Early Life and Education
Richard Stephen Sackler was born in Roslyn, New York, on March 10, 1945, into a wealthy family. He studied medicine at New York University School of Medicine after earning a bachelor's from Columbia College. After joining Purdue Pharma in 1971, his medical career quickly turned to the family business. Sackler led analgesic research, development, and promotion from the start due to his scientific and marketing skills. His combined skills helped him become corporate leader.
Leadership at Purdue Pharma
In the late 1990s, Richard Sackler led Purdue Pharma's R&D and marketing departments. He served as president from 1999 until 2003. He led Purdue to release OxyContin in 1996 as a novel pain-management therapy with low addiction risk. Sackler's physician outreach and direct-to-prescriber programs boosted revenues and made Purdue a pharmaceutical powerhouse. Later internal documents revealed ambitious sales objectives and prescriber incentives, demonstrating Sackler's business-driven expansion.
Role in the Opioid Crisis
The US opioid epidemic is largely blamed on Sackler's aggressive OxyContin marketing. Purdue Pharma accelerated opioid prescribing by promoting sustained-release formulation benefits and downplaying addiction risk. Increasing dependency, diversion, and overdose deaths sparked lawsuits from practically every state. Purdue declared bankruptcy in 2019 under a multi-billion-dollar arrangement that shielded Sackler family members from financial harm. Richard Sackler denies personal responsibility despite legal measures, including a 2024 Utah Attorney General action.
Media Portrayals and Public Perception
Public scrutiny of Richard Sackler intensified through high-profile dramatizations of the opioid crisis. He appears in Hulu’s Dopesick and Netflix’s Painkiller, portrayed as the architect behind Purdue’s marketing strategies. These series underscore pivotal moments when alternate decisions might have curtailed addiction rates. Simultaneously, media coverage frames Sackler as emblematic of corporate overreach and ethical lapses in pharmaceutical promotion. While some defenders highlight OxyContin’s legitimate pain-relief benefits, prevailing narratives cast Sackler as prioritizing profit over public health, fueling persistent debates about accountability.
Rebecca Sackler: A Private Profile
Richard Sackler's 1989-born daughter Rebecca has kept a quiet profile in New York City. From Greenwich, Connecticut, she studied and worked in arts and humanities rather than pharmaceuticals. She is married to Jeffrey Selikoff and concentrates on culture and publishing, avoiding her family's drug history. Rebecca has avoided commenting on the catastrophe that defined her family's fortune, despite her private life being indirectly touched by Sackler problems and institutional scrutiny.
FAQ
Who is Richard Sackler?
Physician-turned-executive Richard Sackler was Purdue Pharma's president and helped sell OxyContin.
What role did he play at Purdue Pharma?
He oversaw research, development, and marketing before becoming president from 1999 to 2003 and aggressively launching OxyContin.
What are his leadership scandals?
His OxyContin promotion fueled the opioid epidemic, leading to lengthy lawsuits and a 2019 bankruptcy settlement.
Who is Rebecca Sackler?
Richard's 1989-born daughter Rebecca Sackler lives in New York City and works in arts and humanities, separating herself from the family company.
What lawsuits are against him?
In 2024, Utah's Attorney General sought to hold him personally liable for misleading marketing.
Comments