Two generic drug makers pay $49 million to settle price-fixing charges

Two generic drugmakers, Apotex and Heritage Pharmaceuticals, have agreed to pay $49 million to settle allegations that they fixed the prices of numerous drugs, the first such settlements since state attorneys general began investigating price-fixing in the generics industry a decade ago.

In 2016, a number of states have submitted what eventually became the first of a trio of PROCESSES against many of the largest generics companies for allegedly coordinating efforts to fix and maintain the prices of dozens of drugs to treat a variety of conditions. These included diabetes, high blood pressure, fungal infections, asthma, anxiety and rheumatoid arthritis.

State officials argued that as a result of the conspiracies, consumers paid more for generic drugs than they otherwise would have if the U.S. market had operated competitively. And the attorneys general also alleged that the companies — which also included Teva Pharmaceutical and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories — profited illegally.

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