Send us Fan Mail What happens when power goes unchecked? This week on Outside the Footnotes, Wendy and Klynn take on power—but not the quiet kind. Wendy looks at the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma, and how money, influence, and protection became intertwined with the opioid crisis. But this story isn't only about the people who held the power. It's also about the people who lost it—the patients, the families, and the loved ones who watched someone they cared about change, struggle, and sometimes die. Then Klynn takes us into the world of Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga, and the story of how one man's influence grew into something much bigger. Her story explores what can happen when people put their trust in someone, that person gains enormous control, and nobody seems willing—or able—to challenge it. Two very different stories. Two very different kinds of power. And somewhere in the middle, we ask a bigger question: Is power something you take, something people give you, or something you can lose without even realizing you had it? Come get lost in the stories, the rabbit holes, the uncomfortable questions, and—of course—the conversation. What's missing from the discussion? If you or someone you love is struggling with drug addiction, help is available. SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) is a free, confidential, 24/7 resource providing information, support, and referrals to treatment. You don’t have to figure out the next step alone. This document is provided for informational and commentary purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. It is based on publicly available sources identified below and distinguishes, where applicable, among allegations, admissions, judicial findings, and settlement terms. Allegations are not findings of liability, and readers should consult the cited primary materials for complete context and current status. The author makes no representation that this summary is exhaustive and recommends consulting a qualified professional for advice about any specific legal or medical matter. THE SACKLERS — SOURCE LIST EARLY HISTORY AND PHILANTHROPY SOURCES: Purdue-Frederick Company history and Sackler family histories documenting the 1952 acquisition, Arthur Sackler’s 1987 death, and the later transfer of his heirs’ interest; institutional histories from the Smithsonian, Harvard, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Royal Academy documenting their distinct gifts, collections, funded facilities, and naming arrangements. PRIMARY / GOVERNMENT SOURCES U.S. Department of Justice — Global Purdue Pharma & Sackler Resolution (2020) https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-global-resolution-criminal-and-civil-investigations-opioidCovers: • Purdue Pharma's criminal guilty plea • Civil allegations involving members of the Sackler family • Purdue's opioid marketing practices • High-volume prescribers • Diversion of opioids • Purdue's financial penalties • Sackler family settlement FDA AND 2007 CASE SOURCES: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Timeline of Selected FDA Activities and Significant Events Addressing Substance Use and Overdose Prevention, documenting OxyContin’s 1995 approval and the 2010 reformulation; United States v. The Purdue Frederick Company, Inc., Plea Agreement and Agreed Statement of Facts (W.D. Va., May 10, 2007), documenting the felony misbranding plea, the admitted marketing representations, and the financial penalties. U.S. Department of Justice — United States v. Purdue Pharmahttps://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-purdue-pharma-lp Covers: • Purdue's federal criminal case • Fraud allegations and admissions • Anti-Kickback Statute violations • Payments to physicians • Purdue's conduct involving opioid prescribing • Criminal penalties U.S. Department of Justice — Purdue Pharma Pleads Guiltyhttps://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/opioid-manufacturer-purdue-pharma-pleads-guilty-fraud-and-kickback-conspiracies Covers: • Purdue's 2020 guilty plea • Three federal felony offenses • Kickback allegations • Misleading the DEA • Marketing to questionable prescribers • Financial penalties BANKRUPTCY AND SETTLEMENT SOURCES: Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P., 603 U.S. 204 (2024), decided June 27, 2024; January 23, 2025 attorney-general announcements describing the $7.4 billion settlement in principle; June 16, 2025 attorney-general announcements confirming that all 55 eligible states and U.S. territories had joined; and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York’s November 18, 2025 Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order Confirming the Eighteenth Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Purdue Pharma L.P. and Its Affiliated Debtors. PUBLIC-HEALTH AND HUMAN-IMPACT SOURCES: CDC, Understanding the Opioid Overdose Epidemic, reporting approximately 806,000 opioid-overdose deaths from 1999 through 2023; CDC and NIDA overdose trend data, reporting prescription-opioid deaths rising from 3,442 in 1999 to 17,029 in 2017 and declining to 13,026 in 2023; SAMHSA’s 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and CDC’s related data brief, estimating about 5 million adults with opioid use disorder in 2023; and a 2024 NIDA, SAMHSA, and CDC study estimating that 321,566 U.S. children lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011 through 2021. The broader death and parental-loss figures include overdoses involving substances beyond prescription opioids and are presented as national context, not as deaths attributed solely to Purdue or OxyContin. -- Support the show Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes Substack: Outsidethefootnotes Music Composed by Joaquin Herreros https://www.fiverr.com/joaquinherreros
