Hard Sell

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This gripping account reveals the rise and fall of a startup that profited immensely from opioids until its ruthless strategies were uncovered and its leaders imprisoned. John Kapoor, a billionaire pharmaceutical entrepreneur, aimed to revolutionize fentanyl delivery in the lucrative opioid market of the 2000s. However, the challenge lay in the limited patient base needing his product, approved only for severe cancer pain. To achieve profitability, Kapoor's company, Insys, resorted to persuading doctors to prescribe Subsys off-label for less critical pain. Insys's sales tactics were aggressive and unethical, with executives encouraging sales reps to charm physicians through bribes and manipulation. They misled healthcare providers by falsely claiming patients had cancer, pushing medications that were often unnecessary or riskier than safer alternatives. The company's deceptive practices paid off, leading to a record IPO. However, disillusioned employees eventually exposed the truth, triggering legal repercussions for the drug manufacturer. In this revealing narrative, author Evan Hughes uncovers the dark side of the pharmaceutical industry, illustrating how companies like Insys exploit greed and deception for profit. This story serves as both a powerful indictment of corporate malfeasance and a cautionary reminder of the pervasive issues within the industry.