Nan Goldin Campaigns Against Sackler Family and Purdue Pharma Over Opioid Crisis

Photographer Nan Goldin is spearheading a campaign demanding accountability from the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma for the opioid epidemic linked to OxyContin. The synthetic painkiller, introduced in 1996 and marketed as providing 12-hour relief, is chemically similar to heroin. According to a Los Angeles Times report, its effects often diminish unpredictably, triggering withdrawal and intense cravings. Goldin's Change.org petition highlights that in 2016 alone, over 43,000 opioid overdose deaths occurred in the United States, with prescription opioids accounting for more than a quarter; 80% of heroin addicts initially used prescription opioids. The campaign calls on the Sacklers to fund treatment and education programs while urging museums and art spaces to reject further donations from the family.