SHOW / EPISODE

THE MCKINSEY & COMPANY / OPIOID CONSULTING ROLE

Season 13 | Episode 243
26m | Nov 5, 2026

Episode 243 | Historical Events


In this History episode we focus on McKinsey & Company's role in the opioid crisis — the most prestigious management consulting firm in the world, paid to help Purdue Pharma "turbocharge" OxyContin sales at the height of an overdose epidemic that was killing tens of thousands of Americans annually. Internal corporate memos document that McKinsey promised to help Purdue increase revenue by $400 million annually by targeting high-prescribing physicians with specific messaging designed to minimize addiction risk.


We examine the specific recommendations documented in settlement proceedings: focusing on higher dosages, targeting physicians with specific messaging, advising Purdue to band together with other opioid manufacturers to "defend against strict treatment by the FDA," and the 2017 recommendation — made after 47,000 annual overdose deaths — to give distributors a rebate for every OxyContin overdose attributable to pills they sold. A former senior partner pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for deleting documents related to his Purdue work. McKinsey paid more than $1.25 billion in total settlements. No senior executive was criminally charged.



This podcast features narration with a synthetic AI voice.

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