HELENA, Mont. — Montanans who purchased certain generic prescription drugs between 2009 and 2019 may be eligible for compensation from a series of settlements totaling about $96.5 million over allegations that drug manufacturers conspired to inflate prices.
A federal court in Connecticut recently granted preliminary approval to a distribution plan involving Montana and 47 other states and territories. The settlements involve generic drug manufacturers Glenmark, Lannett, Bausch, Apotex, Heritage and Heritage’s parent company, Emcure.
The lawsuits allege that manufacturers coordinated to fix prices on numerous generic prescription drugs, causing consumers and other purchasers to pay more than they otherwise would have.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is encouraging residents to check whether they qualify for a payment.
Consumers may be eligible if they purchased one of the covered generic drugs in the United States between May 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2019. Eligibility depends on the specific drug and other criteria established through the settlement process.
The settlements stem from a broader series of antitrust cases brought by nearly every state and U.S. territory against major generic drug manufacturers.
The first case was filed in 2016 and included allegations involving 15 generic drugs. A second lawsuit filed in 2019 targeted Teva Pharmaceuticals and more than 20 other manufacturers. A third case focuses on dozens of topical generic medications and includes more than two dozen corporate defendants.
The states allege that executives at competing drug companies routinely communicated and coordinated pricing and market behavior. The manufacturers that have entered settlements have done so without admitting liability, and litigation continues against other defendants.
Consumers can review the list of covered medications and information about eligibility at AGGenericDrugs.com. The settlement administrator can also be reached at 1-866-290-0182 or info@AGGenericDrugs.com.
The settlement website says qualifying consumers may submit claims for payments from settlement proceeds, with eligibility based in part on current state of residence and whether they purchased covered drugs during the applicable period.