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DR. FEELGOOD tells the story of Dr. William Hurwitz — a preeminent pain specialist sentenced to 25 years in prison for drug trafficking — providing a window into the ethical dilemma and complexities involved in opioid painkiller prescriptions.
Dealer or Healer?
The story of Dr. William Hurwitz — a preeminent pain specialist sentenced to 25 years in prison for drug trafficking — provides a window into the ethical dilemma of opioid prescriptions. Painkillers give doctors tremendous power to relieve pain, a primary goal of any physician. But this power begets trouble when the same drugs can lead to addiction, abuse and death.
In 2004 Dr. William Hurwitz was convicted of over 50 counts of narcotics distribution and handed a 25-year prison sentence. DR. FEELGOOD traces Dr. Hurwitz's trial and eventual appeal, detailing the events that led to his arrest.
Testimonies from the witnesses in Dr. Hurwitz's case contradict one another — some revere him, while others condemn him. Taken together, their accounts reveal a profile of a compassionate yet flawed doctor. The film, in telling his story, underscores the tension between every patient's right to pain relief and the lawful need for drug control. There could not be a more critical time to spark discussion on the topic, and call for careful thought and action.
84 minutes
SDH Captioning for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing
Directed by Eve Marson
Produced by Sara Goldblatt, p.g.a., Eve Marson, p.g.a.
Co-Producer: Kip Pastor
Executive Producers: Alison Block, Timothy Poore
Original Score: Music: Jacob Yoffee
Editors: Adam Bolt, Michael X. Flores, Andrew McAllister, Avner Shiloah
Cinematography: Jeff Bierman
Writers: David Boodell, Sara Goldblatt, Mark Monroe, Eve Marson
A Bungalow Pictures presentation in association with Diamond Docs
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"Provocative...Raises important and substantial questions about an issue that has only become increasingly relevant in recent years."
Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
"Illustrates the real challenges that communities continue to face in terms of addiction...Dr. Hurwitz's methods and outcomes have raised many legitimate concerns, but the challenge still remains: How can we develop prescribing policies that ensure appropriate access while at the same time prevent abuse? This documentary can help advance discussion on these important challenges."
Dr. Stephen J. Ziegler, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
"Succeeds in showing how opioid analgesics can give some pain patients their life back, while taking it away from others. It's also a timely reminder of the role that physicians played in creating the epidemic of opioid addiction, and how important they are in curbing the problem."
Dr. Khary Rigg, Assistant Professor of Mental Health Law and Policy, University of South Florida
"A documentary that will challenge the trust we have in medicine...The film exposes critical drivers that have enabled legal, doctor-prescribed, therapeutical treatments to become the number one cause of preventable deaths in the US. The lines between medical practice and drug dealing are so blurred - the ability to distinguish the two after viewing this documentary is nearly impossible."
Dr. Sheryl Strasser, Associate Professor of Public Health, Georgia State University
"Engrossing...Marson's lively narrative...tell[s] a story that's ethically complex yet easy to follow."
Dennis Harvey, Variety
"As millions of Americans continue to struggle with opioid addiction and overdose deaths continue to rise, this film will be useful for initiating lively classroom and community discussions and debates about medical ethics and physician compassion and responsibility and the boundaries between treating and policing patients. The film will also raise important questions about why we continue to lack safe and effective treatments for chronic pain and why pharmaceutical companies get away with misleading marketing practices."
Dr. Shannon M. Monnat, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, Demography, and Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University