Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Nears Approval

The outcome of the multi-billion dollar settlement moulded by backroom deal-making has frequently been opaque and bureaucratic throughout Bankruptcy proceedings against Purdue Pharma, the developer of Oxycontin. Hundreds of emotional letters sent by people who allege their families have been devastated by addiction caused by the company’s potent pain medicines are weaved into the court record.

Kekuewa told NPR that he wanted to tell the court about his experience losing more than 20 years to substance abuse when Oxycontin pills inundated his neighbourhood. He said, “I had an awesome job, I was in love. It was beautiful and I was a beautiful person. It ended up into needles and accidental overdoses, purposeful suicide attempts. It opened up this dark horrible world that I didn’t know existed.”

Kekuewa requested more than $2 million in compensation from Purdue Pharma in his letter. He’s more likely to get roughly $3,500 under the Bankruptcy plan that’s now being approved. These letters, many of which are handwritten and addressed to federal Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain, have little impact on the result of the case. Drain, on the other hand, provided a unique glimpse into the human toll of the prescription opioid problem by making them public.

In his October 2018 letter, Peterson mentions a typical issue from persons who have filed personal injury lawsuits against Purdue Pharma: She believes the company’s owners, members of the Sackler family, are not being held entirely responsible for the opioid problem. The contentious measure, which is generally likely to be approved by Drain following a final confirmation hearing on Thursday, would grant members of the Sackler family and their remnant empire broad immunity from opioid lawsuits.Like others interviewed by NPR, Kekuewa said he agrees with some aspects of the Bankruptcy plan. However, he expressed concern that it does not go far enough in punishing the Sacklers.