By Monica Hernandez
Lawsuit says Sackler family played major role in fueling opioid crisis.
CONCORD, N.H. —
The state of New Hampshire has filed a complaint against the owners of Purdue Pharma, the makers of OxyContin.
The complaint claims the Sackler family played a major role in fueling the opioid crisis in New Hampshire.Advertisement
“They were telling people that these drugs were safe and effective and not addictive for chronic pain users,” senior assistant Attorney General, Jim Boffetti, said.
The lawsuit, filed in Merrimack County Superior Court, claims the Sackler family directed Purdue Pharma sales representatives to promote opioids to Granite Staters while fully knowing the risks.Play Video
The lawsuit also says the Sackler family enriched themselves while draining Purdue Pharma’s accounts, placing hundreds of millions of dollars beyond creditors’ reach. The company filed for bankruptcy this week.
The filing came days after New Hampshire, along with many other states and municipalities, rejected a multibillion-dollar settlement offer from Purdue Pharma, saying the deal didn’t hold the company accountable enough.
Other plaintiffs did accept the deal.
New Hampshire’s complaint says the Sackler family should be required to ease the “public nuisance” it created.
