According to AP, Satel "sometimes cited Purdue-funded studies and doctors in her articles on addiction for major news outlets and occasionally shared drafts of the pieces with Purdue officials in advance, including on occasions in 2004 and 2016."

M.D., Satel critiques what she sees as the burgeoning phenomenon of politically correct (PC) medicine, which seeks to address what its proponents view as social oppression by reorganizing the distribution of public health resources.

She argues that incorporating social justice into the mission of medicine diverts attention and resources from the effort to prevent and combat disease for everyone.

[citation needed] In a June 2004 meeting of the National Advisory Council for the Center for Mental Health Services, Satel called for an increase in the amount of funding for responsible involuntary care for psychiatric patients who are a danger to themselves or to others, or who are gravely disabled.

Contrary to media portrayals, the typical OxyContin addict does not start out as a pain patient who fell unwittingly into a drug habit.”[5][11] She signed an April 2014 statement in Real Clear Politics supporting legally recognizing same-sex marriage but opposing any penalties against those who do "dissent" from this position.