If you’ve bought anything off this list of more than one hundred over-the-counter or prescription drugs anywhere in the U.S. over the course of a decade, you might be able to claim compensation for being overcharged.
That compensation is the result of a recent $25 million settlement negotiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James and 48 other attorneys general across the country.
This settlement, against pharma giant Glenmark, comes in a suit the states brought against a slew of pharmaceutical companies over allegations they illegally coordinated with each other to fix the supply of dozens of generic drugs so they could jack up their prices — sometimes charging 1000% more than they should’ve for medications that treat everything from ADHD to cancer.
Some of the most common drugs on the list include Prozac, Ritalin, Adderall, Imodium, allergy drug Flonase, Differin, which is used to treat acne and other skin conditions, Diamox, used to treat epilepsy and altitude sickness, Celebrex for arthritis and pain relief, Terazol cream for vaginal yeast infections, and commonly prescribed birth control pills, including Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella.
“The companies maintained an interconnected web of industry executives where competitors met with each other during industry dinners, lunches, cocktail parties, and golf outings, and communicated via frequent telephone calls, emails, and text messages that sowed the seeds for their illegal agreements,” James’ office said. “[They] … unlawfully discouraged competition, raised prices, and enforced an ingrained culture of collusion.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James.Photo by Dean Moses
The settlement also includes dozens of drugs meant to treat high blood pressure, cancer, blood clots, asthma, depression and anxiety, diabetes, basic infections, and multiple sclerosis, as well as common antibiotics and contraceptives.
A full list can be found at https://www.aggenericdrugs.com/English/Drug-List?portalid=0. You can also call 1-866-290-0182 or email info@AGGenericDrugs.com if you’re unsure whether you’ve purchased an eligible drug.
If you’ve bought any of the drugs at issue, you don’t have to hand over any receipts or documents to prove it. You only need to register and fill out a form attesting to the fact that you have done so, and you will receive a base amount that will be determined in the coming months.
If you believe you’ve bought a large amount of these drugs and you have the receipts to prove it, you can upload those documents to the attorney general’s portal, and you may receive a larger payout.
If you believe you’ve purchased one or more of these drugs between 2009 and 2019, James’ office says you should fill out an initial form – simply providing your basic contact information – on the attorney general’s online portal at https://www.aggenericdrugs.com/English/Home/portalid/0 as soon as possible. Filling out this form will ensure you’re emailed a claim form when the claims process begins.
At that point, you can indicate if you wish to receive the base amount by simply attesting to purchasing one or more of these drugs, or if you want to upload receipts proving that you purchased a larger amount of the medications.
James urged New Yorkers to register now so they can get the money they are owed.
“Affordable generic drugs are a lifeline for New Yorkers with heart conditions, diabetes, and a range of other chronic illnesses,” James said in a statement. “Glenmark and other companies worked behind the scenes to boost their profits by illegally coordinating to raise drug prices, and now we are getting justice for the consumers who were harmed.”
The exact amount consumers would be eligible to receive isn’t known yet, James’ office said, but the settlement won $1.8 million for New Yorkers, which will be distributed to all eligible recipients.
Those who fill out the initial form can expect to receive an email as the terms of the settlement continue to be finalized. Because the suit was against dozens of multistate companies and this recent settlement only relates to one of them, it’s possible that other companies will settle in the coming months, thereby increasing the amount of money people will be able to receive.
Anyone who provides their information now will continue to be notified as those developments occur.