The Sackler Family, the Opioid Crisis, and "Toxic Donors"

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This has been percolating for a while.  The Sackler family (there are several branches) have been generous philanthropists, especially to art museums, and several major museums have named wings or programs after them.  Locally, the best known example is the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, part of the Smithsonian Institute. 

The catch is the Sackler family owns the privately held Purdue Pharma, the makers of OxyContin (Oxycodone has been around since 1916, the patented drug OxyContin since 1995).   Now there is a growing backlash against the Sackler family, who many activists believe have knowingly profited from the opioid crisis.  In 2007, Purdue pleaded guilty to misleading the public about OxyContin's risk of addiction and paid a $600 million settlement.   There are still multiple lawsuits open against the company. 

Several notes: 

Arthur Sackler had already passed by the time Purdue Pharma developed Oxy and his share in Purdue was sold to his brothers at the time of his death. His widow states it is unfair to tie him and their wealth to the opioid crisis.  However, he was a pioneer in the direct marketing of pharmaceutical drugs to doctors and helped make Valium the first $100 million drug.    

Mortimer and Raymond Sackler co-owned Purdue Pharma. 

Washington Post article

New Yorker article

[ktmoomau]

It is pretty hard to find non-toxic donors in my mind... Kaufmann in Pittsburg wasn't a saint, Getty neither, none of the "robber barons" (Mellon, Carnegie, Vanderbuilt, Rockefeller, etc).  So what is a non-profit to do?  I am not saying this is great, but if the non-profit doesn't take the money and do good with it, then even more of their money will be kept in their own pockets not doing anything good for the general public.  I just don't know any way of making sure your donors stay "clean" for their whole lives.  (Anyway, just my humble opinion that no one really cares about)

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It's a valid humble opinion.  And a tough question cultural institutions are having to ask/answer.   

I can't tell you how many art exhibitions I've been to where the lead sponsor is Altria (Philip Morris parent company).  Big tobacco is a big sponsor at museums.