Participants Archive

Dr. Shereef Elnahal

Title: Medical Professional

Commissioner of Health

Dr. Shereef Elnahal

As featured on:

Ep. 248 -Taking Recovery to The Streets
About 21 million Americans struggle with addiction every day, yet only ten percent receive treatment. While that percentage is shockingly low, the reality is that traditional methods of aid are ina...

Jessie Gaeta

Title: Medical Professional

Boston Health Care for the Homeless

Jessie Gaeta

As featured on:

Ep. 248 -Taking Recovery to The Streets
About 21 million Americans struggle with addiction every day, yet only ten percent receive treatment. While that percentage is shockingly low, the reality is that traditional methods of aid are ina...
Ep. 40 – Creating a Safe Space with SPOT: Dr. Jessie Gaeta, Boston Health Care
In response to opioid overdoses in Boston, Dr. Jessie Gaeta devised a safe space for rehabilitation called SPOT. She is the Chief Medical Officer of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program...

Evie Fordham

Title: Journalist

DCNF

Evie Fordham

As featured on:

Ep. 247 – The Corrupting Influence of Purdue: WHO knew?
As negative press continued to build for Purdue Pharma and the opioid crisis grew, their U.S. market shares began to shrink.

Chris McGreal

Title: Author

The Guardian

Chris McGreal

As featured on:

Ep. 247 – The Corrupting Influence of Purdue: WHO knew?
As negative press continued to build for Purdue Pharma and the opioid crisis grew, their U.S. market shares began to shrink.
Episode 244: Big Pharma, “It’s the patients not the pills”
When award-winning author Chris McGreal sat down to write American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts, he wanted to answer two questions.
Ep. 243 – Profits Over People – Part 2: Industry Influence and Intrigue
To many, how and why the opioid epidemic came about remains a mystery. How did these dangerous and addictive substances earn approval for distribution? Why were these drugs approved if they were cl...
Ep. 242 – Profits Over People: FDA Opioid Drug Approvals, with Author Chris McGreal
The Opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history, claiming over 350,000 lives since 1999. While many people have an idea of what caused the opioid crisis, few understand the why...
Ep. 231 – “60 Minutes” Whistleblower Shares What Happened When Congress Sided with Industry Over an Agency
When a key member of the government’s legal team went to work for the pharmaceutical industry, the job of diversion control enforcement changed dramatically.

Harriet Ryan

Title: Journalist

Los Angeles Times

Harriet Ryan

As featured on:

Ep. 247 – The Corrupting Influence of Purdue: WHO knew?
As negative press continued to build for Purdue Pharma and the opioid crisis grew, their U.S. market shares began to shrink.
Ep. 66 – How a Company Reaped Billions at the Cost of Hundreds of Lives: Harriet Ryan, LA Times
Greg interviews Harriet Ryan, an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times who frequently writes about the opioid epidemic. On January 19, 2017, Harriet wrote an article about a recent lawsui...

Brittney Spencer

Title: County Official

Baltimore City Health Department

Brittney Spencer

As featured on:

Ep. 246 – Lost Lives Lead to New Prevention Programs
In June of 2016, we sat down with Dr. Tom Gilson, the nationally known medical examiner from Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Hoping it might inform and help others, Dr. Gilson reviewed Sam McNeil’s report...

Dr. Raeford Brown

Title: Medical Professional

University of Kentucky

Dr. Raeford Brown

As featured on:

Episode 245: Modern-day FDA, What’s New is Still Old
In our three-part series with American Overdose author, Chris McGreal, we took an in-depth look at some of the policies and practices of the FDA that helped lead to our nation’s worst health cris...

Dr. Tom Frieden

Title: Medical Professional

Vital Strategies

Dr. Tom Frieden

As featured on:

Episode 244: Big Pharma, “It’s the patients not the pills”
When award-winning author Chris McGreal sat down to write American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts, he wanted to answer two questions.

Conrad Weaver

Title: Executive Producer

Conjostudios, LLC

Conrad Weaver

As featured on:

Ep. 241 – Behind the Scenes of “Heroin’s Grip” a New Documentary, with Director Conrad Weaver
Many people that view addiction from the outside don’t understand the struggle addicts go through and can’t appreciate how addiction impacts their families.

Lindsey Vuolo

Title: Professional

Center on Addiction

Lindsey Vuolo

As featured on:

Ep. 240 – Uncovering Coverage Gaps & Understanding The ACA, with Lindsey Vuolo
In March of 2019 the Center on Addiction, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting families struggling with substance use and addiction, published Uncovering Coverage Gaps II: A Review of A...

Dr. Monty Burks

Title: Community Organizer

Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Dr. Monty Burks

As featured on:

Ep. 239 – Faith Communities Supercharging Recovery, with Dr. Monty Burks
The opioid epidemic has taken a deep toll on families throughout Appalachia. In Tennessee alone, over 1,631 people, (more than five per day), died from a drug overdose in 2016.

Roy Poillon

Title: Community Organizer

Families Impacted by Opioids

Roy Poillon

As featured on:

Ep. 238 – Empowering Families Struggling with Opioid Addiction, with Roy Poillon
While there are many high-quality treatment centers, organizations, and programs for people struggling with opioid addiction, their families often lack the same resources.

Andrew Pollis

Title: Attorney

Case Western Reserve

Andrew Pollis

As featured on:

Ep. 237 – Understanding Purdue Pharma’s Settlement with Oklahoma
On March 26, 2019, the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, a high-profile figure in the Opioid Epidemic, agreed to a $270 Million Opioid Settlement with the State of Oklahoma.
Ep. 210 – What You Don’t Know About the Opioid Multidistrict Litigation in Cleveland, Ohio
There have now been over 1,300 opioid lawsuits filed by states, cities, countries, Native American tribes and labor unions throughout our country.

Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen

Title: Medical Professional, Education

Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen

As featured on:

Ep. 236 – Preparing Future Physicians: How Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen readies her students for future ethical challenges
Pharmaceutical companies spend billions annually on influencing physicians and other pharmaceutical providers, to write more prescriptions for their products.

Pat McGee

Title: Executive Producer

Pat McGee Pictures

Pat McGee

As featured on:

Ep. 235 – “American Relapse:” A Behind the Scenes Look with Director/Executive Producer of Chilling New Documentary
Each year, thousands of people from across the country go to Florida seeking treatment for drug addiction. Some find help and recover, but the vast majority relapse and continue to struggle with th...

Dr. Kendall Young

Title: Counselor

Tivy High School

Dr. Kendall Young

As featured on:

Ep. 234 – Tragedy Transforms High School Counselor to Addiction Prevention and Recovery Activist
Over 130 people die each day after overdosing on opioids in America. The abuse of and addiction to opioids is a national crisis that has touched the lives of more families than any other health cri...

Dr. Daniel Fleck

Title: Medical Professional

Altrix Medical

Dr. Daniel Fleck

As featured on:

Ep. 233 – Crowd Sourced App Helps Build a Community of First Responders
It’s estimated that one hundred and seventy-five people die from opioid overdoses daily in our country. Naloxone can save lives, if there when needed, but the window of time is very short.

Matthew Shaker

Title: Medical Professional

Altrix Medical

Matthew Shaker

As featured on:

Ep. 233 – Crowd Sourced App Helps Build a Community of First Responders
It’s estimated that one hundred and seventy-five people die from opioid overdoses daily in our country. Naloxone can save lives, if there when needed, but the window of time is very short.

Joe Rannazzisi

Title: Law Enforcement, Government Official

Drug Enforcement Administration's Office of Diversion Control

Joe Rannazzisi

As featured on:

Ep. 232 – Pharmaceutical Industry Wins with a Little Help from their Friends
In our last episode of this series, we learned how passage of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act took away the DEA’s most effective diversion control enforcement tool,...
Ep. 231 – “60 Minutes” Whistleblower Shares What Happened When Congress Sided with Industry Over an Agency
When a key member of the government’s legal team went to work for the pharmaceutical industry, the job of diversion control enforcement changed dramatically.
Ep. 230 -Diversion Out of Control: “60 Minutes” Whistleblower, Joe Rannazzisi Shares What Went Wrong
This is the 2nd in our 4 part series with the former head of the Office of Diversion Control for the DEA, Mr. Joseph Rannazzisi. We began this series by talking about the surprisingly candid report...
Ep. 229 – Diversion Out of Control: “60 Minutes” Whistleblower, Joe Rannazzisi Talks About What Went Wrong
On December 19th, 2018, the Energy and Commerce Committee released a long awaited report titled “Red Flags and Warning Signs Ignored: Opioid Distribution and Enforcement Concerns in West Virginia...

John Pacenti

Title: Journalist

The Palm Beach Post

John Pacenti

As featured on:

Ep. 228 – Pharmaceutical Company Exposed in Boston: A Conversation with Palm Beach Post Reporters Part 2
We frame today’s podcast with Palm Beach Post reporters, John Pacenti and Pat Beall with a clip from the Insys Therapeutics rap video on the virtues of persuading doctors to prescribe higher dose...

Pat Beall

Title: Journalist

Palm Beach Post

Pat Beall

As featured on:

Ep. 228 – Pharmaceutical Company Exposed in Boston: A Conversation with Palm Beach Post Reporters Part 2
We frame today’s podcast with Palm Beach Post reporters, John Pacenti and Pat Beall with a clip from the Insys Therapeutics rap video on the virtues of persuading doctors to prescribe higher dose...
Ep. 227 – Landmark Racketeering Case Against Insys Therapeutics Brings Up A Familiar Story
Back in January, the pharmaceutical trial of Insys Therapeutics and company founder, John Kapoor faced charges of racketeering. Allegedly, he and six former sales directors operated a scheme which...

Janine Underwood

Title: Family Member

Bradley Free Clinic

Janine Underwood

As featured on:

Ep. 226 – Turning Tragedy into a Triumph: The Roanoke Valley Hope Initiative Story
As Beth Macy’s book “Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America” unfolds, we meet many families, community leaders and healthcare providers that were directly impac...

Beth Macy

Title: Author

New York Times/ The Roanoke Times

Beth Macy

As featured on:

Ep. 226 – Turning Tragedy into a Triumph: The Roanoke Valley Hope Initiative Story
As Beth Macy’s book “Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America” unfolds, we meet many families, community leaders and healthcare providers that were directly impac...
Ep. 224 – Dopesick: The Loss of a Son and One Parent’s Search for Answers – Part 5
This is the fifth and final episode of our podcast series on Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and The Drug Company That Addicted America. So far, we have discussed what made the Appalachia region of the...
Ep. 223 – Dopesick: Humanitarian Sister Beth Davies Inspires a Community to Take on a Giant – Part 4
In part four of our five-part “Dopesick” series, we have an extensive conversation with Sister Beth Davies. With the help of Dr. Art Van Zee, the two established a community coalition which lai...
Ep. 222 – Dopesick: Bestselling Author Beth Macy Shares a New Approach to Recovery in Appalachia– Part 3
This is part three of our “Dopesick” podcast series. In parts one and two, we sat down with New York Times writer and bestselling author Beth Macy and discussed what made Appalachia so vulnerab...
Ep. 221 – Dopesick: Bestselling Author Beth Macy’s Story of The Drug Company that Addicted America – Part 2
Journalist Beth Macy is the author of three New York Times-bestselling nonfiction books. Her 2014 Lukas Prize-winning “Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local — an...
Ep. 220 – Dopesick: Bestselling Author Beth Macy’s Story of The Drug Company that Addicted America – Part 1
“Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America” is a look into the opioid crisis as it emerged in, bestselling author Beth Macy’s hometown of Roanoke Virginia.

Karen Snyder

Title: Education

Improbable Players

Karen Snyder

As featured on:

Ep. 225 – Improbable Players Change the Conversation on Addiction Using Performance and Discussion
Improbable Players is a collection of touring theater troupes with a powerful message. Forming in Boston, the organization formed in 1984 and is a form of evidence-based prevention education.

Andy Short

Title: Former User, Treatment Professional, Education

Improbable Players

Andy Short

As featured on:

Ep. 225 – Improbable Players Change the Conversation on Addiction Using Performance and Discussion
Improbable Players is a collection of touring theater troupes with a powerful message. Forming in Boston, the organization formed in 1984 and is a form of evidence-based prevention education.

Chris Everett-Hussey

Title: Entertainer

Improbable Players

Chris Everett-Hussey

As featured on:

Ep. 225 – Improbable Players Change the Conversation on Addiction Using Performance and Discussion
Improbable Players is a collection of touring theater troupes with a powerful message. Forming in Boston, the organization formed in 1984 and is a form of evidence-based prevention education.

Dr. Art Van Zee

Title: Medical Professional

Stone Mountain Health Services

Dr. Art Van Zee

As featured on:

Ep. 223 – Dopesick: Humanitarian Sister Beth Davies Inspires a Community to Take on a Giant – Part 4
In part four of our five-part “Dopesick” series, we have an extensive conversation with Sister Beth Davies. With the help of Dr. Art Van Zee, the two established a community coalition which lai...

Dr. Robert Pack

Title: Medical Professional

East Tennessee State University

Dr. Robert Pack

As featured on:

Ep. 222 – Dopesick: Bestselling Author Beth Macy Shares a New Approach to Recovery in Appalachia– Part 3
This is part three of our “Dopesick” podcast series. In parts one and two, we sat down with New York Times writer and bestselling author Beth Macy and discussed what made Appalachia so vulnerab...

Dr. Stephen Loyd

Title: Medical Professional, Former User

Mountain Home Veterans Administration Medical Center

Dr. Stephen Loyd

As featured on:

Ep. 222 – Dopesick: Bestselling Author Beth Macy Shares a New Approach to Recovery in Appalachia– Part 3
This is part three of our “Dopesick” podcast series. In parts one and two, we sat down with New York Times writer and bestselling author Beth Macy and discussed what made Appalachia so vulnerab...

Mary Huber

Title: Medical Professional

Wright State University

Mary Huber

As featured on:

Ep. 219 – Why Opioid Overdose Rates Are Plummeting in Dayton
In 2017, it was recorded that Dayton, OH had one of the highest rates of overdoses in the entire country. By November of last year, Montgomery County Ohio, which is anchored by Dayton had already s...