Purdue Pharma, a privately held American pharmaceutical company, was involved in the opioid crisis due to its aggressive marketing tactics for OxyContin, a pain medication. The company faced lawsuits and paid large fines, eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2019. In 2020,
Purdue reached a potential $8.3 billion settlement with the Sackler family, agreeing to pay $225 million. However, the legality of the settlement, particularly the Sackler family’s protections, is being challenged by the US Supreme Court.
Purdue, the maker and supplier of OxyContin, has been implicated in the opioid crisis in the US, which has been exacerbated by factors such as stigma and prohibition. The crisis reached a critical point in 2020, with over 93,000 Americans dying from drug overdoses.
Purdue faced numerous lawsuits and eventually reached a controversial bankruptcy settlement, with financial contributions from the Sackler family.
Below is an episode of Netflix’s recent series “Painkiller” that chronicles the effect of OxyContin’s use in the US, and in particular the area of Virginia County.
