Houston Chronicle by ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and GEOFF MULVIHILL 2/1/2019
The family behind OxyContin raked in billions of dollars as it pushed to keep patients on the powerful painkiller longer despite evidence that the drug was helping to fuel the nation's deadly opioid crisis, Massachusetts authorities allege in newly public court documents.
While aggressively marketing OxyContin, the Sackler family also sought to profit off the drug abuse crisis its company helped create by exploring selling drugs used to treat addiction and reverse overdoses, state lawyers contend in previously secret parts of their lawsuit against Purdue Pharma.
Attorney General Maura Healey is suing Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma, along with some company executives and members of the wealthy Sackler family, in an effort to hold them accountable for the toll of the state's drug crisis. Massachusetts' is the first state case to personally name members of the Sackler clan, whose name is emblazoned on walls at some of the world's great museums and universities.
Purdue had fought to keep the new allegations secret, but three courts ruled against the company. Its lawyers said after the wholly unredacted complaint was released late Thursday that Massachusetts is trying to "single out Purdue, blame it for the entire opioid crisis, and try the case in the court of public opinion rather than the justice system."
Health officials say nearly 48,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2017 involved some type of opioid, including illicit drugs.
More:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/education/article/Family-made-billions-on-opioid-as-crisis-raged-13580995.php
