草稿:Relationship between Fentanyl and the Sackler Family

Relationship between Fentanyl and the Sackler Family

Fentanyl and the Sackler family both played significant roles in the United States opioid epidemic, though they are not directly connected in terms of drug development or ownership. Their relationship lies primarily in how one laid the groundwork for the crisis that the other came to dominate in later stages.

Drug Origins and Background

Fentanyl was first synthesized in 1960 by Belgian pharmacologist Dr. Paul Janssen. It is a powerful synthetic opioid, estimated to be 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Initially used for severe pain management in cancer patients and surgery, it was later commercialized by several pharmaceutical companies including Janssen (a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary), Teva, and Mylan. It eventually became widely abused, both through legal prescriptions and illicit black-market production.

The Sackler family, through their privately-owned company Purdue Pharma, introduced OxyContin in 1996, a controlled-release formulation of oxycodone. Purdue aggressively marketed the drug while downplaying its addictive potential, leading to widespread prescription abuse in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Indirect Connections

Although the Sackler family had no direct role in the creation or distribution of fentanyl, their business strategies and political influence are considered to have paved the way for fentanyl’s eventual proliferation:

• Market Normalization: Purdue Pharma’s widespread promotion of OxyContin helped normalize long-term opioid use in clinical settings, changing both public and professional attitudes toward pain treatment and opioid safety. This environment enabled stronger opioids like fentanyl to gain acceptance and spread rapidly in later years.

• Crisis Escalation: Researchers and journalists frequently divide the U.S. opioid epidemic into three waves: prescription opioids (e.g., OxyContin), heroin, and then synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The third wave, dominated by fentanyl, emerged as prescription opioids became more regulated and addicts turned to more potent alternatives.

Legal vs. Illicit Distribution

Fentanyl differs from OxyContin in its distribution profile. While OxyContin was sold through official prescription channels under corporate protection, fentanyl quickly became a preferred drug in the black market due to its potency and profitability. Illicit fentanyl is often produced in underground labs in China and Mexico and smuggled into the United States. Nonetheless, some pharmaceutical versions of fentanyl remain legally available and continue to be prescribed for specific medical uses.

Legal and Public Response

Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family faced thousands of lawsuits for their role in igniting the opioid epidemic. In 2020, Purdue filed for bankruptcy, and in 2023, the Sacklers agreed to pay approximately $6 billion in a civil settlement with multiple U.S. states. The settlement did not include a personal admission of wrongdoing.

In contrast, fentanyl-related legal actions have primarily targeted drug traffickers, smugglers, and illicit manufacturers. Few pharmaceutical companies manufacturing legal fentanyl have faced the level of public or legal scrutiny seen in the Sackler case.

Summary

While fentanyl and the Sackler family are not directly linked through corporate or chemical origins, they are tightly bound within the broader timeline of the opioid epidemic. The Sacklers』 business practices fostered an over-reliant opioid culture, which allowed fentanyl to flourish under conditions of weakened regulation and increased demand. Fentanyl may be viewed as the logical and lethal successor to the pharmaceutical landscape that Purdue Pharma helped create.

See also

• Fentanyl
• Sackler family
• OxyContin
• Opioid epidemic in the United States
• Purdue Pharma