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FILE - Protesters who have lost love ones to the opioid crisis protest outside a courthouse in Boston, Aug. 2, 2019,

Video. US opioid crisis: families speak out after Purdue Pharma sentencing

Updated:

Relatives of opioid overdose victims reacted outside a US court after Purdue Pharma was sentenced over its role in the opioid crisis.

Relatives of opioid overdose victims gathered outside a federal court in Newark, New Jersey, following the sentencing of Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin.

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Protesters held photos of loved ones and displayed symbolic gravestones, criticising the outcome of the case and the lack of individual accountability.

Several speakers said financial penalties were insufficient and did not amount to justice for the millions affected by the opioid crisis in the United States.

They also highlighted the scale of the epidemic, which has claimed over a million lives, and called for stronger consequences for those responsible.

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