Purdue Pharma has recently plead guilty for its role in helping to fuel the "opioid crisis" around the United States.

What Did They Do?

They are pleading guilty to allegations that they knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with others to aggressively push for the use of its drugs despite there being no medical purpose for doing so.

They reportedly admit to operating outside of the bounds of what might be the usual course of professional practice, and so far they've plead guilty to at least 3 criminal charges against them.

$8 Billion+ Deal with Justice Department

As a result of those charges they will face a multi-billion dollar deal, which isn't much when you consider the yearly income this company sees, billions each year. Purdue is also set to become a public benefit company with the original family, the Sacklers, allegedly losing control over it. This deal also doesn't protect the company’s executives or owners from criminal liability.

Purdue is admitting that it impeded the Drug Enforcement Administration by falsely representing that it had maintained an effective program to avoid drug diversion and by reporting misleading information to the agency to boost the company’s manufacturing quotas,.

The company has already filed for bankruptcy and an apology has been issued for the lives that have been hurt and destroyed because of the products that had been illegitimately pushed by this corporation. Some of that money from the settlement is also expected to go toward future treatment and drug programs that can help combat opioid addiction around the country.

“Both the company and the shareholders are paying a very steep price for what occurred here,” Deputy U.S. AG J. Rosen

Despite the settlement agreement the family are still going to be worth billions, according to Forbes, and some feel that this punishment isn't enough for the role they played in flooding the country with their products using the illegitimate marketing and sales tactics that they employed.

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