Pfizer to pay $35 million to settle Lipitor pricing class action lawsuit

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has agreed to pay $35 million to settle allegations that it illegally interfered with the sale of Lipitor, a drug prescribed to lower cholesterol, causing customers to pay more for the drug.

The lawsuit alleges that Pfizer and Ranbaxy, an independent pharmaceutical company, illegally excluded generic Lipitor from sale, so consumers and third-party payers paid more for brand and generic Lipitor than they should have. Pfizer and Ranbaxy deny their actions.

If you purchased Lipitor in any of two dozen states or Washington, D.C., without using a Pfizer co-pay card between June 28, 2011 and November 29, 2011, or you purchased generic atorvastatin calcium in these locations between November 30, 2011 . and on December 31, 2012, you may be eligible to receive a payment.

What to do

If you are eligible for payment, you must file your claim by November 29, 2024. See payment site for more information.

About the case

The consumers and third-party payers who filed the lawsuit allege that Pfizer and Ranbaxy violated state antitrust, consumer protection and unjust enrichment laws to keep cheaper generic versions of Lipitor off the market.

They argue that Pfizer unfairly received the patent and used it to delay other companies from producing generic Lipitor. When these companies tried to create their own versions, Pfizer allegedly paid them to refrain from selling generics.

In addition, they claim that Pfizer and Ranbaxy have entered into a deal under which Ranbaxy will delay the introduction of its generic Lipitor into the US market, further reducing competition.

Pfizer and Ranbaxy deny the allegations, and no court ruling has yet been made on whether the allegations are true. Judge Peter G. Sheridan of New Jersey is overseeing the case, known as the Lipitor Antitrust Litigation, and has yet to give final approval to the settlement.

This lawsuit does not involve the safety or effectiveness of Lipitor, and the settlement does not contain any claims regarding Lipitor’s health effects.

About Lipitor

Lipitor is a prescription drug used to lower cholesterol. This is the brand name for the drug atorvastatin, which belongs to a class of drugs called statins.

Here’s how it works:

• Cholesterol. Your body requires a certain amount of cholesterol, but too much can build up in your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Statins: Lipitor blocks an enzyme the body needs to make cholesterol. This helps reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Who is Lipitor for?

Lipitor is often prescribed to people who:

• Have high cholesterol levels.

• Have a family history of heart disease.

• There are other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.