Podcast Summary: Reveal — "The Black Market for a Lifesaving Cat Drug"

Date: January 3, 2026
Host: Al Letson (Reveal/The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX)
Collaboration: With Alex Goldman and the Hyperfixed podcast team

Overview

This gripping episode investigates the underground network that arose to provide a lifesaving—yet unapproved—drug treating feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a previously untreatable and fatal cat disease. Through personal stories and deep reporting, the episode explores why desperate cat owners had to turn to black markets, how the system evolved, the ethical and legal dilemmas involved, profiteering scandals, and recent regulatory changes that could bring this essential medicine into the legal mainstream.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Marlena and Otto: The Start of the Journey

[01:16] On her birthday, Marlena Arjo "blacked out and came to with a cat in a box" — Otto, a kitten with a rough start, adopted by accident.
[01:58-03:17] After a seemingly ordinary few months, Otto begins showing worrying symptoms and is soon diagnosed with FIP, described as a disease that "just kind of destroys all their organs at once."
[03:54] In an extraordinary moment, Marlena’s vet quietly suggests, “You can get drugs for this if you go to this Facebook group” — indirectly alerting her to the existence of a shadowy, unofficial solution.

2. Entering the Black Market

[04:21-05:03] Marlena details an unusual, rule-bound Facebook experience: new group members are told "do not mention drugs... just say your cat got diagnosed and how sad you are." She’s then swiftly connected, by direct message, to a supplier.
[05:03] She receives mysterious vials to inject into Otto, spending "thousands of dollars via PayPal."
[05:33] Astonishingly, "Within the first week, he was back to normal."
[05:48] Marlena later reaches out to the Hyperfixed podcast, asking: Who are these people? Why is this system necessary for a lifesaving drug?

3. History and Science of FIP and the "Miracle Drug"

[06:34-08:40] Dr. Niels Peterson, a legendary UC Davis veterinarian, is introduced as the scientist tireless in the fight against FIP, tracing the disease back to the 1960s.
[08:46-09:32] The breakthrough: FIP is triggered by a mutation of feline coronavirus, typically harmless, but deadly if the cat can't fight it off.
[09:32-10:54] Dr. Peterson pursues antiviral drugs, ultimately focusing on a compound called GS-441524 from Gilead Sciences, showing a "90% cure rate" in clinical trials:

“We found that we could cure 90% or more of cats that had…FIP, which up to that time was 100% fatal.”
— Dr. Niels Peterson [10:54]
[11:26-13:17] Despite this, the drug is never approved by the FDA for cats. Gilead, seeing a potentially larger market during the COVID-19 pandemic, pivots the compound for human medicine, leading to the widely used drug Remdesivir, leaving GS-441524 in regulatory limbo.

4. The Rise of the Underground Economy

[14:47] With no legal path, Chinese manufacturers seize the unmet demand, supplying "GS" to global cat owners via private contacts and Facebook support groups.
[16:22+] Robin Kintz, one such cat owner, is described as a catalyst for the movement, founding the FIP Warriors Facebook group after saving her own cat.
[19:36-21:53] The group provides a clandestine system: after a sanitized public post, mods reach out privately to assess the cat's needs and connect owners with suppliers, building a backchannel network spanning continents.

5. Risks, Moral Dilemmas, and Scaling Up

[22:27] Erin Boyle, a vet tech turned volunteer: “I learned through asking other admins...how to best manage these cases.”
[23:32-24:40] As stories of miraculous recoveries proliferate, some veterinarians quietly begin to refer clients to FIP Warriors—careful to avoid anything that risks their licenses.
[25:20] The group develops state-specific chats, care teams, and rapidly growing infrastructure.
[26:11-27:43] But supply disruptions and counterfeit drugs from certain manufacturers cost lives, forcing the group to become more sophisticated, running informal field trials and negotiating prices.

6. Profit, Secrecy, and Scandal

[28:08] Some group admins begin acting as distributors, receiving commission per vial, using proceeds to fund cat rescue work—but not always disclosing the markup to buyers.

"It was mentioned to me that if I wanted to, I could sell it...I could basically fund my FIP treatment this way."
— Celeste Park Estes [28:08]
[29:06-30:46] Internal tensions simmer over lack of transparency.
[31:01-32:23] In July 2022, a bombshell: high-profile admin Nicole Randall is raided by the FDA. She had made $4 million profit, buying homes and a Tesla. This devastates and splinters the network.

"We get a message saying, Nicole Randall's been raided."
— Celeste Park Estes [31:01]
[33:46-34:41] The undercover sting involved an agent posing with a healthy cat; FIP Warriors misdiagnosed it with FIP—raising concerns about their processes and accountability.
[36:19] Despite the multimillion-dollar bust, the FDA prosecution stops at Nicole Randall. The group fractures, with new accusations of profiteering and internal distrust.

7. The Road Toward Legality

[39:23-41:38] Nicole Jacques, former admin, forms a breakaway group to advocate for a legal path forward, aiming to "put ourselves out of a job."
[42:27-44:59] Key regulatory breakthrough: the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA) and subsequent FDA guidelines allow compounding medications for animals when no approved treatment exists. This opens a door for GS-441524 to be legally compounded by U.S. pharmacies.
[47:18-49:34] Nicole assembles a pitch, wins big pharmacy support, and celebrates when GS becomes available for legal compounding:

“This was like Christmas and New Year’s and the Fourth of July and my birthday...”
— Nicole Jacques [48:03]
[49:34-50:43] Marlena reacts to the news with a mix of relief and exasperation:

“If he ever, like, relapsed, I can probably take him to the vet and they can deal with it. But why did I spend three months in hell buying illegal cat drugs for hundreds of dollars?”
— Marlena Arjo [49:34]

8. Where Things Stand Now

[49:44+] While GS is now available at major compounding pharmacies, the black market persists due to lack of awareness and inertia.
[50:43] Otto, Marlena’s cat, has recovered, though he “still has some like, bald spots from the injections...But he seems to be good now. He’s also calmed down from when he was a kitten.”
[48:36] "As far as the FDA is concerned, it is officially and explicitly allowed," and compounding pharmacies like Stokes, Mixlab, and Chewy now offer the drug.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“She said, ‘Yeah, I shouldn’t tell you this, but by the way, you can get drugs for this if you go to this Facebook group.’”
— Marlena Arjo (on her vet’s quiet tip) [03:54]
“We found that we could cure 90% or more of cats…which up to that time was a 100% fatal disease.”
— Dr. Niels Peterson [10:54]
“Of course, you don’t go out trying to save cats and end up with $4 million.”
— Celeste Park Estes (on the Nicole Randall scandal) [36:19]
“You have to bear in mind that without gray area activities, there’s no way that the hundreds of thousands of cats that have been saved by the work of this group could have ever happened.”
— Robin Kintz, FIP Warriors founder [36:32]
“Our goal was...to put ourselves out of a job. We wanted to get treatment...under the guidance of a vet so that you didn’t need to come to a Facebook group like us.”
— Nicole Jacques [41:03]
“This was like Christmas and New Year's and the Fourth of July and my birthday.”
— Nicole Jacques (on GS becoming legally available through pharmacies) [48:03]

Important Timestamps for Segments

Otto’s story and the secret vet referral: [01:16–05:33]
History and path to the “miracle drug”: [06:34–13:50]
Creation and evolution of the FIP Warriors group: [16:22–26:11]
Scandals, internal schisms, and federal raid: [28:08–39:03]
Advocacy, legal breakthrough, and pharmacy compounding: [41:03–49:34]
Reflections, legacy, and Otto’s happy ending: [50:43–end]

Structure of the FIP Warriors System

Entry through Facebook:
- Publicly post one’s story, not mentioning drugs
- Mod/admin reaches out privately for intake
Assessment:
- Share details, bloodwork, symptoms
Assignment:
- Connected to a “care team” for guidance
- Offered vetted supplier options
Administration:
- Treatment and support ongoing for 84 days

Final Reflections

This episode delivers an astonishing tale of how everyday cat lovers, facing a vacuum left by corporate and regulatory inertia, built a functioning medical underground to save hundreds of thousands of pets. It raises crucial questions about profit, access to medicine, regulatory slowness, and grassroots resilience. As the legal barriers begin to fall, the story is now shifting from secrecy to legitimacy, reflective of broader systemic challenges in animal and human health.

For more gripping investigations:
Find Hyperfixed and Reveal wherever you listen to podcasts.
revealnews.org/learn

Podcast Summary: Reveal — "The Black Market for a Lifesaving Cat Drug"

Date: January 3, 2026
Host: Al Letson (Reveal/The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX)
Collaboration: With Alex Goldman and the Hyperfixed podcast team

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Marlena and Otto: The Start of the Journey

[01:16] On her birthday, Marlena Arjo "blacked out and came to with a cat in a box" — Otto, a kitten with a rough start, adopted by accident.
[01:58-03:17] After a seemingly ordinary few months, Otto begins showing worrying symptoms and is soon diagnosed with FIP, described as a disease that "just kind of destroys all their organs at once."
[03:54] In an extraordinary moment, Marlena’s vet quietly suggests, “You can get drugs for this if you go to this Facebook group” — indirectly alerting her to the existence of a shadowy, unofficial solution.

2. Entering the Black Market

[04:21-05:03] Marlena details an unusual, rule-bound Facebook experience: new group members are told "do not mention drugs... just say your cat got diagnosed and how sad you are." She’s then swiftly connected, by direct message, to a supplier.
[05:03] She receives mysterious vials to inject into Otto, spending "thousands of dollars via PayPal."
[05:33] Astonishingly, "Within the first week, he was back to normal."
[05:48] Marlena later reaches out to the Hyperfixed podcast, asking: Who are these people? Why is this system necessary for a lifesaving drug?

3. History and Science of FIP and the "Miracle Drug"

[06:34-08:40] Dr. Niels Peterson, a legendary UC Davis veterinarian, is introduced as the scientist tireless in the fight against FIP, tracing the disease back to the 1960s.
[08:46-09:32] The breakthrough: FIP is triggered by a mutation of feline coronavirus, typically harmless, but deadly if the cat can't fight it off.
[09:32-10:54] Dr. Peterson pursues antiviral drugs, ultimately focusing on a compound called GS-441524 from Gilead Sciences, showing a "90% cure rate" in clinical trials:

“We found that we could cure 90% or more of cats that had…FIP, which up to that time was 100% fatal.”
— Dr. Niels Peterson [10:54]
[11:26-13:17] Despite this, the drug is never approved by the FDA for cats. Gilead, seeing a potentially larger market during the COVID-19 pandemic, pivots the compound for human medicine, leading to the widely used drug Remdesivir, leaving GS-441524 in regulatory limbo.

4. The Rise of the Underground Economy

[14:47] With no legal path, Chinese manufacturers seize the unmet demand, supplying "GS" to global cat owners via private contacts and Facebook support groups.
[16:22+] Robin Kintz, one such cat owner, is described as a catalyst for the movement, founding the FIP Warriors Facebook group after saving her own cat.
[19:36-21:53] The group provides a clandestine system: after a sanitized public post, mods reach out privately to assess the cat's needs and connect owners with suppliers, building a backchannel network spanning continents.

5. Risks, Moral Dilemmas, and Scaling Up

[22:27] Erin Boyle, a vet tech turned volunteer: “I learned through asking other admins...how to best manage these cases.”
[23:32-24:40] As stories of miraculous recoveries proliferate, some veterinarians quietly begin to refer clients to FIP Warriors—careful to avoid anything that risks their licenses.
[25:20] The group develops state-specific chats, care teams, and rapidly growing infrastructure.
[26:11-27:43] But supply disruptions and counterfeit drugs from certain manufacturers cost lives, forcing the group to become more sophisticated, running informal field trials and negotiating prices.

6. Profit, Secrecy, and Scandal

[28:08] Some group admins begin acting as distributors, receiving commission per vial, using proceeds to fund cat rescue work—but not always disclosing the markup to buyers.

"It was mentioned to me that if I wanted to, I could sell it...I could basically fund my FIP treatment this way."
— Celeste Park Estes [28:08]
[29:06-30:46] Internal tensions simmer over lack of transparency.
[31:01-32:23] In July 2022, a bombshell: high-profile admin Nicole Randall is raided by the FDA. She had made $4 million profit, buying homes and a Tesla. This devastates and splinters the network.

"We get a message saying, Nicole Randall's been raided."
— Celeste Park Estes [31:01]
[33:46-34:41] The undercover sting involved an agent posing with a healthy cat; FIP Warriors misdiagnosed it with FIP—raising concerns about their processes and accountability.
[36:19] Despite the multimillion-dollar bust, the FDA prosecution stops at Nicole Randall. The group fractures, with new accusations of profiteering and internal distrust.

7. The Road Toward Legality

[39:23-41:38] Nicole Jacques, former admin, forms a breakaway group to advocate for a legal path forward, aiming to "put ourselves out of a job."
[42:27-44:59] Key regulatory breakthrough: the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA) and subsequent FDA guidelines allow compounding medications for animals when no approved treatment exists. This opens a door for GS-441524 to be legally compounded by U.S. pharmacies.
[47:18-49:34] Nicole assembles a pitch, wins big pharmacy support, and celebrates when GS becomes available for legal compounding:

“This was like Christmas and New Year’s and the Fourth of July and my birthday...”
— Nicole Jacques [48:03]
[49:34-50:43] Marlena reacts to the news with a mix of relief and exasperation:

“If he ever, like, relapsed, I can probably take him to the vet and they can deal with it. But why did I spend three months in hell buying illegal cat drugs for hundreds of dollars?”
— Marlena Arjo [49:34]

8. Where Things Stand Now

[49:44+] While GS is now available at major compounding pharmacies, the black market persists due to lack of awareness and inertia.
[50:43] Otto, Marlena’s cat, has recovered, though he “still has some like, bald spots from the injections...But he seems to be good now. He’s also calmed down from when he was a kitten.”
[48:36] "As far as the FDA is concerned, it is officially and explicitly allowed," and compounding pharmacies like Stokes, Mixlab, and Chewy now offer the drug.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“She said, ‘Yeah, I shouldn’t tell you this, but by the way, you can get drugs for this if you go to this Facebook group.’”
— Marlena Arjo (on her vet’s quiet tip) [03:54]
“We found that we could cure 90% or more of cats…which up to that time was a 100% fatal disease.”
— Dr. Niels Peterson [10:54]
“Of course, you don’t go out trying to save cats and end up with $4 million.”
— Celeste Park Estes (on the Nicole Randall scandal) [36:19]
“You have to bear in mind that without gray area activities, there’s no way that the hundreds of thousands of cats that have been saved by the work of this group could have ever happened.”
— Robin Kintz, FIP Warriors founder [36:32]
“Our goal was...to put ourselves out of a job. We wanted to get treatment...under the guidance of a vet so that you didn’t need to come to a Facebook group like us.”
— Nicole Jacques [41:03]
“This was like Christmas and New Year's and the Fourth of July and my birthday.”
— Nicole Jacques (on GS becoming legally available through pharmacies) [48:03]

Important Timestamps for Segments

Otto’s story and the secret vet referral: [01:16–05:33]
History and path to the “miracle drug”: [06:34–13:50]
Creation and evolution of the FIP Warriors group: [16:22–26:11]
Scandals, internal schisms, and federal raid: [28:08–39:03]
Advocacy, legal breakthrough, and pharmacy compounding: [41:03–49:34]
Reflections, legacy, and Otto’s happy ending: [50:43–end]

Structure of the FIP Warriors System

Entry through Facebook:
- Publicly post one’s story, not mentioning drugs
- Mod/admin reaches out privately for intake
Assessment:
- Share details, bloodwork, symptoms
Assignment:
- Connected to a “care team” for guidance
- Offered vetted supplier options
Administration:
- Treatment and support ongoing for 84 days

Final Reflections

For more gripping investigations:
Find Hyperfixed and Reveal wherever you listen to podcasts.
revealnews.org/learn

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The Black Market for a Lifesaving Cat Drug

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Summary

Podcast Summary: Reveal — "The Black Market for a Lifesaving Cat Drug"

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Marlena and Otto: The Start of the Journey

2. Entering the Black Market

3. History and Science of FIP and the "Miracle Drug"

4. The Rise of the Underground Economy

5. Risks, Moral Dilemmas, and Scaling Up

6. Profit, Secrecy, and Scandal

7. The Road Toward Legality

8. Where Things Stand Now

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps for Segments

Structure of the FIP Warriors System

Final Reflections

Summary

Podcast Summary: Reveal — "The Black Market for a Lifesaving Cat Drug"

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Marlena and Otto: The Start of the Journey

2. Entering the Black Market

3. History and Science of FIP and the "Miracle Drug"

4. The Rise of the Underground Economy

5. Risks, Moral Dilemmas, and Scaling Up

6. Profit, Secrecy, and Scandal

7. The Road Toward Legality

8. Where Things Stand Now

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps for Segments

Structure of the FIP Warriors System

Final Reflections