Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Under Fire For Role In Opioid Crisis, Purdue Pharma Brings On Self-Proclaimed Rescuer Of 'America's Troubled Companies'
Purdue Pharma LP is bringing in a famous figure in corporate restructuring as the Oxycontin maker tries to overhaul its business and distance itself from the U.S. opioid crisis. Steve Miller, 76, will become chairman of the company鈥檚 board effective Tuesday. Miller, author of a 2008 memoir titled 鈥淭he Turnaround Kid: What I Learned Rescuing America鈥檚 Most Troubled Companies,鈥 helped lead auto-parts maker Delphi Corp. through bankruptcy and served as chairman of American International Group Inc. as the insurer worked to repay its federal bailout after the financial crisis. (Hopkins and Bsak, 7/23)
In other news on the crisis聽鈥
The Senate is increasingly unlikely to vote on sweeping opioid legislation by Labor Day, potentially depriving Democrats in some hard-hit states of a vote on a bill before going home to voters. The looming fight over the nomination of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh combined with negotiations over what gets into the bill are threatening to delay a vote on the bipartisan response to the crisis, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said was among his priorities after scrapping August recess. (Haberkorn and Ehley, 7/23)
More than 2 million Americans, they say, depend on or abuse street drugs and prescription painkillers like morphine, oxycodone, or hydrocodone prescribed by doctors. Every day since his brother鈥檚 death in 2006, Scott Rose is reminded of this and the responsibility he has to his patients. (Bonds Stables, 7/24)