This series is based on Barry Meier's book Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic and the New Yorker article "The Family That Built the Empire of Pain," by Patrick Radden Keefe.
During an interview with Leila Fadel on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," producer and director Pete Berg explained that the disclaimers on each episode are read by real family members of people affected by or lost to opioid addiction.
Dopesick, a limited series concerning the same opioid crisis, has already been made by Hulu and was released in 2021. It starred Michael Keaton, Michael Stuhlbarg (as Richard Sackler), Rosario Dawson, and Kaitlyn Dever. Keaton won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his performance in that series.
This cast contains several performers who are children of actors who were famous before them. For example: Matthew Broderick (Richard Sackler) is the son of James Broderick (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Dog Day Afternoon, "Family"); West Duchovny (Shannon Schaeffer) is the daughter of Téa Leoni ("Madam Secretary") and David Duchovny ("The X-Files"); Tyler Ritter (John Brownlee) is a son of John Ritter ("Three's Company").
Clark Gregg and Matthew Broderick play family members. In real life, Clark Gregg's ex wife, Jennifer Grey, was in a relationship with Matthew Broderick in the late 1980s; she played Broderick's sister in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.