Oregonians who paid for certain generic prescription drugs between 2009 and 2019 can seek compensation from a $96.5 million group of settlements in a national drug-pricing case. A federal court has given preliminary approval to a plan for distributing money recovered from manufacturers accused of coordinating prices instead of competing for sales.
The settlements involve Glenmark, Lannett, Bausch, Apotex, Heritage and Heritage’s parent company, Emcure. Oregon joined 47 other states and territories in pursuing the cases. The $96.5 million is the combined value of the settlements across the coalition, not a sum set aside for Oregon patients.
Consumers who purchased a covered medication from May 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2019, may qualify for a payment. The list of drugs and the claim form are available at AGGenericDrugs.com. The claims administrator can be reached at 1-866-290-0182 or info@AGGenericDrugs.com. The filing deadline is March 8, 2027.
The lawsuits describe years of contact among executives at companies that were supposed to be competing for pharmacy and health-system business. State investigators allege that manufacturers exchanged pricing information, coordinated bids and divided markets for generic medicines. The cases involve more than 100 drugs sold as tablets, capsules, creams and ointments, including treatments for infections, heart conditions, diabetes and other illnesses.
Some of the price changes described by investigators were substantial. Digoxin, a heart medication manufactured by Heritage, tripled in price during the period examined in the litigation, according to the multistate investigation. Patients could face higher charges when filling a prescription, while insurers and public health programs also paid for drugs affected by the alleged conduct.
The current consumer claims process applies only to purchases that meet the settlement rules. A person who bought a generic medicine during the eligible years must still check whether that particular drug is covered. The settlement has not established a standard payment for each claimant; amounts will depend on the applicable rules and the valid claims received.
The cases have grown considerably since the first complaint was filed in 2016. That action concerned 15 generic drugs and named 18 corporate defendants. A second complaint filed in 2019 added allegations involving many of the nation’s largest generic manufacturers and individual executives. A third addressed 80 topical drugs, among them creams and ointments sold for a range of conditions.
The agreements with the six settling companies resolve portions of that litigation. They also require cooperation with the states’ continuing cases against other manufacturers and executives. Additional recoveries are possible, but those cases have not been resolved, and no further consumer payment can be assumed.
For Oregon residents, the claim period reaches back as far as 17 years. Someone who bought a covered prescription early in that period may no longer use the same pharmacy or insurance plan. The claims administrator’s drug list and filing instructions provide a way to check a purchase before submitting a claim, and consumers can contact the administrator for a form or eligibility information.
A federal court’s preliminary approval allows the proposed distribution process to move forward, subject to further court review. It does not mean that every purchaser of a generic drug will receive compensation or that the full $96.5 million will go directly to patients. The settlements cover multiple companies, states and categories of claims, with individual payments determined through the claims process.
The March 8 deadline gives Oregonians several months to identify covered prescriptions and file. The money now available stems from settlements reached during an investigation that began a decade ago; the remaining allegations against companies that have not settled continue through the courts.