Chris McGreal - American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts

This book would not have been possible without those across the United States who gave generously of their time to speak to me so fully and frankly about living with addiction, the trauma of losing someone to opioids, and the impact of the drugs on their communities. I regret I was not able to include all of their names and accounts, but their insights framed and infused this book.

Among those who took the trouble to speak to me repeatedly over the years were April Rovero, Sandra Kresser, Avi Israel, Sherrie Rubin, and Emily Walden. Besides those quoted in the text, Im also grateful to Travis Bornstein, Robert Eaton, James Fata, Aimee Dunkle, Gary Mendell, Margie Borth, Erin Finkbiner, Jan Lovett, Maureen Kielian, and Gayle Saks.

Jim Cagle in Charleston, West Virginia, shared his knowledge and research in helping me understand events in Mingo County. Besides those quoted in the text, a number of people who choose to remain anonymous offered valuable insights into events in Williamson and Kermit.

Eric Eyre, a talented reporter at the Charleston Gazette-Mail, was generous with his time and information. Eric won a Pulitzer Prize for his groundbreaking exposure of the scale of opioid pills flooding West Virginia.

Im indebted to the many people who offered their perspectives on the workings of, and complex relationships between, the pharmaceutical industry, federal regulators, and the medical profession. I will not name them all here as they are quoted in the text or identified in the sources, unless they wished to remain anonymous. But Dr. Margaret Hamburg was alone among former FDA commissioners in agreeing to an interview.

Several people still employed by the government were obliged to speak to me off the record. Members of the congressional staff helped me understand the workings of the relationship between Congress and federal health regulators and between Congress and pharmaceutical lobbyists.

Professor Marcia Meldrum at UCLA shared her extensive knowledge of the history of prescription opioids and insights into the shift in her own thinking on their use as well as her impressions of Dr. Russell Portenoy.

I am also grateful to Dr. Jennifer Plumb, Dr. Grant Baldwin, Carol Moss, Robert Childs, Dan Bigg, and Adam Winstock who each offered important insights. Penney Cowan and Cindy Steinberg spoke to me about the perspective of patients in pain.

Others who made contributions to this book in different ways include Mary Sue Connolly, Craig Mayton, Alan Wald, James Myburgh, Molly Bingham, Ruaridh Nicoll, Rita Sabler, Sarah Boseley, and John Mulholland.

This book was set in motion by a phone call from Clive Priddle, the publisher at PublicAffairs. He asked about heroin and ended up discussing opioid prescriptions. Since then he has provided valuable guidance, insights, and pithy comments that have helped shape this book into what it is today. Annette Wenda did a fine job of editing the copy. Thanks also to my agent, Zo Pagnamenta, who was an enthusiast for this project, an excellent guide through the forest of contracts, and a top-notch negotiator.