[ad_1]
An extraordinary hearing has just begun for the House oversight committee, which is investigating the role of opioid pain reliever maker Purdue Pharma, maker of the prescription narcotic OxyContin.
The hearing is titled “The Role of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family in the Opioid Epidemic.”
Purdue pleaded guilty last month in federal court to felony crimes related to the opioid crisis that has killed nearly half a million Americans.
However, the group of billionaire Sackler family members who own the private company was not charged, although they are being investigated.
The company and six family members have been sued by US cities and counties, and by many US states.
Carolyn B. Maloney
(@RepMaloney)The Sackler family and Purdue Pharma helped fuel and profited from the opioid epidemic to the tune of $ 35 + billion. Tune in to watch today @OversightDems audience with members of the Sackler family and Purdue CEO. https://t.co/L2Mgt9tVqc
One of the reasons this hearing is extraordinary is that two of those Sacklers have voluntarily agreed to testify today, which is highly unusual. Very, very rarely do they talk about their role at Purdue and the OxyContin and opioid crisis.
Today, Kathe sackler, a former Purdue vice president, who served on the company’s board from 1990 to 2018, will appear (remotely) to testify. She is the daughter of one of the Purdue co-founders.
Also testifying is David sackler, who is the grandson of one of the co-founders and the son of Richard Sackler, who for many years was president of Purdue. David Sackler was on Purdue’s board from 2012 to 2018 and Purdue CEO Craig Landau is also testifying.
Chairman of the Committee Carolyn maloney, Democratic Congressman from New York, said: “No member of the Sackler family has ever admitted to doing something wrong, or taken responsibility or apologized. They have not admitted any responsibility. “
But she called the opioid crisis, which was fueled by powerful prescription opioids, particularly OxyContin, “a crime against the American people.”
Purdue Pharma is currently before bankruptcy court in New York, having filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2019, in an effort to stop the lawsuits, avoid further prosecutions and settle with the plaintiffs.
The lengthy proceedings have not yet concluded and many aspects of the future of the company and its relatives remain up in the air pending the decision of the bankruptcy judge.
[ad_2]
