Pfizer settlement overview:Â
- Who: Direct purchasers represented by Rochester Drug Co-Operative, SAJ Distributors and Uniondale Chemists agreed to a $39 million settlement with Pfizer unit Wyeth.Â
- Why: The direct purchaser class accused Wyeth of working with Teva Pharmaceuticals to delay generic versions of Effexor from reaching the marketplace.
- Where: The Effexor settlement was filed in federal court in New Jersey.
A direct purchaser class agreed to a $39 million settlement with Pfizer unit Wyeth to resolve claims Wyeth conspired with Teva Pharmaceuticals to delay generic versions of Effexor from reaching the marketplace.
The Effexor settlement resolves claims against Wyeth but not Teva and comes after 12 years of litigation and extensive mediation.
The direct purchasers accused Wyeth and Teva of using a reverse payment scheme to delay the release of generic versions of the antidepressant drug Effexor.
Large-scale pharmacies excluded from settlement
The Effexor antitrust settlement includes proposed service awards of $100,000 for named plaintiffs Rochester Drug Co-Operative, SAJ Distributors and Uniondale Chemists.
The settlement includes all who purchased Effexor XR and/or AB-rated generic versions of Effexor XR directly from the defendants between June 14, 2008, and May 31, 2011.
A group of large-scale pharmacies including Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Eckerd and Kroger are excluded from the settlement.
Pfizer faced a 2013 lawsuit over Effexor, claiming it caused a child to develop serious heart defects in utero.
Have you been prescribed or taken the drug Effexor? Let us know in the comments.
The direct purchaser class is represented by Peter S. Pearlman and Matthew F. Gately of Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrman and Knopf LLP; David F. Sorensen and Caitlin G. Coslett of Berger Montague PC; Thomas M. Sobol and Gregory T. Arnold of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP; Peter Kohn and Neill W. Clark of Faruqi & Faruqi LLP; Bary S. Taus and Kevin S. Landau of Taus, Cebulash & Landau LLP; Dianne M. Nast of Nastlaw LLC; and Don Barrett of Barrett Law Group PA.
Wyeth is represented by Raj Gandesha of White & Case LLP and Liza M. Walsh of Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP.
Teva is represented by William H. Trousdale of Tompkins McGuire Wachenfeld & Barry LLP and Jay P. Lefkowitz, Devora W. Allon, Karen N. Walker and Alexandra I. Russell of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
The Pfizer settlement is in re Effexor XR Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 3:11-cv-05479-PGS-JBD, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
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21 thoughts onPfizer agrees to $39M settlement to resolve Effexor antitrust claims
I have been taken it for 20 years
I took Effexor following having my ovaries removed. I was unable to take hormones because I have a history of breast cancer. It is highly addictive and hard to wean yourself off.
I have been taking effexor since 2009 off and on. It never really seemed to work for me but it was the best at the time that my doctor could offer I’ve moved on to Seroquel not seems to work a little better but as long as I was on it I can assume how much money I actually spent nked we’re talking 10 11 years
I have been taking Effexor for a very long time. It was not the first anti-depressant I tried. It has always worked. There was one anti-depressant that actually made me think violent thoughts. I didn’t take it very long. Not one Doctor told me of these side effects.
I have been taking Effexor XR for 20 years and am still taking it
I’ve been on effexxor for 15 yrs. Husband is now also on it.
How to submit a claim?
I have been prescribed effexor XR for years.
I have been on effexor XR for years.