FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky appeals court says the secret testimony from a former president of one of the world’s largest manufacturers of dangerously addictive opioid painkillers must be released to the public.
A three-judge panel ruled Friday the deposition of Richard Sackler must be unsealed. Sackler is a former president of Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin. He’s a member of the family that controls the company. His testimony could reveal more information about the company’s marketing practices. The company announced earlier this year it would stop marketing the painkiller.
Sackler’s testimony is part of Kentucky’s lawsuit against Purdue Pharma that settled in 2015 for $24 million.
The ruling is a victory for STAT, a national health publication owned by Boston Globe Media that sued to unseal the testimony.
Adam Beam, The Associated Press
