Dangerous Doses: A True Story of Cops, Counterfeiters, and the Contamination of America’s Drug Supply

Dangerous Doses: A True Story of Cops, Counterfeiters, and the Contamination of America’s Drug Supply

In the tradition of the great investigative classics, Dangerous Doses exposes the dark side of America's pharmaceutical trade. Stolen, compromised, and counterfeit medicine increasingly makes its way into a poorly regulated distribution system—where it may reach unsuspecting patients who stake their lives on its effectiveness. Katherine Eban's hard-hitting exploration of America's secret ring of drug counterfeiters takes us to Florida, where tireless investigators follow the trail of medicine stolen in a seemingly minor break-in as it funnels into a sprawling national network of drug polluters. Their pursuit stretches from a strip joint in South Miami to the halls of Congress as they battle entrenched political interests and uncover an increasing threat to America's health. With the conscience of a crusading reporter, Eban has crafted a riveting narrative that shows how, when we most need protection, we may be most at risk.   PRAISE FOR DANGEROUS DOSES "In a style reminiscent of some of the best detective storytellers, Eban takes us breathlessly through robberies, back-room deals, cluttered and dirty warehouses, crooked dealers, sociopathic profiteers, shell companies, and state and federal laws so porous that convicted felons can become prescription-drug brokers."-- The Boston Globe "A riveting account of a 2 1/2-year investigation in South Florida . . . As Eban recounts, the scam was broken wide open by a 'ragtag' group of seasoned investigators who seem as if they were cast right out of an episode of The Wire ."--Bernadine Healy, U.S. News & World Report In the tradition of the great investigative classics, Dangerous Doses exposes the dark side of America's pharmaceutical trade. Stolen, compromised, and counterfeit medicine increasingly is making its way into a poorly regulated distribution system, where it reaches unsuspecting patients who stake their lives on its effectiveness. Tragically, we cannot trust the purity of the costly drugs we get from our most reputable drugstores, or even hospital pharmacies. Katherine Eban's hard-hitting exploration of America's secret ring of drug counterfeiters takes us to Florida, where tireless investigators follow the trail of medicine stolen in a seemingly minor break-in as it funnels into a sprawling national network of drug polluters. Their pursuit stretches from a strip joint in South Miami to the halls of Congress, as they battle entrenched political interests and uncover an increasing threat to America's health. Eban's dynamic writing and first-hand reporting make Dangerous Doses an extraordinary read -- page-turning as she rides along with the team of dedicated investigators (who call themselves the Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse), and heartbreaking as she tells stories of people whose lives were transformed by contaminated drugs. Eban has uncovered the greatest threat to America's drug supply: it is home-grown, secret, and so pervasive it will be difficult to eradicate. With the conscience of a crusading reporter, Eban has crafted a riveting narrative that shows how, when we most need protection, we may be most at risk. In the tradition of the great investigative classics, Dangerous Doses exposes the dark side of America's pharmaceutical trade. Stolen, compromised, and counterfeit medicine increasingly is making its way into a poorly regulated distribution system, where it reaches unsuspecting patients who stake their lives on its effectiveness. Tragically, we cannot trust the purity of the costly drugs we get from our most reputable drugstores, or even hospital pharmacies. Katherine Eban's hard-hitting exploration of America's secret ring of drug counterfeiters takes us to Florida, where tireless investigators follow the trail of medicine stolen in a seemingly minor break-in as it funnels into a sprawling national network of drug polluters. Their pursuit stretches from a strip joint in South Miami to the halls of Congress, as they battle entrenched political interests and uncover an increasing threat to America's health. Eban's dynamic writing and first-hand reporting make Dangerous Doses an extraordinary read -- page-turning as she rides along with the team of dedicated investigators (who call themselves the Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse), and heartbreaking as she tells stories of people whose lives were transformed by contaminated drugs. Eban has uncovered the greatest threat to America's drug supply: it is home-grown, secret, and so pervasive it will be difficult to eradicate. With the conscience of a crusading reporter, Eban has crafted a riveting narrative that shows how, when we most need protection, we may be most at risk. Katherine Eban is a Rhodes Scholar with an M.A. in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. She has been covering medical fraud and health care issues for The Nation, The New Republic, Playboy, The New Yorker, Vogue, Glamour, and the New York Times Magazine. She worked as an investigatio