Settlements with two generic drug manufacturers announced

Press release
MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL DANA NESSEL
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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 50 states and territories to announce two significant collaboration agreements and settlements with Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Apotex totaling $49.1 million that will lower prices, reduce competition and unreasonably restrict trade in many prescription generic drugs. As part of their settlement agreements, both companies agreed to cooperate in ongoing federal litigation against 30 corporate defendants and 25 individual pharmaceutical industry executives alleging similar conduct. Both companies have also agreed to a number of internal reforms to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws.

A motion for preliminary approval of the $10 million settlement with Heritage has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut in Hartford. A $39.1 million settlement with Apotex is contingent upon obtaining signatures from all required states and territories and will be finalized and filed in U.S. District Court in the near future.

The settlements come as states prepare for the first trial, which will take place in Hartford, Connecticut.

“Those who rely on low-cost medications for their health suffer from collusion by corporations to manipulate generic drug prices,” said Nessel. “These settlements make it clear that we will not tolerate unethical behavior that puts profit over people. My office is committed to maintaining fair competition and holding companies accountable.”

If you purchased a generic prescription drug from Heritage or Apotex between 2010 and 2018, you may be entitled to compensation. To determine your eligibility, call 1-866-290-0182 (toll free), email the coalition, or visit the Attorney General’s Office for Generic Drug Settlement website.

Joining the announcement in addition to Connecticut and Michigan are the attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland and Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

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