Purdue Pharma Asks Judge To Halt Opioid Lawsuits Against Sacklers

Purdue Pharma, facing over 2600 lawsuits for its role in the opioid crisis, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company seeks to pause litigation against its owners, the Sackler family, which is an unusual legal move. Purdue claims this pause is necessary to focus on a settlement plan with multiple states. Critics argue this is an attempt to shield the Sacklers from accountability for the opioid epidemic, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in the U.S. over the past two decades.

What is unusual about Purdue Pharma's request concerning the Sackler family?

What do critics argue about Purdue Pharma's request to pause lawsuits?