Deadline nears for claims in class-action drug settlement

The deadline for filing claims in a multi-state settlement of a class-action suit in which the Law School‘s Consumer Law Litigation Clinic represented Wisconsin citizens is Friday, July 15.

The $30.7 million settlement came in a lawsuit filed on behalf of consumers who purchase the drug Hytrin, which doctors prescribe to treat hypertension and enlarged prostates. Abbott Laboratories manufactures the name brand drug, while Geneva Pharmaceuticals makes its generic version, called Terazosin.

According to the lawsuit, Abbott wrongfully paid Geneva to delay introduction of its generic version of Hytrin and took other steps to delay competitions from the lower-priced versions of its product. The complaint alleges those moves hurt consumers, who paid higher prices for the drug as a result.

The complaint was filed in 18 states, including Wisconsin. The Consumer Law Litigation Clinic, along with the Seattle firm of Keller Rohrback – spearheaded by UW Law School alumni Lynn Sarko, Britt Tinglum and Erin Riley – along with other counsel, represents Wisconsin consumers.

Steve Meili, who heads the clinic, says several law students gained important, practical experience as they worked on the case. Students interviewed the named plaintiffs, an elderly couple from Loganville, Wis. They also drafted the complaint and prepared their clients for depositions.

“These are the kinds of lawyering skills that are most effectively learned outside the classroom, through hands-on experience,” Meili says. “The students also learned a great deal about the complexities of multi-state litigation, which has become an increasingly common way of resolving disputes that affect consumers across the country.”

State consumers who purchased the drugs between Oct. 15, 1995 and March 7, 2005 are eligible for a refund. The amount of the refund will depend on how much they purchased and how many consumers file claims.