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Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, and its owners, the Sackler family, are facing hundreds of lawsuits across the country for the company's alleged role in the opioid epidemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans over the past 20 years. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, and its owners, the Sackler family, are facing hundreds of lawsuits across the country for the company's alleged role in the opioid epidemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans over the past 20 years.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

A federal bankruptcy judge says he'll rule Wednesday in the case of Purdue Pharma, makers of OxyContin. The company is owned by the Sackler family, who are at the center of a national reckoning over the deadly opioid epidemic.

NPR addiction correspondent Brian Mann has been covering the story of Purdue Pharma for years, and explains how the Sacklers may emerge from Purdue's bankruptcy proceedings with their personal fortunes in tact. Find more of Brian's reporting here or follow him on Twitter @BrianMannADK.


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This episode was produced by Lee Hale. It was edited by Andrea de Leon, Brent Baughman, and Fatma Tanis. Our executive producer is Cara Tallo.

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