On August 10, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States temporarily blocked the bankruptcy settlement of Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin. The settlement would have shielded the Sackler family, who own Purdue, from civil lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to the settlement by the Biden administration, which argued that it was unconstitutional to shield the Sacklers from legal liability. The court said that it would hear oral arguments in the case in December 2023.
The decision to block the settlement is a major setback for the Sacklers and for Purdue. The settlement was seen as a way to finally bring closure to the opioid crisis, but it is now unclear what will happen next.
The Supreme Court's decision is also a victory for the Biden administration, which has made fighting the opioid crisis a priority. The administration has argued that the Sacklers must be held accountable for their role in the crisis, and the decision to block the settlement is a step in that direction.
The decision to block the settlement is likely to have a significant impact on the opioid crisis. It is now unclear how Purdue will be able to pay the billions of dollars that it owes to victims of the crisis. It is also unclear whether the Sacklers will be able to avoid legal liability for their role in the crisis.
The Supreme Court's decision is a complex one, and it is likely to have a long-lasting impact on the opioid crisis. It is too early to say what the ultimate outcome of the case will be, but the decision is a major step in the fight against the opioid crisis.