British Museum removes Sackler family name over opioid crisis

CAIRO – 28 March 2022: The British Museum has announced the removal of the Sackler family name from the galleries and rooms they support, as the opioids produced by the Sackler company have caused a health crisis due to the misuse of these drugs.

Article on The Guardian Newspaper - official website

The Guardian newspaper reported that the British Museum has become the latest institution to distance itself from the family accused of profiting from the opioid crisis in the United States.

In this context, George Osborne, head of the British Museum, announced the move on Twitter, saying: “We are moving into a new era, presenting our wonderful collection in different ways to a new audience. For decades, the Sackler name has been associated with generous charitable donations to galleries and museums in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. However, it has become toxic in recent years, as the family has been accused of profiting from the opioid crisis in the United States.”

It is known that two of the Sackler family own a pharmaceutical company that produces an opioid pain reliever that played a major role in what has been described as "the worst drug crisis in American history."

Previously, the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Louvre in Paris announced that they would distance themselves from the Sackler name.