Article
Update on the Sackler Family and Purdue Pharmaceuticals
Article from The Associated Press by Geoff Mulvihill and Mark Sherman
The opioid crisis in the United States has been a long and painful battle, with many victims and their families seeking justice for the harm they've endured. Now, Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, has agreed to settle thousands of lawsuits related to the crisis and giving up ownership of the company. However, this settlement is not without controversy.
Members of the Sackler family, who own Purdue Pharma, would be exempt from civil lawsuits and could still retain billions in profits from OxyContin sales. On December 4th, 2023, the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the legality of this agreement. This case not only carries significant implications for other major product liability lawsuits settled through bankruptcy but also presents a moral conundrum that continues to divide victims and their families.
Here are our key takeaways from the article:
Purdue Pharma, the company behind OxyContin, has consented to a settlement in response to thousands of opioid-related lawsuits, pledging up to $6 billion to combat the crisis.
This agreement would provide legal immunity to the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue Pharma, against civil lawsuits and potentially allow them to retain profits gained from OxyContin sales.
The Supreme Court is poised to examine if this deal infringes upon federal law since it proposes bankruptcy protections for individuals who have not filed for bankruptcy.
The settlement has sparked controversy with some victims hailing it as a significant turning point, while others protest it, fearing that it might establish a worrisome precedent.
Purdue Pharma's intense promotion of OxyContin continues to be identified as a major driving force behind the nationwide opioid epidemic.
Excerpt
OxyContin maker’s settlement plan divides victims of opioid crisis. Now it’s up to the Supreme Court.
By Geoff Mulvihill and Mark Sherman
"The agreement by the maker of OxyContin to settle thousands of lawsuits over the harm done by opioids could help combat the overdose epidemic that the painkiller helped spark. But that does not mean all the victims are satisfied.
Ellen Isaacs’ 33-year-old son, Ryan Wroblewski, died in Florida in 2018, about 17 years after he was first prescribed OxyContin for a back injury. When she first heard about a potential settlement that would include some money for people like her, she signed up. But she has changed her mind."
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