America’s Opioid Epidemic – How Big Pharma’s Profit Motive fueled Opioid Addiction

America’s Opioid Epidemic

How Big Pharma’s Profit Motive fueled Opioid Addiction and Overdose Deaths and how the Justice System Worked to Abate the Epidemic

Much has been written about the Sacklers’ and Purdue Pharma’s development and false marketing of oxycontin that fueled the opioid epidemic in our country. At its height, the epidemic killed more than 175,000 people annually and afflicted more than 3 million people with opioid use disorder. But the epidemic was caused not just by the Sacklers’ illegal conduct but was reinforced by other opioid manufacturers and the drug distributors and pharmacy dispensers who ignored their obligations under the Federal Drug Enforcement Act.

Lawyers representing more than 3000 cities and counties, in conjunction with state attorney generals, brought lawsuits that have resulted in more than $70 billion in settlements earmarked for addiction treatment centers, foster care facilities, drug courts, and drug law enforcement agencies. They have paid for the wide dissemination of overdose antidote drugs such as Narcan and opioid treatment drugs such as suboxone. The lawsuits have also required that the entire drug distribution chain change its behavior.

Recent reports reveal that these programs, funded by the settlements, have reduced opioid related deaths by more than 30% in 2024.

Pete Weinberger was appointed by the Federal Judge who managed these lawsuits as one of the lead litigators. He will detail how the case was litigated, how his litigation team was established and funded, and the evidence that was uncovered. That evidence is now documented in a national archive so that researchers and scholars can learn and report about how this man-made epidemic developed.

COED