MANN: Right. OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma will plead guilty to three criminal charges to settle a sweeping federal probe of its role in the opioid crisis, officials said Wednesday. Details of the Justice Department settlement, including when it will be unveiled and the financial penalties, also remain in flux. When what we should be focused on, and what Joe Biden is focused on, is the vote on November 3rd and making sure that they don’t have the opportunity to ram through a nominee.”, But Tapper noted that the latest discussion about expanding the Supreme Court “came from the progressive side of the Democratic Party.”, He asked once more, “Has he changed his mind, or does he have the same position he’s had since at least 1983?”, Bedingfield said, “But, look, see I think you only have to look at how hard, for example, Vice President Pence wanted to go at this in the debate last week, rather than answer a question about what his administration would do to protect pre-existing conditions.

What exactly did it say? We reported yesterday that state officials are demanding compensation from Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, for the company's role in the deadly opioid epidemic. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Purdue Pharma LP, the OxyContin maker controlled by members of the wealthy Sackler family, is nearing an agreement to plead guilty to criminal charges as part of a broader deal to resolve U.S. Justice Department probes into its alleged role in fueling the nation’s opioid crisis, six people familiar with the matter said. But documents, David, released over the last year show they pushed really hard to boost the sale of opioids, including OxyContin, often downplaying the risk, even when their own researchers were raising fears about the potential for addiction and overdose deaths. He covers opioid litigation for NPR and joins me. JOSH STEIN: We needed more security on the part of the Sacklers, that the money that they were pledging they would in fact pay. Accuracy and availability may vary. “Purdue today is a very different company.”. I mean, if there's money on the table that could help communities who have gone through this horrible epidemic, does it matter what pocket it comes from?
The other is that it receive court approval for a reorganization plan transforming it into a “public benefit company” run on behalf of those communities and no longer controlled by the Sacklers. Brian, thanks. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. The Sacklers are poised to receive a legal release should a bankruptcy judge approve a broader settlement, shielding them from future civil, though not criminal, claims.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says it is unconstitutional for Senate Republicans to confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee as millions of Americans are voting and with less than 30 days till the Nov. 3 election. Certain family members are in discussions to pay a roughly $225 million civil penalty for allegedly causing false claims regarding Purdue’s prescription painkillers to be filed with government healthcare programs, three people said.

MANN: This part is complicated. The settlement — which is subject to approval by the federal court overseeing Purdue’s bankruptcy — will see the company plead guilty in New Jersey federal court to conspiracy to defraud the US along with violations of a federal anti-kickback law. But so far, state attorneys general is saying it's just not enough. A group of 25 state attorneys general oppose a settlement... Post was not sent - check your email addresses! And here's what they're saying - the Sacklers are offering to give up the entire value of their main company, Purdue Pharma. Members of the Sackler family, many of whom previously served on Purdue’s board and also face lawsuits, will avoid criminal charges in the looming settlement, the two people said. We Insist: A Timeline Of Protest Music In 2020. Purdue Pharma is being sued by more than 2,000 state and local governments, so it does appear that some talks with some of those attorneys are still underway. All rights reserved. The company now faces thousands of lawsuits seeking damages to address a public health crisis that has ravaged U.S. communities. On Sunday, He asked Biden campaign spokesperson Kate Bedingfield, “How is it not constitutional what they’re doing?”. The Sacklers would not have any ownership stake in the new entity, which would donate opioid addiction treatments and overdose antidotes to communities that need them and put any money it makes toward opioid abatement programs, officials said. 2,314, This story has been shared 1,382 times. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Your California Privacy Rights Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says it is unconstitutional for Senate Republicans to confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee as millions of Americans are voting and with less than 30 days till the Nov. 3 election. One contentious aspect of the proposal is that some of the funds would come from continued OxyContin sales. In other words, they wanted any settlement to drain some of the huge, private fortune that this family amassed by selling opioids.

Terms of Use So government officials at that negotiating table with the Sacklers, they're under a lot of pressure to show that the family, personally, will feel some kind of real financial pain from all this. Additionally, Purdue will only have to pay $225 million of the criminal forfeiture if the bankruptcy court approves a plan to dissolve the company and turn it into a so-called public benefit corporation owned by a trust. We should be focused on what’s happening right now. Or this could go to court. “His point is the people have an opportunity to weigh in on this Constitutional process through their vote,” she responded. Over the years, Purdue reaped billions of dollars in profits from its opioids, enriching Sackler family members and funneling illegal kickbacks to doctors and pharmacies, federal prosecutors and state attorneys general have alleged. Purdue, which filed for bankruptcy protection last year facing an onslaught of litigation, is in discussions to plead guilty to charges that include conspiracy, violations of an anti-kickback law and misbranding under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, two of the people said. That has drawn criticism from states arguing litigation against family members should proceed to hold them accountable for the opioid crisis. Well, they're pretty clear about why. This court is being attacked now by the Republicans after the vote has already begun. The Justice Department is continuing a criminal probe of some Sackler family members and other individuals associated with Purdue, though it remains unclear whether charges will materialize, one person said.

Joe’s understanding of the Constituion is dependent on whatever his handlers tell him. The deal calls for a $3.5 billion criminal fine and a $2 billion forfeiture against Purdue, which the feds called the largest penalties ever issued against a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Purdue said it is cooperating with the investigations and in discussions to resolve them, but declined further comment. MANN: Yeah. GREENE: Why is that so important? The company and family deny the allegations. I mean, hadn't the Sacklers and the company declined to say anything or confirm anything? In addition to the criminal case, U.S. prosecutors are negotiating a settlement of civil claims also carrying a financial penalty that allege unlawful conduct in Purdue’s handling of prescription painkillers, they said. And now we're at a point where more than 200,000 Americans have died from prescription opioid overdoses. Here's North Carolina's attorney general, Josh Stein.
Prosecutors say Purdue marketed and sold addictive opioids like OxyContin to health care providers who were diverting the drugs to abusers. So according to her account, all these pay-outs would, in effect, come from their personal wealth. The outcome of settlement talks among Purdue, its owners and litigants will help determine how much money U.S. communities receive to address the toll from opioids. One of the negotiated terms of Purdue’s proposal to settle thousands of other opioid lawsuits is that it resolve the Justice Department probes. Thanks for contacting us. The Sacklers controlling Purdue themselves have not filed for bankruptcy. They stressed that talks are fluid and that some of the terms could change as discussions continue. The Justice Department announced an $8 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma, the OxyContin maker widely accused of fueling the nation's opioid … They've also offered another $3 billion in cash, and they say they would forfeit income from the sale of an overseas subsidiary called Mundipharma, which they claim is worth another $1.5 billion. A Purdue Pharma spokesperson has revealed to NPR that the Sackler family, which owns the company, is willing to give up the "entire value" of the firm to settle claims, plus $3 billion in cash.