Barbara Van Rooyan is a mother from Virginia whose son, Patrick, becomes a victim of the opioid epidemic at age 24. She becomes a vocal advocate against OxyContin, petitioning the FDA to recall it. Along the way, she joins forces with fellow activists like Art Van Zee and Sister Beth. Staffers at the FDA become familiar with Van Rooyan due to her frequent calls. Eventually, the FDA makes good on what she asks for in her petitions, but the response is too little too late.
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Barbara Van Rooyan Character Timeline in Dopesick
The timeline below shows where the character Barbara Van Rooyan appears in Dopesick. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
More memorials flood the OxyKills.com message board. Barbara Van Rooyan ’s 24-year-old son Patrick is another victim. Van Rooyan asks Van Zee how OxyContin ever...
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...FDA ends the forum promising to monitor the abuse situation more closely, but many, like Van Rooyan , feel that it’s too little too late. It takes several more years, until 2013,...
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Staffers at the FDA get to know Barbara Van Rooyan whether they want to or not. She picks up where Van Zee left off, formally...
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...news breaks that a federal grand jury is investigating Purdue, which gets the attention of Van Rooyan , Bisch, and the other RAPP parents. Leading the investigation are the assistant U.S. attorneys...
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Chapter 4
Van Zee can’t make the sentencing, but he sends detailed notes to Sister Beth. Van Rooyan will also be there, as will Ed Bisch and Lee Nuss. They bring protest signs...
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Chapter 8
Two weeks before Jesse’s 2013 death, the FDA notifies Barbara Van Rooyan that part of her petition to recall approval for the original OxyContin formulation has been...
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