Purdue Pharma Pleads Guilty, Will Pay $8 Billion for Part Played in Opioid Crisis

Yesterday, Purdue Pharma plead guilty to three federal criminal charges over its role in creating the nation’s opioid crisis. The pharmaceutical company is the maker of OxyContin which is an extremely addictive pain killer. According to the CDC, around 128 people die every day as a result of their abuse of these drugs, both prescriptions and illicit ones. Purdue pled guilty to violating federal anti-kickback laws and were ordered to pay more than $8 billion in fines which will be allocated among opioid treatment and abatement programs. However, seeing as the company filed for bankruptcy last year, and does not have the ability to pay, they will be dissolved as part of the settlement. Its assets will be used to create a new company that produces life-saving overdose rescue drugs and medically assisted treatment medications at cheap prices. It’s meant to benefit the public, rather than maximize profits, with future earnings going towards paying those fines. OxyContin, despite it’s mostly harmful nature, will continue to be produced.