NEWARK, N.J. — Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, is on the brink of being dissolved and transformed into a new entity dedicated to public welfare. This transition comes as part of a significant legal settlement addressing numerous lawsuits, which is expected to be finalized by the end of the week.
On Tuesday, a federal judge imposed a criminal sentence on the company to conclude an investigation by the Department of Justice, marking a crucial final step for the settlement to proceed.
U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo made her ruling after hearing hours of impact statements from individuals who lost loved ones or personally battled addiction, urging her to reject the agreed-upon sentence. While she stopped short of doing so, she expressed empathy for those affected by an epidemic that has resulted in over 900,000 deaths in the U.S. since 1999.
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