Episode 3 of "Dopesick" unfolds in the dawn of 1999, three years post the explosive debut of OxyContin, where Purdue Pharma's tentacles have stealthily insinuated themselves into the heart of the medical fraternity. They propagate a new mantra, elevating pain to the esteemed status of the fifth vital sign, a revolutionary yet sinister narrative.
Back in 1996, Finnix, driven by a paternal concern, embarks on a mission to wean Betsy off OxyContin's addictive grasp. Betsy, despite her reluctance, finds herself on the brink of liberation as she discards her pills into the trash, ready to embrace a life unshackled by the drug's vice.
Meanwhile, within the bowels of Purdue, Michael presents a strategic pivot to Richard Sackler and his cohorts: personalizing dosage regimens to cater to individual needs, thereby circumventing the universal starting point of 10mg. Richard, ever the visionary, nods in approval before unveiling his grand design—to conquer the European frontier, specifically Germany, and expand OxyContin's hegemony across continents.
To fuel this expansionist fervor, Purdue unleashes the 'Toppers' contest, dangling the alluring carrot of an all-inclusive Bermuda getaway as a prize. Billy Cutler, eyes blazing with ambition, sets his sights on victory, unaware that his ruthless counterpart, Amber, harbors no intention of sharing the spoils.
As the calendar flips to 2003, the courtroom drama unfolds, with Purdue cloaking itself in the mantle of a spurious "national pain movement." Initially, the scales of justice tilt in favor of Big Pharma, leaving Randy and John to scramble for harder evidence. Randy's own battle with prostate cancer intersects with this crusade, as he awakens from surgery to find doctors relentlessly pushing OxyContin upon him. Their insistence is met with Randy's defiant refusal, his steely resolve forcing the physicians to retreat.
Concurrently, Bridget's relentless investigation into OxyContin exposes a dire truth: the prescription drug has transformed jails into overcrowded hubs, its tentacles spreading across the nation. With the genie now irrevocably out of the bottle, reversing the tide seems a Herculean task. Matters are further complicated as Purdue's legal eagles, Amber among them, threaten to sue and shutter clinics and hospitals that dare defy their OxyContin mandate.
Back in 1996, Betsy's world turned upside down as she was plunged into a vortex of excruciating side effects, her body betraying her in the absence of OxyContin. Dizziness clouded her vision, nausea racked her body, and beads of sweat glistened visibly on her brow. Food became a distant memory as she sat listlessly at the table, only to be met with her father's callous remark, declaring homosexuality as the ultimate abomination. Betsy, unyielding, rose to her feet, her voice trembling with resolve, vowing to leave a house that no longer welcomed her.
The following day at work, Betsy's misfortunes multiplied exponentially. A momentary lapse in concentration proved catastrophic, as a colossal explosion sent her flying, its origins traced back to her overlooked methane monitor. Amidst the chaos, her colleague Eddie faced the grim prospect of losing his right arm, while Betsy bore the brunt of blame for the devastation she unwittingly wrought within the mine's depths. Fear and confusion consumed her, her body shivering uncontrollably as she grappled to comprehend the turn of events.
Bridget, meanwhile, reached her breaking point. Convinced of a sinister conspiracy between the FDA and Purdue, she was fueled by a burning desire to uncover the truth, despite Curtis Wright's tangential involvement. However, her ambitions were abruptly curtailed when her superior orchestrated a strategic move—a promotion to deputy director, a hollow victory that served as a subtle yet effective means of distancing her from the case and preserving the facade of order.
As the veil of deceit began to lift, it became alarmingly clear that Purdue's tentacles had entwined themselves deep within the fabric of the medical community, including the Appalachian Pain Society, a bastion of denial, steadfast in their assertion that Oxy was devoid of addiction's grasp. The shocking revelation emerged: the Society, along with an array of ostensibly independent organizations, were nothing more than puppets, their strings pulled by Purdue's financial largesse.
This insidious scheme, a covert campaign to foster discourse on pain and elevate Purdue's profile, inadvertently provided the court with the ammunition it needed. A single, damning statement, uttered in the halls of justice, served as the catalyst for a deeper dive into Purdue's nefarious marketing tactics, igniting a firestorm of accountability and exposing the truth to the light of day.
At Purdue University, the competition draws to a close, crowning Todd as the victor, albeit a controversial one. His triumph stems from uncovering a "whale" in the sea of healthcare – a physician who recklessly overprescribes opioids, a practice deserving of exposure yet shrouded in silence by the allure of lucrative bonuses for sales representatives.
As the dust settles from the mine disaster, Dr. Finnix receives a summons, urging his return to the town's fray. However, fate takes a detour, as he becomes the unwitting victim of a roadside collision, his vehicle sideswiped by another vehicle. In the hospital's sterile halls, OxyContin, the drug of choice, is prescribed to him, but not without a caveat: the doctor initiates treatment with a dose of 20mg, leaving Finnix torn between acceptance and skepticism.
Meanwhile, the legal team finds themselves engulfed in a mountain of paperwork, Purdue's deliberate strategy to throttle their progress and turn their labor into an uphill battle.
Richard Sackler, his ambitions undaunted, unveils his audacious plan to conquer Germany's market, driven solely by the thrill of the challenge. Should he succeed, OxyContin would transcend borders, becoming a global opioid phenomenon, realizing his utopian vision of "healing the world" through a potentially perilous path.
