Gerald Posner is the bestselling and award-winning author of 13 books, including The New York Times nonfiction bestsellers Why America Slept: The Failure to Prevent 9/11; God’s Bankers: A History of Money and Power at the Vatican; and Secrets of the Kingdom: The Inside Story of the Saudi-US Connection. Formerly an attorney, Posner has written for many publications and is a regular contributor to cable and network news commentary. In Pharma: Greed, Lies, and the Poisoning of America (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster), Posner focuses on a powerful industry at the intersection of public health and profits. He introduces us to brilliant scientists, incorruptible government regulators, and brave whistleblowers facing off against company executives blinded by greed. A business that profits from treating ills can create far deadlier problems than it cures. Pharma explores the real story of the Sacklers, who became one of America’s wealthiest families from the success of OxyContin, their blockbuster narcotic painkiller at the center of the opioid crisis. Relying on government and corporate archives, hours of interviews with insiders, and previously classified FBI files, Posner exposes the Sacklers’ rise to power while revealing how and why American drug companies have put earnings ahead of patients.
