Fact Check: Purdue Pharma Filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 2019 After Being Sued Thousands of Times Over Its Opioid Products
What We Know
Purdue Pharma, a pharmaceutical company known for its production of the prescription opioid OxyContin, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 15, 2019. This filing was primarily a response to the overwhelming number of lawsuits—thousands in total—related to its opioid products, which have been linked to the opioid crisis in the United States (Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Transcripts Collection, AG Sunday Announces Historic Settlement with Purdue Pharma and Sackler). The bankruptcy was part of a strategy to manage and resolve these lawsuits effectively.
In the years leading up to the bankruptcy, Purdue Pharma faced significant legal challenges, including accusations of misleading marketing practices that contributed to widespread addiction and overdose deaths. Between 1999 and 2019, approximately 247,000 people in the U.S. died from prescription-opioid overdoses, with Purdue Pharma being a central figure in this crisis (PDF Supreme Court of The United States).
Analysis
The claim that Purdue Pharma filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 due to thousands of lawsuits is substantiated by multiple reliable sources. The bankruptcy filing was indeed a direct consequence of the legal pressures faced by the company, as detailed in the bankruptcy transcripts and legal analyses (Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Transcripts Collection, Harrington v. Purdue Pharma).
The credibility of the sources is high, as they include official legal documents and statements from state attorneys general involved in the settlement process. For instance, the announcement of a $7.4 billion settlement involving Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, which was supported by 55 state attorneys general, underscores the legal ramifications of Purdue's actions in the opioid market (AG Sunday Announces Historic Settlement with Purdue Pharma and Sackler, Reuters).
Moreover, the timeline of events leading to the bankruptcy filing is well-documented, with Purdue’s introduction of OxyContin in the 1990s and subsequent legal challenges culminating in the 2019 bankruptcy (ABC News, Kroll Restructuring Administration).
While some sources may present varying perspectives on the implications of the bankruptcy, the fundamental facts regarding the filing and its context remain consistent across reputable reports.
Conclusion
The claim that Purdue Pharma filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 after being sued thousands of times over its opioid products is True. The evidence clearly supports the assertion that the bankruptcy was a direct response to the extensive legal challenges the company faced due to its role in the opioid crisis.
Sources
- PDF Supreme Court of The United States
- Harrington v. Purdue Pharma: Supreme Court Holds That a ...
- AG Sunday Announces Historic Settlement with Purdue Pharma and Sackler ...
- Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Transcripts Collection
- Purdue Pharma $7.4 billion opioid settlement wins broad support from US ...
- States agree to $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma in opioid ...
- Kroll Restructuring Administration