Two members of the wealthy Sackler family who own OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma LP offered apologies yesterday for the role the prescription painkiller has played in the deadly U.S. opioid epidemic, but sought to deflect personal responsibility in response to withering criticism from lawmakers, Reuters reported. Testifying remotely during a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee, David and Kathe Sackler, both of whom previously served on Purdue’s board, insisted they were assured by management that the company was meeting regulatory and legal requirements as the opioid crisis unfolded. The two, among several Sackler family members with ownership interests in Purdue, agreed to testify only after the committee’s chairwoman, Democratic Representative Carolyn Maloney, threatened subpoenas. Under a settlement with the Justice Department, Purdue pleaded guilty in November to criminal charges for misconduct with its opioids and agreed to more than $8 billion in penalties that will mostly go unpaid. Sackler family members agreed to pay $225 million to settle civil claims they disputed. Neither they, nor other individuals, were criminally charged.
