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How an opioid startup's carelessness got its executives in trouble : The Indicator from Planet Money Insys Therapeutics was an opioid startup that made lots of money for its addictive nasal spray. Today, we hear from Evan Hughes, author of the book Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup, on how the company's carelessness led to its ultimate downfall.

The Indicator from Planet Money

The opioid business plan

The opioid business plan

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Insys Therapeutics founder John N. Kapoor leaves federal court in Boston in March. Officials at the company have been accused of recklessly promoting a highly addictive opioid spray.
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Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images
Insys Therapeutics founder John N. Kapoor leaves federal court in Boston in March. Officials at the company have been accused of recklessly promoting a highly addictive opioid spray.
Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images

Evan Hughes is a journalist and author of the book Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup. In this book, he details how pharmaceutical company Insys Therapeutics made millions selling an addictive fentanyl spray and how their deceptive practices led to one of the most consequential criminal trials of the opioid crisis.

Today, host Stacey Vanek Smith interviews Evan about Insys and the opioid epidemic.

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