A federal bankruptcy judge has approved a new settlement for Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical company behind OxyContin, resolving thousands of lawsuits related to its role in the opioid crisis. The deal, which replaces a 2021 settlement rejected by the Supreme Court, requires the Sackler family to contribute up to $7 billion and relinquish ownership of Purdue, while allowing individuals to sue family members directly.
This matters for the art world because the Sackler family has been among the most prominent philanthropic donors to major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and the National Gallery in London. Following public outcry and activism by artist Nan Goldin’s group P.A.I.N., these institutions have removed the Sackler name from their buildings, marking a significant shift in how cultural institutions respond to ethical controversies surrounding their benefactors.