Irish Times Inside Politics

Patrick Radden Keefe is an American writer and investigative journalist. His new book, Empire of Pain is a detailed history of the Sackler dynasty and their role in the American opioid epidemic. Known for their dedication to cultural philanthropy, the family built their wealth on pharmaceuticals, starting with tranquillisers like Librium and Valium, before eventually moving on to the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. In this episode, the award winning author talks to Hugh about the origins of the addiction crisis, the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy trial and the mark the family left on the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.