The hidden hand

The Tasmanian poppy company controlling the opioid crisis

Extractas Bioscience supplies the molecular precursor for oxycodone, buprenorphine, and naloxone—meaning addiction, treatment, and rescue all depend on one Australian supply chain.

The number

3sides of opioid crisis supplied by single source

Thebaine extracted from Tasmanian poppies by Extractas Bioscience becomes the opioid that fuels addiction, the medication that treats it, and the antidote that reverses overdose. A single crop failure or regulatory action would simultaneously constrain all three, creating a chokepoint that few in the pharmaceutical industry acknowledge.

Source: Alkaloid Raw Materials — Extractas · Extractas Bioscience · Mar 1, 2023

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