Early Life and Education Born in New York City, Barry Meier graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.
Career Meier began his career in journalism, eventually joining The New York Times in 1989. During his tenure at the Times, he specialized in investigative reporting, focusing on complex topics such as:
- Pharmaceutical Industry: He extensively covered the marketing practices, regulatory oversight, and impact of prescription drugs, including groundbreaking work on the opioid crisis.
- Medical Devices: Meier exposed flaws in the approval and monitoring processes for medical devices, highlighting risks to patients.
- Public Health: His reporting often delved into broader public health concerns, from product safety to healthcare policy.
He was a key reporter on a series of articles on medical errors that contributed to The New York Times being awarded the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. Meier was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting in 2003 for his reporting on the dangers of medical devices.
After leaving The New York Times, Meier continued his investigative work and writing.
Books Meier is the author of several non-fiction books, many of which expand upon his investigative journalism:
- Missing: The Execution of Charles Horman (1982, co-authored with Thomas Hauser): Explores the disappearance and presumed execution of an American journalist during the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. The book was adapted into the 1982 film Missing.
- The Price of a Life: A Story of an American Tragedy (2007): Investigates the tragic death of a young man and the resulting legal battles, delving into issues of product liability and corporate responsibility.
- Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic (2018): This highly acclaimed book details the rise of Purdue Pharma and its aggressive marketing of OxyContin, which played a pivotal role in igniting the opioid crisis in the United States. It meticulously chronicles the company's tactics, the regulatory failures, and the devastating impact on communities. The book was a primary source for the Netflix limited series Painkiller (2023) and also featured prominently in other documentaries and reports on the opioid epidemic.
Awards and Recognition
- 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting (as part of The New York Times team for a series on medical errors).
- 2003 Finalist for Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting (for his reporting on medical devices).
- Numerous other journalism awards for his investigative work.
Bibliography
- Missing: The Execution of Charles Horman (co-authored with Thomas Hauser, 1982)
- The Price of a Life: A Story of an American Tragedy (2007)
- Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic (2018)