9 Purdue Pharma and OxyContin crisis
Background on Purdue Pharma
Purdue Frederick Company was founded in 1892 by John Purdue Gray and George Frederick Bingham. The Sackler brothers, Raymond and Mortimer, bought the company in 1952 (Au-Yeung, 2020). In its early years, the company mainly sold earwax remover and laxatives. However, in the 1990s, the Sackler brothers moved into the business of selling pain management medication. The field was growing, and the two physicians saw a growth opportunity for their company. Purdue Pharma launched OxyContin in 1996, and it quickly became a bestseller. This was not by accident. The company engaged in massive marketing and promotional activities to popularize OxyContin ...
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