The former president of Purdue Pharma says he, his family and the company do not have any responsibility for the opioid crisis in the United States. Richard Sackler is a member of the family that owns the Stamford, Connecticut-based drug company.
On Wednesday, Sackler testified during a bankruptcy hearing to finalize the plan to restructure the company and settle thousands of lawsuits.
States and local governments blame Purdue Pharma for the deceptive marketing of its drug OxyContin, which caused thousands of opioid overdose deaths nationwide.
At the hearing, he answered many questions about the company's activities by saying he did not recall.
His son, David Sackler, said he and his family will agree to their pledge to pay $4.5 billion in settlements if they are protected from lawsuits related to Purdue Pharma.
