Supreme Court Grapples with Purdue Pharma's Opioid Settlement and Sackler Family Liability

The Supreme Court is deliberating over the $6 billion bankruptcy settlement proposed by Purdue Pharma, the company responsible for the opioid crisis in the United States. The justices are focused on determining what is fair for the victims of the epidemic and have little sympathy for the Sackler family, who profited from the sale of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. The settlement would require the Sacklers to contribute 97% of their profits to an estate for distribution among states, victims, and others in exchange for immunity from further civil lawsuits. While the majority of plaintiffs voted in favor of the settlement, thousands rejected it, raising constitutional questions about extinguishing the personal property rights of dissenters. The Supreme Court must decide whether the bankruptcy agreement should stand or be scuttled, potentially leaving victims without compensation.