AG Ellison Sues Generic Drug Manufacturers Again, Alleges Conspiracy To Fix Prices
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Attorney General Ellison is again suing generic drug-manufacturers for alleged conspiracy to illegally fix prices.
He joins a coalition of 51 states and territories, led by the state of Connecticut. The complaint names 26 companies and 10 individuals, and seeks damages, civil penalties, and actions by the court to restore competition to the generic drug market.
This is Ellison's third lawsuit involving generic manufacturers, who have been called the "largest cartel in the history of the United States."
In February of 2020, Ellison released a report completed by the Task Force on Lowering Pharmaceutical Drug Prices. The major takeaway from the report: the biggest cause of expensive drugs is the anticompetitive conduct in the industry.
"This kind of conspiracy has been illegal for more than a century. There's one simple reason that drug companies still engage in it: greed," said Ellison.
Between 2007 and 2014, three generic drug manufacturers - Taro, Perrigo, and Fougera (now Sandoz) - sold nearly two-thirds of all generic topical products dispensed in the United States.
