How A Bankruptcy Deal Could Offer Clean Slate For Opioid Billionaires
Consider This from NPR
NPR
4.2 • 6.2K Ratings
🗓️ 30 August 2021
⏱️ 12 minutes
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Summary
NPR addiction correspondent Brian Mann has been covering the story of Purdue Pharma for years, and explains how the Sacklers may emerge from Purdue's bankruptcy proceedings with their personal fortunes in tact. Find more of Brian's reporting here or follow him on Twitter @BrianMannADK.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Kaeola Kekueva lives in Honolulu, and late last year he sent a letter. |
| 0:06.0 | A lot of the honorable judge drain under my claim number. |
| 0:10.6 | To a federal judge in New York. |
| 0:12.5 | I had an awesome job. I was in love. It was beautiful and I was a beautiful person. |
| 0:19.0 | The letter describes Kaeola's life before and after his opioid addiction. |
| 0:24.5 | It's one of dozens of letters that judge Robert Drain allowed to be submitted and entered into the public record in the bankruptcy trial of Purdue Pharma, the makers of OxyContin. |
| 0:35.0 | It ended up into needles and accidents over those suicide attempts. I mean, it opened up this dark, horrible world that I didn't know existed. |
| 0:45.0 | Produce closely watched bankruptcy trial is now in its final days. |
| 0:49.0 | Under a settlement being finalized, the company would contribute billions of dollars to treatment and health care for people addicted to opioids. |
| 0:57.0 | There's a catch. As part of the deal, members of the Sackler family who own Purdue Pharma want immunity from opioid-related lawsuits. |
| 1:06.0 | They lied and said that it's not a dig thing. |
| 1:09.0 | The Sacklers deny any wrongdoing, but many of the people whose lives have been ravaged by OxyContin say that's not good enough. |
| 1:16.0 | I lost count over 15 years on how many funerals I've attended and then I had to clam one myself for my niece. |
| 1:22.5 | Joanne Peterson from Massachusetts sent in a letter as well. She says she became an opioid addiction activist after her niece and her son both became addicted to OxyContin. |
| 1:34.0 | Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family need to be held accountable. Millions of families are boosted, munging for justice. |
| 1:40.0 | And we bury people as they live lavish lifestyle. |
| 1:44.0 | Consider this, the opioid epidemic has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. |
| 1:49.0 | Because of that, one of the largest opioid manufacturers is now bankrupt, while the family that ran it would like to slip quietly out the back door. |
| 1:58.5 | From NPR, I'm Audie Cornish. It's Monday, August 30. |
| 2:05.5 | Maddie Sify here, host of Shortwave, the Daily Science Podcast from NPR. Listen for new discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines. All in about 10 minutes every weekday. |
| 2:16.5 | It's a great addition to your daily listening, whether you're a science nerd, or you know, just a little science curious. |
| 2:22.5 | Subscribe now to Shortwave from NPR. It's considered this from NPR. Judge Robert Drain says he'll rule Wednesday on the fate of Purdue Pharma and its owners, members of the Sackler family. |
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