AUDIO – MONEY MONEY MONEY? –
Feb. 13, 2026 – “Antagonist” features the story of St. Louisan Brett Rudloff, who was treated with naltrexone. In his new documentary “Antagonist,” Westhoff explores the evidence of naltrexone’s effectiveness at treating opioid and alcohol misuse. Many of the patients he spoke with called it a lifesaver. Westhoff also investigates how the drug got sidelined by “Big Pharma.” “As corrupt as drug trafficking is, it often seems like the drug treatment industry is almost as corrupt,” he said.
By blocking opioid receptors in the brain, naltrexone suppresses cravings and prevents users from experiencing a high from opioid and alcohol use. Unlike methadone, naltrexone doesn’t contain opioids, which makes it less addictive. It is also given at a less frequent rate than methadone, which is administered daily.
“In front of methadone clinics, you might see people lining up at 6 a.m. in the morning for their dosing. And because of the arcane laws, because of the lobbying organization behind methadone, a regular doctor can’t just prescribe it. You have to go … to this specialized clinic,” Westhoff said. “These clinics could offer naltrexone, but they don’t, and part of my film is trying to figure out why. I did some investigation and found that the profit motive really is at the center of things.”
