New Yorkers who overpaid for certain generic drugs may be eligible for compensation from multistate antitrust settlements, and claims are due March 8, 2027, Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday. A federal court has preliminarily approved a plan to distribute settlement money to consumers.
James joined attorneys general from 47 other jurisdictions in urging eligible purchasers to file claims. The coalition has secured more than $96 million in settlements with generic-drug manufacturers, but the announcement did not state how much any individual claimant might receive.
How consumers can file
Consumers can submit a claim through AGGenericDrugs.com, according to the attorney general's office. They can also request a paper form from the claims administrator by emailing info@aggenericdrugs.com or calling 1-866-290-0182. A mailing address is listed on the claims website.
The deadline applies to eligible consumers seeking payment under the distribution plan. The attorney general's announcement did not list every qualifying medication, purchase period or documentation requirement; those details are part of the claims process.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut has granted preliminary approval to distribute tens of millions of dollars to consumers. Preliminary approval is not the same as a final ruling on every remaining claim in the broader litigation.
Three lawsuits span more than 100 drugs
The settlements stem from three lawsuits filed between 2016 and 2020. The first complaint named 18 companies and two individuals and concerned 15 drugs. A second complaint in 2019 named 22 manufacturers and 16 senior executives. A third, filed in 2020, focused on 80 topical generic drugs and named 26 companies and 10 individuals.
The coalition alleges companies coordinated to fix prices, limit competition and rig bids for more than 100 generic drugs. The medications cited include tablets, capsules, creams and ointments used for conditions ranging from infections to diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. The allegations also cover drugs used for HIV, ADHD, depression and contraception.
According to the attorney general's office, some coordinated price increases exceeded 1,000%. It cited digoxin, a heart medication made by Heritage, as an example that tripled in price and added hundreds of dollars to some patients' costs. Those figures are the office's account of the investigation and litigation, not a calculation of what an individual claimant will recover.
The office described an alleged network of executives who communicated through calls, messages and industry gatherings. Seven pharmaceutical executives have been cooperating with the coalition's cases, it said.
Settlements and remaining cases
The $96 million was secured through settlements involving Apotex, Heritage, Bausch, Lannett and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals USA. The settling defendants agreed to cooperate in cases against remaining corporate defendants and executives and to make changes intended to prevent future antitrust violations, according to the attorney general's office.
The broader multistate cases remain ongoing. For consumers who believe they bought a qualifying generic drug, the immediate step is to review the claims administrator's eligibility instructions and file by March 8, 2027.
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