Members of Purdue Pharma\u2019s Sackler family testified before the House Oversight Committee Thursday, marking one of the first times in years the family had been publicly questioned under oath on the company’s role in the opioid epidemic.<\/p>\n
The hearing comes as members of the Sackler family, who deny any personal wrongdoing in the opioid crisis, attempt to settle thousands of civil claims filed against them and their company, Purdue Pharma, by states and cities claiming they fueled and epidemic\u00a0that has killed more than 400,000 people.<\/p>\n
At the center of lawsuits against Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family is the argument they marketed Oxycontin to doctors and others as less addictive than other painkillers.<\/p>\n
But the Sacklers largely dodged questions about Purdue\u2019s marketing tactics, claiming they were unaware and pointed the finger at the company instead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m angry that some people working at Purdue broke the law,\u201d Kathe Sackler, a former Purdue board member told lawmakers when asked if she would apologize for her role in the crisis.<\/p>\n
The hearing did not produce much new information about the Sackler\u2019s role in the crisis and largely served as a a public flogging for the family.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatching you testify makes my blood boil,\u201d Rep. James Cooper (D-Tenn.) said to David Sackler. \u201cI\u2019m not sure that I\u2019m aware of any family in America that\u2019s more evil.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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