Purdue Pharma to be dissolved as judge approves criminal sentence in opioid case

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is set to be dissolved and replaced by a company focused on the public good by the week’s end, as a sweeping legal settlement resolving thousands of lawsuits takes effect. A federal judge on Tuesday delivered a criminal sentence to the company to resolve a US Department of Justice investigation – a last necessary step to clear the way for the settlement. Some victims of the opioid crisis, which has been linked to more than 900,000 deaths in the US since 1999, gave impact statements. Many of those affected by the crisis tried to persuade the judge to reject the negotiated sentence, arguing it doesn’t provide them with real justice. Here’s a look at the situation. Sentence calls for money but no individual punishment Purdue reached a deal with the justice department in 2020 to resolve criminal and civil investigations the company was facing. The Stamford, Connecticut-based company admitted it did not have an effective program to keep its powerful prescription painkillers from being diverted to the black market, even though it told the US Drug Enforcement Administration that it did. It also admitted it paid doctors through a speakers program to prescribe the drugs and paid an electronic medical records company to send doctors information on patients that encouraged more opioid prescriptions. Only the company was charged – not individuals. …