NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee has joined a federal lawsuit in Connecticut against 20 generic drug manufacturers, alleging manipulation of prices.
State Attorney General Herbert Slatery’s office says in a release that the drugs treat diseases and conditions including basic infections, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and HIV.
The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition and unreasonably restrain trade for more than 100 different generic drugs. Tennessee is among 44 states joining in the lawsuit, along with Puerto Rico.
The release said the drugs account for billions of dollars of sales in the U.S. The lawsuit alleges the schemes affected the health insurance market, Medicare and Medicaid, and people who pay inflated prices.
One of the companies named in the suit, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., has denied any civil or criminal liability.