Richard Sackler

Richard Sackler was an influential pharmaceutical executive and member of the Sackler family, known for their ownership of Purdue Pharma. He played a key role in developing and promoting OxyContin, a powerful opioid painkiller. Under his leadership, Purdue Pharma aggressively marketed the drug, which contributed to a significant rise in opioid addiction and related opioid crisis in the United States. Sackler’s actions and the family's involvement have been widely scrutinized for their role in the public health problems associated with opioid misuse.