Who has been held responsible for OxyContin's harms?
The company (dissolved), three executives (misdemeanour pleas), McKinsey ($573M + $650M), and the Sackler family (up to $7B, no criminal charges) — while individual victims are expected to receive about $8,000–$16,000 each.
The company itself pleaded guilty twice and has been dissolved. Three executives pleaded guilty to misdemeanours in 2007. McKinsey paid $573 million to states and later $650 million to resolve a federal investigation of its consulting work for Purdue. The Sackler family agreed to contribute up to $7 billion under the 2025 bankruptcy plan, but none were criminally charged, and the family denied wrongdoing. The Supreme Court's 2024 ruling means anyone who did not opt into the settlement's releases can still sue individual family members. Individual victims were expected to receive about $8,000 to $16,000 each, which many consider small compared with the harm suffered.