Below are 13 legal actions involving the drug supply chain, including pharmaceutical companies, PBMs and distributors, reported by Becker's Hospital Review in the last month.
1. Biotech accuses Dr. Soon-Shiong of orchestrating a 'catch and kill' scheme to protect cancer drug
A California biotech claims that controversial billionaire biotech entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, orchestrated a "catch and kill" scheme to stop development of an experimental cancer drug that may have saved the U.S. healthcare system more than $1 billion.
2. Novartis must face trial over alleged physician kickbacks, judge rules
A federal judge in New York has ruled that Novartis must face trial in a case accusing the drugmaker of paying millions of dollars in kickbacks to physicians to boost prescription rates.
3. Class-action suit against Mylan over EpiPen will go forward, judge rules
Mylan must face a class-action lawsuit over its lifesaving allergy treatment EpiPen, a judge ruled March 29.
4. New York sues 6 opioid manufacturers, 4 distributors, the Sacklers
The New York attorney general is suing six opioid manufacturers, the Sackler family and four prescription drug distributors in a massive legal fight against the pharma industry accused of fueling the opioid crisis.
5. J&J cleared of liability in New Jersey talc case
In the latest talc trial, a New Jersey jury decided Johnson & Johnson was not liable for causing a man's mesothelioma.
6. 3 drugmakers settle lawsuit claiming they stifled generic competition
Three generic drugmakers — Teva Pharmaceuticals, Mylan and Ranbaxy — will pay $65.9 million to settle claims that they engaged in a scheme promoting anticompetitive behavior.
7. Purdue Pharma to pay $270M to settle Oklahoma opioid lawsuit
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the billionaire Sackler family will pay $270 million to resolve Oklahoma's claims that the company helped fuel the opioid epidemic.
8. Dr. Reddy's legal win expected to lower cost of opioid addiction treatment
After a two-year legal battle, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories has won the right to sell a cheaper version of a best-selling opioid addiction treatment in the U.S.
9. Roche sues US execs, says diabetes test strips fraudulently resold
Roche has sued more than a dozen former executives at Alliance Medical Holdings over what the drugmaker calls fraudulent schemes involving its diabetes test strips.
10. Ohio sues OptumRx to recover $16M in alleged overcharges
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is suing pharmacy benefit manager OptumRx to recoup $16 million in alleged overcharges.
11. Judge tosses suit alleging Express Scripts 'stole' patients
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by six pharmacies that claimed Express Scripts violated health privacy laws and poached customers.
12. J&J hit with $29M verdict in California talc case
A California jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $29 million to a woman who alleged that asbestos in the company's talc-based baby powder caused her fatal cancer.
13. Novartis to pay $23M to settle claims it used charity payments as kickbacks
Pharma giant Novartis agreed to pay $23 million to settle allegations that it used charities to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients to cover their out-of-pocket costs.