NY sues billionaire family behind Oxycontin
NEW YORK (AP) -- New York is suing the billionaire family behind Oxycontin, alleging the drugmaker fueled the opioid crisis by putting hunger for profits over patient safety.
The state on Thursday amended a pending lawsuit against Purdue Pharma to add members of its controlling Sackler family as defendants.
Attorney General Letitia James also expanded the lawsuit to include five other companies that produce opioid painkillers and four distributors.
New York's announcement comes two days after Purdue and the Sacklers agreed to pay $270 million to Oklahoma, the first settlement stemming from a wave of nearly 2,000 lawsuits that the company says could push it into bankruptcy.
New York seeks penalties and damages that could total tens of millions of dollars. It wants the defendants to endow a fund to curb the epidemic.
Purdue has denied any wrongdoing.
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