The ordinance authorizes a partial settlement of a lawsuit against the Sackler family and others, requiring them to pay between $8 million and $12 million over 15 years to address the opioid crisis in San Francisco. This lawsuit alleges that they contributed to the epidemic by promoting opioid sales despite awareness of its harmful effects.
Ordinance authorizing the partial settlement of the lawsuit filed on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco and the People of the State of California against, inter alia, Richard S. Sackler, Jonathan D. Sackler, Mortimer D.A. Sackler, Kathe A. Sackler, Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, Beverly Sackler, Theresa Sackler, David A. Sackler, Trust for the Benefit of Members of the Raymond Sackler Family (collectively, “Sacklers”) for abatement funds in the range of $8,000,000 to $12,000,000 to be paid over 15 years; the lawsuit was filed on December 18, 2018, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 3:18-cv-7591-CRB-JSC; entitled The City and County of San Francisco and the People of the State of California v. Purdue Pharma L.P., Richard S. Sackler, Jonathan D. Sackler, Mortimer D.A. Sackler, Kathe A. Sackler, Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, Beverly Sackler, Theresa Sackler, David A. Sackler, Trust for the Benefit of Members of the Raymond Sackler Family, Rhodes Pharmaceuticals L.P., Cephalon, Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., Endo International Plc, Endo Health Solutions Inc., Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Insys Therapeutics, Inc., Mallinckrodt Plc, Mallinckrodt LLC, Allergan Plc F/K/A Actavis Plc, Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. N/K/A Actavis, Inc., Watson Laboratories, Inc., Actavis LLC, Actavis Pharma, Inc. F/K/A/ Watson Pharma, Inc., AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., and McKesson Corporation; the lawsuit involves allegations that Purdue and the Sacklers contributed to the opioid crisis in San Francisco by incentivizing the sale and use of opioids despite knowledge of the growing epidemic caused by opioid misuse.
How it got here
This legislation originated from a lawsuit filed by the City and County of San Francisco against the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma regarding their role in the opioid crisis.
The City and County of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging their contribution to the opioid crisis.
Supervisor Jackie Fielder requested that the Government Audit and Oversight Committee consider the settlement of the lawsuit as an urgent matter.
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee recommended the ordinance for settlement of the lawsuit, allowing the City to receive $8 million to $12 million over 15 years.
The Board of Supervisors passed the ordinance on first reading, authorizing the partial settlement of the lawsuit.
The Board of Supervisors finally passed the ordinance, completing the legislative process for the settlement.
The Mayor approved the ordinance, finalizing the settlement agreement with the Sackler family.
Reconstructed from attached documents & the official record
