The company settled for $7.4 billion dollars just this past January, which means billions of dollars that can now be put back into treatment and prevention programs. It's a great example of how an attorney general can have a real positive impact on the people of their state.Unfortunately, we also have a lot of examples of the harm that a corrupt or extremist attorney general can do. (Ken Paxton, for example) But the good news is, we the people have the power to elect them. In all but seven states (AK, HI, NH, NJ, WY, TN, & ME), voters choose their AG at the ballot box. Most attorneys general are up for election in 2026 or 2028, and in one pivotal state, Virginia, voters will get to elect a new attorney general in just a couple of months.This November, Jay Jones—a lawyer and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates—will square off against the current Virginia Attorney General, Jason Miyares. Miyares is a Republican and a supporter of Donald Trump, campaigning for him and supporting his policies.If you live in Virginia, be sure you come to the polls in November prepared to vote for attorney general. And if you don't live in Virginia, chances are you'll have the chance to vote for your own AG very soon! It's not just about rejecting extremism. It's about choosing a “People's Lawyer” who actually works for the people.

What’s Trending: Washington State won't settle opioid lawsuit with Purdue Pharma, community task force considered for policy oversight and it’s an awful idea, despite rampant bad bicycling, tickets for violations down, and Ocasio-Cortez makes student loan payment during House panel hearing on school debt. Jacob Sullum (Reason) on the bad move to ban flavored e-cig products  Piers Morgan trashes teaching kids in school there are ‘100 gender identities.’

===== MDJ Script/ Top Stories for September 12th Publish Date:  September 12th    Commercial: From the BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.    Today is Friday, September 12th and Happy Birthday to Jesse Owens I’m Keith Ippolito and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Times Journal Golfers tee off for a cause at 27th Alexis Grubbs Memorial Tournament Cobb OKs additional funding for South Cobb Library Expansion Cobb opts to settle with Purdue Pharma, Sacklers and other opioid manufacturers Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on fast food All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  BREAK: Ingles Markets 10 STORY 1: Golfers tee off for a cause at 27th Alexis Grubbs Memorial Tournament This week, the 27th annual Alexis Grubbs Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament teed off at Brookstone Country Club, bringing together over 100 golfers, sponsors, and volunteers for a day of camaraderie and purpose. Players grabbed gift bags (thanks to A 2nd Chance Bail Bonds), fueled up on Chick-fil-A biscuits, and hit the course after opening remarks from Carlos Rodriguez, the tournament chair. By 10:30 a.m., the Shotgun Start was underway. The event honors Alexis Grubbs, a Marietta High senior tragically lost in 1998, and has since awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to students pursuing legal careers. Winners? Matthew Enslein, Aaron Tomlinson, David Lyles, and Scott Lawrence. STORY 2: Cobb OKs additional funding for South Cobb Library Expansion  This week, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners greenlit $500,000 in extra funding to expand the South Cobb Regional Library by 5,000 square feet. Commissioner Monique Sheffield, who’s been pushing for this since 2021, said the project will be a game-changer for the community. The library, which opened in 2006, is one of the busiest in the county—especially for computer use. The expansion will add a new community space, a bigger teen area, and a computer lab, addressing a critical need for internet access in the area. Other board approvals? Speed signs, road projects, and grants for workforce programs. STORY 3: Cobb opts to settle with Purdue Pharma, Sacklers and other opioid manufacturers   The Cobb County Board of Commissioners has signed off on three new opioid settlements, but not without some debate. The vote was 3-1, with Commissioner Keli Gambrill opposing and Erick Allen absent. The settlements include payouts from Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, and eight other manufacturers, all tied to their role in fueling the opioid epidemic. Cobb could see nearly $1 million from Sandoz alone, with funds earmarked for addiction treatment, prevention, and education. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.  We’ll be right back. Break: COBB MAKE A WISH STORY 4: 'Our city is strong': Mableton holds inaugural State of the City address With dancers, a marching band, and a crowd of hundreds, Mayor Michael Owens delivered Mableton’s first-ever State of the City address, blending optimism with a dose of realism. “The state of our city is strong,” Owens declared, but he didn’t shy away from the challenges. Roads, bridges, infrastructure—there’s work to do. Still, he painted a vision of a diverse, united, and thriving Mableton, calling it “not just another Atlanta suburb” but a cultural destination. Owens highlighted the city’s $13 million budget—no property taxes yet—and plans for affordable housing, smart growth, and a pedestrian-friendly future. STORY 5: OUT AND ABOUT: 5 things to do this weekend in Cobb County — Sept. 12 - 14 Fright Fest at Six Flags Ready to scream? Six Flags Over Georgia’s Fright Fest is back, running select nights through Nov. 2. Starting at 6 p.m., you can wander haunted mazes, dodge scare zones, catch creepy live shows, and ride coasters in the dark. Tickets? $69 for all-day access or $35 if you’re just here for the haunted mazes. Marietta Artisan Market Saturday morning plans? Head to downtown Marietta for the weekly artisan market on Mill Street, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Over 35 artists will be there, including this week’s spotlight: Jess Hain, who crafts stunning sterling silver jewelry and stained glass sun catchers. Coffee, Campfire, and Cryptids Friday night, grab some cocoa and dive into Marietta’s spookiest legends at Coffee, Campfire, and Cryptids in Atherton Square. Wendigos, mysterious creatures, and folklore-inspired goodies await. Starts at 6 p.m. Comedy on the Square Need a laugh? The Alley Stage’s “Comedy on the Square” show hits Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $27—grab them online or at the door. Dog Days at Smith-Gilbert Gardens Bring your pup to Smith-Gilbert Gardens this Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a stroll through 18 acres of greenspace. Admission’s just $3. And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on fast food We’ll have closing comments after this. Break: Ingles Markets 10 Signoff-   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Marietta Daily Journal Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at mdjonline.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com Cobb Make a Wish #NewsPodcast #CurrentEvents #TopHeadlines #BreakingNews #PodcastDiscussion #PodcastNews #InDepthAnalysis #NewsAnalysis #PodcastTrending #WorldNews #LocalNews #GlobalNews #PodcastInsights #NewsBrief #PodcastUpdate #NewsRoundup #WeeklyNews #DailyNews #PodcastInterviews #HotTopics #PodcastOpinions #InvestigativeJournalism #BehindTheHeadlines #PodcastMedia #NewsStories #PodcastReports #JournalismMatters #PodcastPerspectives #NewsCommentary #PodcastListeners #NewsPodcastCommunity #NewsSource #PodcastCuration #WorldAffairs #PodcastUpdates #AudioNews #PodcastJournalism #EmergingStories #NewsFlash #PodcastConversations See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No Country for Old People, a documentary from filmmaker Susie Singer Carter and former federal prosecutor and US Attorney Rick Mountcastle, investigates widespread neglect and systemic failures in nursing facilities. Singer Carter tells a personal story about her mother, who lived with Alzheimer's disease and received inadequate care in a five-star facility. Mountcastle, known for prosecuting Purdue Pharma for its role in the opioid crisis, connects his legal experience exposing corporate misconduct to troubling practices he uncovered in the long-term care industry. Together, they highlight how residents with dementia and other disabilities are often silenced, overlooked, or neglected by a system that profits from their vulnerability.In this Live Talk with Being Patient's founder Deborah Kan, Carter and Mountcastle share the stories behind the film, including Singer Carter's firsthand account of her mother's decline in a care facility, and Mountcastle's insights into how legal and corporate structures perpetuate exploitation. As advocates of the ROAR(Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, and Reform for Long-Term Care) movement, they said they intend their film to give voice to the voiceless and push for accountability. 

In this powerful conclusion to our "War on Drug" series, we confront the opioid epidemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and reshaped the landscape of addiction in America. We trace the origins of the crisis back to Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, whose aggressive marketing of OxyContin in the 1990s and early 2000s helped normalize the widespread prescribing of highly addictive painkillers.   Listeners will learn how deceptive pharmaceutical campaigns, coupled with systemic failures in regulation and oversight, created the conditions for one of the deadliest addiction waves in U.S. history. We break down:   - The rise of OxyContin and Purdue Pharma's marketing strategies   - The Sackler family's influence and pursuit of profit over public health   - How the opioid epidemic escalated into a nationwide crisis   - The human cost of addiction, from individuals to entire communities   - Where do we go from here in addressing accountability and recovery   This episode is not just about exposing the failures that fueled the epidemic,  it's about understanding the lessons we must carry forward to prevent history from repeating itself.      

Steven May is a federal whistleblower who took on one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world: Purdue Pharma. His case, which once reached the Supreme Court, exposed what he believes was a calculated fraud that led to the approval of OxyContin and helped create the opioid crisis. In this powerful interview, May shares the eye-opening details he uncovered during discovery. He reveals how his legal battle, though ultimately dismissed on a technicality, would have argued that if Purdue had not made false claims about the drug's efficacy, it never would have been approved. This is a story of a David-versus-Goliath struggle, where one man's pursuit of justice uncovered a systemic failure with devastating consequences. May's experience resonates with other high-profile whistleblower cases, such as that of **Brooke Jackson** against Pfizer's mRNA vaccines. He's previously been interviewed by major news outlets like *The New Yorker* and France 24, and now, he's ready to tell his complete story. Tune in to hear how Steven May's fight against corporate power sheds light on the origins of the opioid crisis and the critical role whistleblowers play in holding powerful institutions accountable. HELP SUPPORT OUR FIGHT AGAINST ADDICTION. DONATE HERE: https://www.patreon.com/theaddictionpodcast   PART OF THE GOOD NEWS PODCAST NETWORK. AUDIO VERSIONS OF ALL OUR EPISODES: https://theaddictionpodcast.com CONTACT US: The Addiction Podcast - Point of No Return theaddictionpodcast@yahoo.com Intro and Outro music by: Decisions by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100756 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Ed Bisch is an activist who founded Relatives Against Purdue Pharma (RAPP) after his son, Eddie, died from an OxyContin overdose in 2001. After Eddie's death, Ed started a website to warn others about the dangers of OxyContin and began connecting with other parents who had lost children to the drug. This led to the formation of RAPP, a group that has been actively protesting and seeking to hold Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family accountable for their role in the opioid crisis. Key details about Ed Bisch and RAPP: Formation: Ed Bisch founded RAPP around 2003 with three other mothers who also lost children to opioids. Anyone who has stood up to Purdue Pharma or spoken out against them is considered a member. Activism: RAPP is known for holding protests and attending hearings, often with photos of their deceased children, to keep pressure on the company and its owners. Ed has also been a claimant in a class-action lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. Goal: The primary goal of RAPP is for Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family executives to receive jail time for their involvement in the opioid crisis, arguing that financial penalties are not enough of a deterrent. Media Attention: Ed Bisch's activism has been featured in various media, including the MTV series "True Life," the MSNBC special "The Forgotten Epidemic," and articles by authors like Beth Macy ("Dopesick" and "Raising Lazarus"). He has been a consistent voice calling for the Department of Justice to prosecute the Sacklers. Settlement Views: Ed Bisch has been vocal in his criticism of the various settlements reached with the Sackler family, calling them "a bankruptcy scam" and a "sad joke" because the payouts to victims are very small and the Sacklers' fortune remains largely untouched. He also points out that the settlements often include immunity from future civil lawsuits. HELP SUPPORT OUR FIGHT AGAINST ADDICTION. DONATE HERE: https://www.patreon.com/theaddictionpodcast   PART OF THE GOOD NEWS PODCAST NETWORK. AUDIO VERSIONS OF ALL OUR EPISODES: https://theaddictionpodcast.com CONTACT US: The Addiction Podcast - Point of No Return theaddictionpodcast@yahoo.com Intro and Outro music by: Decisions by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100756 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Barbara Kingsolver joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss her support of Higher Ground, a long-term residence for women recovering from addiction. Kingsolver talks about Lee County, Virginia, which is both Higher Ground's location and the setting for her wildly successful novel Demon Copperhead, which transforms Charles Dickens' David Copperfield into a story of the opioid epidemic in Appalachia. Kingsolver explains how she came to use profits from the novel to found Higher Ground, as well as the local partnerships and conversations that made the project possible. She also reflects on Purdue Pharma's exploitation of Appalachia; her views on ethical philanthropy; her worries about what the Big, Beautiful Bill will do to rural America; and her opinions on Vice President J.D. Vance's authenticity. She considers how she developed the voices of her novel's characters, and reads from Demon Copperhead. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This podcast is produced by V.V. Ganeshananthan, Whitney Terrell, Hunter Murray, Janet Reed, and Moss Terrell. Barbara Kingsolver Demon Copperhead Higher Ground Women's Recovery Residence Unsheltered Flight Behavior The Lacuna Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life The Poisonwood Bible Pigs in Heaven Others: "‘I've dealt with anti-hillbilly bigotry all my life': Barbara Kingsolver on JD Vance, the real Appalachia and why Demon Copperhead was such a hit" |The Guardian   Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Barbara Kingsolver joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss her support of Higher Ground, a long-term residence for women recovering from addiction. Kingsolver talks about Lee County, Virginia, which is both Higher Ground's location and the setting for her wildly successful novel Demon Copperhead, which transforms Charles Dickens' David Copperfield into a story of the opioid epidemic in Appalachia. Kingsolver explains how she came to use profits from the novel to found Higher Ground, as well as the local partnerships and conversations that made the project possible. She also reflects on Purdue Pharma's exploitation of Appalachia; her views on ethical philanthropy; her worries about what the Big, Beautiful Bill will do to rural America; and her opinions on Vice President J.D. Vance's authenticity. She considers how she developed the voices of her novel's characters, and reads from Demon Copperhead. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This podcast is produced by V.V. Ganeshananthan, Whitney Terrell, Hunter Murray, Janet Reed, and Moss Terrell. Barbara Kingsolver Demon Copperhead Higher Ground Women's Recovery Residence Unsheltered Flight Behavior The Lacuna Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life The Poisonwood Bible Pigs in Heaven Others: "‘I've dealt with anti-hillbilly bigotry all my life': Barbara Kingsolver on JD Vance, the real Appalachia and why Demon Copperhead was such a hit" |The Guardian   Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy case, involving tens of thousands of survivors of childhood sexual abuse, is among the largest and most contentious mass tort proceedings in U.S. history. Today on Cut to the Chase, Attorney Jason Joy breaks down the latest ruling from the Third Circuit Court, which leaves many survivors of childhood sexual abuse with drastically underfunded compensation. He explains how this case differs from the Purdue Pharma/Sackler opioid litigation and why legal strategy matters. The episode reveals how survivors may receive only pennies on the dollar, while insurance companies and institutions that haven't filed for bankruptcy avoid further accountability. Then, survivor and advocate Curtis Garrison addresses powerful new laws in Texas and Missouri that ban the use of NDAs to silence survivors of child sexual abuse. These legal changes are helping victims speak out, heal, and protect others from harm. What to expect in this episode: Circuit Conflict: How the Third Circuit's Boy Scouts bankruptcy ruling conflicts with Supreme Court precedent in Purdue Pharma “Pennies on the Dollar” Justice: Why thousands of survivors are receiving as little as 1.5% of their claims from a $30 billion pool Who Benefits? The controversial role of plaintiff firms and insurers in shaping the underfunded settlement Justice Delayed: How years of procedural delays and legal stays have eroded survivor compensation and trust Legislative Breakthroughs: How Texas and Missouri are leading the charge by banning NDAs that silence child abuse victims Trey's Law: The story behind one family's fight to protect future survivors and pass meaningful reform What's Next in Court: The path forward for potential Supreme Court review and future mass tort bankruptcy cases Lawyer Action Plan: How attorneys can support clients, push for legislative reform, and avoid similar outcomes in future settlements Key Actionable Takeaways: Audit your use of NDAs in abuse cases to ensure you're not silencing survivors, especially in states where such clauses are now banned. Stay current on court rulings like Purdue Pharma and Boy Scouts to understand how legal precedents may impact third-party releases and mass tort strategies. Push for full transparency in settlement agreements so clients clearly understand how much is funded, how much they'll actually receive, and the risks of appeals. Support survivor-focused legislation by joining advocacy efforts to eliminate statutes of limitations and expand legal protections nationwide.   Stay tuned for more updates, and don't miss our next deep dive on Cut to the Chase: Podcast with Gregg Goldfarb!   Subscribe, rate, review, and share this episode of the Cut to the Chase: Podcast!   Resources: Speak Out to Stop Child Sexual Abuse: https://soscsa.org Jason Joy & Associates: https://www.jasonjoylaw.com Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-joy-595a3416 Listen to our first Boy Scouts breakdown (Feb 2024) with Jason Joy: https://bit.ly/4m62Y3s  Listen to our last Boy Scouts update (Dec 2024) with Jason and Curtis: https://bit.ly/45einZU   This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.

When award-winning filmmaker Susie Singer Carter placed her mother, who was living with dementia, in a five-star nursing home in Los Angeles, she never expected to be dealing with substandard care, inadequate staffing, and chemical restraints. Horrified by what was happening, Susie connected with former federal prosecutor Rick Mountcastle, whose prosecution of Purdue Pharma was featured in the miniseries, Dopesick. Susie and Rick have collaborated on a new documentary, No Country for Old People, to raise awareness about failures in our long-term care system and spur action to promote quality and accountability. On the eve of the release of the documentary, join a conversation with Susie and Rick about what they've learned in this process and what you can do to help change the system. Guests: Guest: Susie Singer Carter, Writer and Director, and Rick Mountcastle, Former Federal Prosecutor

All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome back the team behind the film "No Country for Old People"   About "No Country for Old People":   A filmmaker chronicles her mother's last 6 months in a 5-star nursing home exposing what is a national systemic, deadly, profit-over-people business model. No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is a scorching documentary posed to set the long-term care industry, policy makers, and the country ablaze. Shining a much-needed light on what is truly a national human emergency.   No Country for Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is a 3-part documentary that exposes the dark realities of neglect and abuse in nursing homes and throughout U.S. long-term care industry.   The film answers four questions: What happens. 2. How does it happen? 3. Why does it happen? 4. And how do we fix it?   The film highlights a systemic crisis - the result of corporate greed - that has been taking a devastating human toll within the walls of our nation's long-term care facilities for decades.   The film weaves personal loss with journalistic rigor, exposing a pattern of abuse that is enabled by profit-first models that include chronic understaffing, undertraining, and financial exploitation.   PERSONAL STORIES AND EMOTIONAL IMPACT:   The filmmaker's own experience with her mother along with other emotional testimonies emphasize the human cost of systemic failure and illustrate the severe consequences of poor nursing home care.   The film is both deeply personal and widely resonant — amplifying voices too often silenced and inviting viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about aging, policy, and accountability in America.   About Susie Singer Carter:   Susie Singer Carter is a multi-award-winning, Oscar qualified filmmaker, writer, director, producer, actor, podcast producer, host, and Caregiver Advocate. She is best known for writing, directing, and producing the 2018 Oscar qualified short film, My Mom and The Girl starring Valerie Harper in her final performance, writing and producing “Bratz the Movie” for Lionsgate, and co-producing “Soul Surfer” for Sony.   Susie also produces and hosts the podcast Love Conquers Alz – awarded BEST PODCAST 2020 by New Media Film Festival and is #4 on Feedspots' 2022 25 Best Alzheimer's Podcasts list. Susie is also the co-creator, co-writer, co-star, and director of the outrageous horror/comedy narrative podcast I Love Lucifer, nominated Best Audio Fiction 2023 by Indie Series Awards.   Susie wrote the screenplay, “RUN”, based on the book “Plain Jane” and is attached to direct in spring 2024. She is currently writing, producing, and directing a docuseries, No Country For Old People, which centers on the Nursing Home Neglect and the systemic healthcare crisis responsible for it. She is also a host of the Writers Guild of America West's 3rd & Fairfax Podcast.   About Rick Mountcastle:   Mr. Mountcastle is the former United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia (2017-2018) and is a retired award-winning federal and state prosecutor. He led the prosecution of Purdue Pharma for fraudulently marketing OxyContin, as portrayed in the Emmy-nominated limited miniseries "Dopesick" (streaming on Hulu).   He also led the criminal and civil prosecution of Abbott Laboratories for fraudulently marketing the anti-epileptic, Depakote, for use as a chemical restraint for dementia patients in nursing homes, resulting in Abbott's guilty plea to a felony and payment of $1.5 billion, at the time the largest penalty against a pharmaceutical company for misconduct related to a single drug.   Mr. Mountcastle spent his career prosecuting healthcare companies and executives who exploited vulnerable patients for profit, and brings his passion to change a system that allows such exploitation to this project.   About Don Priess:   For over two decades, Don Priess has shunned sleep in order to become a highly sought-after, award winning writer, producer, director and editor. He co-founded Modern Media, now one of the top marketing and infomercial production companies in the world.   After six years and hundreds of TV and radio commercials, Don decided to spread his wings and since his credits include projects for CBS/Dic Entertainment, Nickelodeon, Buena Vista, American Movie Classics, Lifetime, Hanna-Barbera, Playboy Entertainment and more.   While continuing to work on a wide variety of entertainment projects, Don teamed with the highly energetic and talented Susie Singer Carter as part of Go Girl Media. Together they were the writers and Co-Executive Producers of two series for CBS, “CAKE” and “DANCE REVOLUTION”, SURVIVING HAWKING, and “SILVER LININGS” for Fox Television Studios.

President Trump has been briefed on both the risks and benefits of bombing Iran's Fordo nuclear facility. CBS News has learned the president believes that if talks fail, disabling the facility will be necessary because of the risk of weapons being produced in a relatively short period of time, multiple sources told CBS News. A federal bankruptcy judge will decide on Friday whether to approve a nearly $7.5 billion settlement involving OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma. Severe storms are bringing thunder, lightning and heavy rain to parts of the East Coast. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A historic and national $7.4 billion dollar settlement has been reached with Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid OxyContin that spurred a major start of the opioid epidemic. A prior settlement had been struck down by the Supreme Court. NPR'S national addiction correspondent, Brian Mann, joins Lisa Desjardins with more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Israel has expanded its attacks on targets inside Iran to include the country's state television studios. The suspect accused of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband faces federal and state murder charges, and Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family have reached a multibillion dollar settlement with states. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Vincent Ni, Cheryl Corley, Andrea DeLeon, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Claire Murashima, and Christopher Thomas. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

SUBSCRIBE TO JORDAN'S ⁠FREE NEWSLETTER⁠. Get the facts, without the spin. UNBIASED offers a clear, impartial recap of US news, including politics, elections, legal news, and more. Hosted by lawyer Jordan Berman, each episode provides a recap of current political events plus breakdowns of complex concepts—like constitutional rights, recent Supreme Court rulings, and new legislation—in an easy-to-understand way. No personal opinions, just the facts you need to stay informed on the daily news that matters. If you miss how journalism used to be, you're in the right place. In today's episode: Court Blocks Trump's Control Over National Guard; Appellate Court Reverses (2:05) ICE Memo Directs Agents to Stop Conducting Workplace Raids In These Locations (6:44) CMS Reportedly Shares Medicaid Data With DHS; Here's What You Need to Know About the Legalities (10:42) States Pull Back State Medicaid Healthcare Programs for Undocumented Immigrants (16:39) Everything We Know About the Targeted Minnesota Attacks and the Shooter (20:14) "No Kings" Protests and Army Parade (33:12) Trump Releases 2024 Financial Disclosures (40:00) Quick Hitters: Washington Post Says It Was the Target of a Cyberattack, Trump Organization Announces Trump Mobile, 50 States Agree to Billion Dollar Settlement with Purdue Pharma, West Virginia Gov. Declares State of Emergency (44:34) Critical Thinking Segment (46:36) SUBSCRIBE TO JORDAN'S FREE NEWSLETTER. Watch this episode on YouTube. Follow Jordan on Instagram and TikTok. All sources for this episode can be found here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Purdue Pharma's owners in the Sackler family have agreed to a new $6.5 billion settlement to lawsuits over their role in the U.S. opioid crisis. This comes after a previous deal was rejected by the Supreme Court last year. We’ll break down the details of the settlement and what could come next. And, the U.S. housing market is the slowest it’s been in 30 years, but prices aren’t coming down. What gives? Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Existing-Home Sales in 2024 Were Slowest in Decades Amid High Mortgage Rates” from The New York Times “United States Housing Market & Prices” from Redfin “Purdue Pharma's Sacklers Agree to New $6.5 Billion Deal for Opioid Lawsuits” from The Wall Street “Supreme Court Jeopardizes Opioid Deal, Rejecting Protections for Sacklers” from The New York Times “Is there a market for luxury EVs? GM thinks so.” from Marketplace “This 24-hour diner helps New Yorkers make it through the night” from Marketplace “The American workweek is shrinking” from Marketplace “‘Lost’ Tina Turner track to be released 2 years after queen of rock ‘n’ roll’s death” from USA Today “UK's 20mph speed limits ‘are cutting car insurance costs'” from The Guardian We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.