A Battle for Justice: Supreme Court's Bold Move Against Purdue Pharma's Opioid Settlement
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For greed all nature is too little.
Seneca
NEW YORK – In a stunning turn of events, the Supreme Court has temporarily halted Purdue Pharma's reorganization plan, throwing a wrench into a bankruptcy deal that would have shielded the notorious Sackler family from future opioid claims.
Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical giant accused of fueling the nation's opioid crisis, had reached a bankruptcy deal that would pay as much as $6 billion to thousands of plaintiffs. The deal was set to sail smoothly after a May decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit allowed it to move ahead.
But the Biden administration wasn't having it. They appealed the decision, claiming the agreement would let the Sackler family, worth over $10 billion, off the hook. The original ruling was "recalled and stayed" by the Supreme Court in its Thursday order, presented by none other than Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
The $6 billion dollar bankruptcy settlement is now on hold, leaving thousands of victims in limbo. "The parties are directed to brief and argue the following question: Whether the Bankruptcy Code authorizes a court to approve, as part of a plan of reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, a release that extinguishes claims held by nondebtors against nondebtor third parties, without the claimants' consent," the high court wrote in an order Thursday.
The Supreme Court has also teed up a December 2023 argument session, meaning a decision will likely come down next year. Purdue Pharma, founded in 1892, has been accused by critics of playing a pronounced role in exacerbating the nation's opioid crisis. The Sackler family, believed to be villains of the opioid crisis, have been under fire for reaping billions from the sale of OxyContin.
Tens of thousands of Americans die every year from opioid-related deaths. Purdue Pharma was hit with massive fines and a mountain of lawsuits for allegedly misleading the public on the addictive nature of OxyContin. The company is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and court documents indicate that the deal would allow the company to recreate itself as a firm dedicated to combating the opioid epidemic.
The Supreme Court's decision has sent shockwaves through the legal community and given hope to victims seeking justice. The case, titled Harrington v. Purdue Pharma, is far from over, but this ruling marks a significant step towards accountability.
In a world where Big Pharma often seems untouchable, this decision is a reminder that justice can still prevail. The eyes of a nation are now fixed on the Supreme Court, waiting to see if the final decision will bring justice to the countless victims of the opioid crisis.
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