5 ms·

The best outcome would be directing resources at preventing and treating opioid addiction, not at punishing the drug manufacturer.

MegaButts 7y ago
That just sends the message that the rich can get rich by ruining the lives of however many thousands of people and will just seek new ways to get rich by ruining the lives of however many thousands of people.
- jrochkind1 7y ago
  I agree with you both.
  - jrochkind1 7y ago
    that is, the important thing is directing resources at preventing and treating opioid addictions and ODs, and if there's any justice the entire Sackler family fortune would be used to do so. Fortunately, these two goals are not in conflict, the Sackler's have a net worth upwards of $13 billion, which would be quite helpful resources to direct at preventing and treating opioid addiction and health effects.
    - bilbo0s 7y ago
      13 billion won't be nearly enough. The damage to people, to families, and to communities has been extensive. And it's a big problem in most counties across all 50 states. But also the Sacklers are only like 8% of the problem. All the rest of the opioids, (92%), came from other companies. So, theoretically, if we confiscated all of the wealth of all of the owners and stockholders in all of these companies we'd get the money we need to at least ameliorate some of the carnage. Because we'd have at least 90% more than we'd have by just confiscating the Sackler wealth alone. All that's just theory though. I don't even know if it's possible to hold ownership responsible? Because wouldn't that put people who buy stock in whatever company at risk if the company was doing something sufficiently untoward?
- simplecomplex 7y ago
  Purdue never prescribed opioids to anyone. They only sold them to hospitals and doctors, after the FDA let them do it. Not sure what message punishing them is supposed to send? But I get it. Someone dies and it’s the drug dealers fault, and punishing them will make everyone feel better. Except it doesn’t do anything about the actual problem (opioid addiction). It feels to me like the elation here is because the Sacklers are rich and people really don’t like that, rather than any sort of victory in combating opiate addiction.
  - Retric 7y ago
    They lied about the drugs which they actively marketed to doctors. That’s far more than just manufacturing and opened them up to significantly increased liability.
    - loeg 7y ago
      After 2001? The lying in marketing, over the period 1995-2001, was already litigated in 2007.
      - Retric 7y ago
        Yes, though they used intermediaries. https://katherineclark.house.gov/_cache/files/a/a/aaa7536a-6db3-4192-b943-364e7c599d10/818172D42793504DD9DFE64B77A77C0E.5.22.19-who-purdue-report-final.pdf https://katherineclark.house.gov/_cache/files/a/a/aaa7536a-6...
  - MegaButts 7y ago
    I do not believe that Purdue is innocent of anything, and I would love for more evidence to be brought forward to a court of law. https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/22/abbott-oxycontin-crusade/ https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/22/abbott-oxycontin-crusade...
  - jrochkind1 7y ago
    The Sackler's $13 billion could be used to do quite a lot about the actual problem.
prepend 7y ago
The resources from the lawsuits are designated to go toward preventing and treatment of opioid addiction. The purpose of the lawsuits, I think, is not to punish manufacturers but to fund needed health programs.

MegaButts 7y ago

That just sends the message that the rich can get rich by ruining the lives of however many thousands of people and will just seek new ways to get rich by ruining the lives of however many thousands of people.

jrochkind1 7y ago
I agree with you both.
- jrochkind1 7y ago
  that is, the important thing is directing resources at preventing and treating opioid addictions and ODs, and if there's any justice the entire Sackler family fortune would be used to do so. Fortunately, these two goals are not in conflict, the Sackler's have a net worth upwards of $13 billion, which would be quite helpful resources to direct at preventing and treating opioid addiction and health effects.
  - bilbo0s 7y ago
    13 billion won't be nearly enough. The damage to people, to families, and to communities has been extensive. And it's a big problem in most counties across all 50 states. But also the Sacklers are only like 8% of the problem. All the rest of the opioids, (92%), came from other companies. So, theoretically, if we confiscated all of the wealth of all of the owners and stockholders in all of these companies we'd get the money we need to at least ameliorate some of the carnage. Because we'd have at least 90% more than we'd have by just confiscating the Sackler wealth alone. All that's just theory though. I don't even know if it's possible to hold ownership responsible? Because wouldn't that put people who buy stock in whatever company at risk if the company was doing something sufficiently untoward?
simplecomplex 7y ago
Purdue never prescribed opioids to anyone. They only sold them to hospitals and doctors, after the FDA let them do it. Not sure what message punishing them is supposed to send? But I get it. Someone dies and it’s the drug dealers fault, and punishing them will make everyone feel better. Except it doesn’t do anything about the actual problem (opioid addiction). It feels to me like the elation here is because the Sacklers are rich and people really don’t like that, rather than any sort of victory in combating opiate addiction.
- Retric 7y ago
  They lied about the drugs which they actively marketed to doctors. That’s far more than just manufacturing and opened them up to significantly increased liability.
  - loeg 7y ago
    After 2001? The lying in marketing, over the period 1995-2001, was already litigated in 2007.
    - Retric 7y ago
      Yes, though they used intermediaries. https://katherineclark.house.gov/_cache/files/a/a/aaa7536a-6db3-4192-b943-364e7c599d10/818172D42793504DD9DFE64B77A77C0E.5.22.19-who-purdue-report-final.pdf https://katherineclark.house.gov/_cache/files/a/a/aaa7536a-6...
- MegaButts 7y ago
  I do not believe that Purdue is innocent of anything, and I would love for more evidence to be brought forward to a court of law. https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/22/abbott-oxycontin-crusade/ https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/22/abbott-oxycontin-crusade...
- jrochkind1 7y ago
  The Sackler's $13 billion could be used to do quite a lot about the actual problem.

prepend 7y ago

The resources from the lawsuits are designated to go toward preventing and treatment of opioid addiction. The purpose of the lawsuits, I think, is not to punish manufacturers but to fund needed health programs.