Patients at a Yale fertility clinic complained of severe pain during common egg retrieval procedures. Despite nurses’ insistence they’ve received the maximum dosage of fentanyl, the women continued to suffer, unaware they were actually receiving a simple saline solution. After a tampered vial was discovered, authorities arrested an addicted nurse who’d been swapping out the opioid. But the many patients had more questions. Why were their complaints ignored? Could the clinic have done more? And how are these victims who want a family supposed to feel about the legal accommodations made for a defendant with children of her own?

From Serial Productions comes “The Retrievals.” Host Susan Burton tells the story of the patients whose pain was ignored, the nurse who stole their medicine and watched them suffer, and the institution that failed them all.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE RETRIEVALS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 12 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

This episode was recorded in front of an online Patreon audience. Join us for other benefits at patreon.com/partnersincrimemedia.

In Crime of the Week: do not taste this rainbow.

For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.

Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.