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Netflix's 'Painkiller' Highlights the Human Toll of the Opioid Crisis Fueled by Greed

  • Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family aggressively marketed the painkiller OxyContin despite knowing its high risk for addiction.
  • The series follows both real and fictional characters affected by opioid addiction after being prescribed OxyContin.
  • While dramatized, Painkiller aims to truthfully portray the origins of the opioid epidemic and the role of Purdue Pharma.
  • Peter Berg executive produced Painkiller due to his personal experience with people who died from opioid addiction.
  • The emotional introductions given by families impacted by the crisis add a powerful human dimension.
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