Cherry Hill residents who bought generic prescription drugs over a decade-long window may be owed money from a $96.5 million settlement with manufacturers accused of fixing prices.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Tuesday, Sept. 22, that a coalition of 48 states and territories is distributing funds from antitrust settlements with six drug companies. The deadline to file a claim is Monday, Nov. 9.
The settlement covers 114 generic drugs purchased between May 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2019. The list includes generic versions of Celebrex, Prozac and Coumadin, as well as medications used to treat asthma, heart conditions, cancer, psoriasis and infections. A full list of covered drugs is available at AGGenericDrugs.com.
"We urge consumers to check online or call the hotline to see if they qualify to recover money they should not have had to pay," Davenport said in the announcement.
Who qualifies
To be eligible, a person must currently live in a participating U.S. state or territory, including New Jersey. The buyer must have purchased one or more of the listed drugs in the United States during the covered period and must not have bought them for resale or directly from a defendant company. Officers, directors and employees of the defendant manufacturers are excluded.
Eligibility is based on current state of residence, not where the purchases were made.
How to file
Residents can check their eligibility and file a claim three ways:
- Visit AGGenericDrugs.com to check eligibility and submit a claim
- Call 1-866-290-0182 (toll-free)
- Email [email protected]
Individual payout amounts have not been disclosed.
The case behind the money
The payouts stem from antitrust lawsuits filed starting in 2016 by the 48-state coalition. More than 100 companies and individuals have been named across four complaints, according to the attorney general's office. NJ Spotlight News reported that the settlements were reached with manufacturers Glenmark, Lannett, Bausch, Apotex, Heritage and Heritage's parent company, Emcure.
The attorney general's office said the states' investigations drew on evidence from cooperating witnesses, millions of documents and a massive phone record database. Seven pharmaceutical executives have been cooperating to support the states' claims.
A U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut granted preliminary approval of the distribution plan in September.
The Nov. 9 deadline applies to all eligible consumers nationwide. No timeline has been announced for when payments will be sent after claims close.
Upcoming Cherry Hill events
- Katz JCC Flyers documentary screening: Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the Katz JCC. Former players will attend.
- Camden Catholic golf tournament: Monday, Oct. 26, raising scholarship funds.
