Below are six legal actions involving members of the drug supply chain, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacies, pharmacists and distributors, reported by Becker's Hospital Review in the last month:
1. Celgene to pay $55M to settle class-action suit alleging cancer drug monopoly
New Jersey-based Celgene will pay $55 million to resolve a class-action suit that accused the drugmaker of blocking generic competition in the cancer market at the expense of patients.
2. Sun Pharma sales rep files retaliation lawsuit: 5 things to know
A former sales representative for Sun Pharmaceuticals filed a retaliation lawsuit against the drugmaker, claiming he was fired for complaining about its marketing tactics.
3. UK firm agrees to record $1.4B payout in US opioid fraud lawsuit
Reckitt Benckiser Group, a U.K. consumer goods company, will pay $1.4 billion to resolve allegations that the company profited by deceiving healthcare providers about the safety of its opioid-addiction treatment.
4. 2 Texas physicians sue to lift state curbs on dispensing meds directly to patients
Two Texas physicians have sued the state pharmacy and medical board in an effort to lift the ban that prevents them from dispensing medication directly to their patients.
5. Drugmakers engaged in price-fixing cover-up, lawsuit claims
A wide-reaching lawsuit unsealed in late June claims Teva Pharmaceuticals, subsidiaries of Pfizer and 18 other major drugmakers conspired to fix prices for more than 100 drugs and used code words in emails and phone calls cover up their actions.
6. Oklahoma judge approves Teva's $85M opioid settlement
An Oklahoma judge has approved Teva Pharmaceuticals' revised $85 million settlement with the state resolving claims that the drugmaker helped fuel the opioid crisis.