Pharma executives mocked addicts as 'pillbillies' as they drowned West Virginia in opiates

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Pharmaceutical executives mocked customers who became addicted to their company's painkillers, according to newly released emails.

The emails were revealed by West Virginia prosecutor Paul Farrell Jr. in a trial against drug makers AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp., whose executives mocked addicts as "pillbillies," reported the Herald-Dispatch.

"Watch out Georgia and Alabama, there will be a mass exodus of pillbillies heading north," wrote AmerisourceBergen executive Chris Zimmerman after Florida passed legislation in 2011 cracking down on the pharmacies.

Other executives made up songs about Appalachian addicts to the tune of "The Beverly Hillbillies" theme and Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville," while a corporate investigator forwarded an email titled "Oxycontin for kids" showing a cereal box altered to read "SMACK."

"You're just a barrel of laughs today," a co-worker replied.

Zimmerman apologized in court for sending the email but insisted the term "pillbillies" was in reference to drug dealers, not to his company's patients.

"I shouldn't have sent the emails," he said.

AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp. sent 127.9 million opiate doses into Cabell County between 2006 and 2014, despite the area having a population of only 90,000 people.

"It is a pattern of conduct by those people charged with protecting our community, and they're circulating emails disparaging hillbillies," Farrell said.
https://www.rawstory.com/west-virginia-opiate-problem/

These Drug Execs should be tried and set to prison just like any other drug lord or drug dealer. Also do the Asset Forfeiture on what they own, control or bought with the drug money profits including what is in the spouses or mistress's name.
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.-Huxley
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Louis Brandeis,

Re: Pharma executives mocked addicts as 'pillbillies' as they drowned West Virginia in opiates

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Blame whom you wish. I blame manufacturer and user abuse. This is a case where the true harm done was to people who didn't abuse, but needed the drugs for pain. I know personally as not one of my Doctors will prescribe for fear of ending up on DEA list.
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