Why is Purdue Pharma so controversial?
Two criminal guilty pleas, 900,000 deaths linked to the opioid crisis and a landmark Supreme Court ruling make Purdue the most judicially scrutinised drugmaker in US history.
Purdue is widely regarded as a central actor in the US opioid epidemic. Its opioid painkiller OxyContin became a best-seller from the late 1990s, and lawsuits from states, cities, tribes, hospitals and individuals alleged that Purdue aggressively and deceptively marketed the drug and downplayed its addiction risk. The opioid crisis has been linked to 900,000 US deaths since 1999.
What sets Purdue apart is that its conduct was confirmed through criminal admissions, not just alleged: the company pleaded guilty in 2007 and again in 2020. The controversy also extends to its owners. The Sackler family received billions of dollars from the company during the years OxyContin was being marketed, and their attempt to secure legal immunity through Purdue's bankruptcy became a landmark Supreme Court case. The Sacklers have denied wrongdoing throughout.