From Prescription Drug Samples to Addiction: A Doctor’s Journey to Hell and Back with Guest Steven Farber, MD

Summary: Physicians are not invincible when it comes to drug addiction. Dr. Steven Farber was on top of his career as a respected cardiologist when, suffering from professional burnout after twenty-five years of taking care of acutely ill patients, this passionate doctor discovered medicated bliss through prescription drug samples that were constantly being brought to his office. This escape eventually turned his life upside-down. After losing his medical license, Dr. Farber finally hit rock bottom and admitted himself into intense rehabilitation. When you consider that doctors and nurses have very easy access to prescription drug samples, it’s not surprising that addiction is an epidemic that is rarely spoken of in medical communities. Addiction to prescription drugs is responsible for more deaths in our country than traffic accidents. Further, half of all adults over eighteen have a friend or family member who is suffering from alcoholism or addiction to illicit or prescription drugs.