Purdue Pharma, Sackler family members reach new $7.4 billion opioid settlement
NPRTuesday, June 17, 2025 at 8:57:52 AM
Purdue Pharma and the billionaire Sackler family—infamous for aggressively pushing OxyContin while downplaying its addictive risks—have struck a deal to pay $7.4 billion to settle lawsuits across all 50 states and U.S. territories. The agreement aims to compensate communities ravaged by the opioid crisis, though critics argue it lets the Sacklers off too lightly, as they avoid personal liability.
Editor’s Note: This isn’t just another corporate settlement—it’s a reckoning (albeit an imperfect one) for one of the key players behind America’s opioid epidemic. While the money will fund addiction treatment and prevention, the deal also reignites debates about whether wealthy families can buy their way out of accountability. For communities still grappling with overdose deaths, the payout is a bittersweet footnote to a much larger tragedy.
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