Ongoing controversy surrounding Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, families of opioid victims split on settlement, ruling's impact on immunity in corporate settlements, Boy Scouts and Catholic Church support Purdue deal, challenging fairness of settlement in Supreme Court
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Quick takeaways
The bankruptcy deal for Purdue Pharma's OxyContin shielded the Sackler family from future lawsuits, causing division among families of opioid victims.
The Supreme Court case surrounding Purdue Pharma's settlement will have far-reaching implications for mass harm cases, questioning legal protection in bankruptcy and victims' ability to pursue further lawsuits.
Deep dives
The Opioid Crisis and Purdue Pharma's Role
Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, aggressively marketed the painkiller and jump-started the opioid crisis. The company's misleading claims about OxyContin's addictive qualities contributed to the widespread prescription and abuse of the drug. Purdue Pharma is seen as a symbol of corporate exploitation in the opioid crisis.
The Purdue Pharma Settlement and the Sackler Family
In 2019, Purdue Pharma filed for bankruptcy after facing thousands of lawsuits related to the opioid crisis. The Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, agreed to pay billions of dollars as part of a settlement deal. However, the settlement is now being questioned before the Supreme Court, as it shields the Sacklers from future lawsuits. The settlement's approval and the protection it provides has divided families affected by the crisis.
Legal Implications and Potential Outcomes
The Supreme Court case involving Purdue Pharma's settlement has broader implications for similar cases of mass harm in the US. The settlement raises questions about the legal protection granted to entities going through bankruptcy and the ability of victims to pursue further lawsuits. The decision from the Supreme Court will determine how future complex mass litigation cases unfold and whether the Sackler family will be exempt from further legal action.
A bankruptcy deal for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma gave a legal shield to the Sackler family that ran the company. Now, a challenge to the settlement has gone to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Why are families of opioid victims split on whether they want the multi-billion dollar settlement to stand?
How could the ruling change who can get immunity from lawsuits in massive corporate settlements?
Why have the Boy Scouts of America and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops submitted briefs calling for Purdue’s deal to stand?
David Ovalle is a national reporter with the Washington Post focusing on opioids and addiction.
For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
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An earlier version of this episode stated that the movie Pain Hustlers was inspired by Purdue and Oxycontin. That film was based on a different company which also sold opioid based pain medication. We've corrected this episode to remove that error.
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