Unsettled: How the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Failed the Victims of the American Overdose Crisis

Written by Ryan Hampton

Narrated by Jonathan Yen

A shocking inside account of reckless capitalism and injustice in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy case.

In September 2019, Purdue Pharma-the maker of OxyContin and a company controlled by the infamous billionaire Sackler family-filed for bankruptcy to protect itself from 2,600 lawsuits for its role in fueling the US overdose crisis. Author and activist Ryan Hampton served as cochair of the official creditors committee that acted as a watchdog during the process, one of only four victims appointed among representatives of big insurance companies, hospitals, and pharmacies. He entered the case believing that exposing the Sacklers and mobilizing against Purdue would be enough to right the scales of justice. But he soon learned that behind closed doors, justice had plenty of other competition-and it came with a hefty price tag.

Unsettled is the inside story of Purdue's excruciating Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, the company's eventual restructuring, and the Sackler family's evasion of any true accountability. It's also the untold story of how a group of determined ordinary people tried to see justice done against the odds-and in the face of brutal opposition from powerful institutions and even government representatives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781666185904

Ryan Hampton

Ryan Hampton is a national addiction recovery advocate, community organizer, author, and person in long-term recovery. He has worked with multiple nonprofits across the country and served in a staff capacity for various political campaigns. An alumnus of the Clinton White House, Hampton is in recovery from a decade of active opioid use and is a leading voice in America’s rising recovery movement. He is the author of Unsettled and American Fix. He lives in Nevada with his husband, Sean, and their dog, Dollar.