Al Jazeera English published this video item, entitled “US opioid crisis: An epidemic growing within a pandemic” – below is their description.
A US House Oversight Committee is holding a hearing on the role of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family – many of whom are owners of the company – in fuelling the opioid epidemic. CEO of Purdue Pharma Craig Landau and four members of the Sackler family have been invited to testify. This follows a court hearing on November 24 in which the company pleaded guilty to criminal charges over the handling of OxyContin, the addictive prescription painkiller.
Opioid overdoses are up 55 percent in 2020 compared with 2019.
It is an epidemic growing within a pandemic … as the number of fatal opioid overdoses continues to rise.
Al Jazeera’s John Hendren reports from Chicago, US.
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Al Jazeera English YouTube Channel
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