Court says OxyContin maker’s bankruptcy and protections for Sackler family members can move ahead

By GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma can start its transformation under a bankruptcy agreement that allows the members of the wealthy Sackler family who own the company to avoid civil lawsuits over the opioid crisis, a court has ruled. The state and local governments that were suing Purdue for its role in the epidemic agreed to a settlement last year that requires family members to pay up to $6 billion and give up the company. The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee has said it will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block the deal, but now it might need help from the top court quickly to keep it on hold.