Justice is not being served. On July 14, Purdue Pharma and the Sackler doctors are being given a free pass for lying to physicians and patients since 1996, as OxyContin became the most abused drug in America. The Sackler doctors knew the addictive potential.

The Sackler doctors made a sworn agreement, made by physicians when they became doctors, that includes a promise to share knowledge, to help the ill and to never give a deadly drug or help another to use one. The Sackler doctors must be held accountable as they are the architects and ringleaders of the OxyContin campaign. David Kessler, who was the head of the FDA when OxyContin was approved, characterized the de-stigmatization of opioids as one of the greatest mistakes of modern medicine.

This apparent settlement will allow the Sackler doctors to walk away billionaires, admit to no wrongdoing and destroy the Hippocratic oath. As OxyContin worsened from a huge problem to an epidemic, from 2007-20, the Sackler doctors opened their wallets to lobby Congress and state House members in a ploy to quiet down discussions about addiction. Oregon politicians receiving donations from the Sackler doctors since 2007-19 include Rep. Earl Blumenauer, $44,000; Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, $48,5000; Rep. Kurt Scrader, $524,178; and Rep. Greg Walden, $1,015,742.

Sen. Ron Wyden received $1,000 in 2007 and immediately cut off their ability to donate to him. Rep. Peter DeFazio and Sen. James Manning Jr. never took a dime.

The Hippocratic oath is being changed to “do no harm, unless harming patients is extremely profitable.”

Sally Sundin

Walla Walla