LEGISLATION
Does Removing Criminal Penalties for Drug Use Lead to More Drug Use?
Does it really make sense to blanket legalize drugs? On the other hand, does it really make sense to continue the War on Drugs? Or is it possible that leaving some penalties in place but altering or lessening them if treatment is completed might be more effective than either blanket legalization of drugs or ruthlessly throwing people in jail for drug use?
Washington State Takes Big Pharma to Trial
In a rare turn of events, Washington State has decided to move away from proposed settlements with pharma giants and instead take several corporations to trial for the role they played in creating the opioid epidemic.
A First-Hand Account of The Empire of Pain
For anyone touched by America’s opioid epidemic and anyone who has followed the development of this crisis, as I have, Patrick Radden Keefe’s new book adds to our knowledge of the steps that must be taken to heal from our crisis of drugs abuse and overdoses.
Criminal Acts: How Pharma Companies Pushed Drugs They Knew Were Addictive and Dangerous
The Sackler Family and Purdue Pharmaceuticals deny any responsibility for the role they played in creating the opioid addiction epidemic. And while the most recent litigation against Purdue/the Sackler family ended in immunity for them and an abdication of responsibility, it wasn't too long ago that Purdue was pleading guilty to federal felony charges relating to the opioid crisis.
Federal Judge Overturns Sackler/Purdue Pharma Bid for Bankruptcy Protection
In an alarming development in the ongoing litigation between thousands of plaintiffs against Purdue Pharmaceuticals (and the Sackler family that owns it), a federal judge just overturned the Sackler bid for bankruptcy protection and immunity. What does this mean for America’s most important pharma lawsuit?
Teva Pharmaceuticals Found Guilty
In the slew of recent lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, yet another loss for Big Pharma was announced on December 30th, 2021, in the case of New York State against Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Pharma Companies Settle to Resolve Opioid Lawsuits
Several major pharma litigations are currently making their way through U.S. courts. One such case just came to a close, unfortunately releasing several pharma giants from all legal liability regarding their role in the devastating opioid epidemic.
New Developments in the Sackler Case Suggest More Needs to be Done to Hold Pharma Magnates Accountable
In the late-1990s and early-2000s, pharmaceutical manufacturers like Purdue Pharma aggressively marketed addictive drugs such as OxyContin, pushing doctors to prescribe them. Today, though it’s known that these companies helped create America’s opioid epidemic, the owners of the companies appear poised to escape accountability.
How the Sackler Family Got Away with Denying Any Responsibility in the Opioid Epidemic
The litigation of Purdue Pharma/the Sacklers is now over. One of the key aspects of the case that deserves full scrutiny is that Purdue’s owners threatened to withdraw settlement funds if they did not achieve personal immunity. In the end, they won.
The Sackler Case Comes to a Close; Final Analysis and the Importance of Holding Pharma Companies Accountable
Consider this: Purdue Pharmaceuticals/the Sacklers versus thousands of plaintiffs nationwide. It was one of the most closely watched pharmaceutical litigations of our time, and it just came to a close. While there were some small victories in the case, many see its outcome as a loss for those who suffered at the hands of Purdue’s addictive opioid painkiller, OxyContin.