Other LanguagesSEATTLE – Thousands of consumers from Washington and 49 other states who used the antidepressant drug Remeron may be entitled to reimbursements from drug maker Organon USA Inc. and its parent company Akzo Nobel N.V., Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today.
The reimbursements are part of a $36 million national settlement of a multistate lawsuit against Organon in which Washington participated. The suit alleged that the drug manufacturer violated Food & Drug Administration rules and federal patent laws to illegally prevent the entry of generic antidepressant drugs that would compete with Remeron, thus increasing costs to consumers for both.
Washington consumers may be entitled to reimbursement based on their out-of-pocket expenses from purchasing the prescription antidepressant drug Remeron and its generic equivalent, mirtazapine, between June 15, 2001 and January 25, 2005.
“This drug company stifled competition and prevented consumers from having timely access to lower priced, generic equivalents of its drug,” said McKenna. “Prescription drug users need lower-cost options. Consumers should be able to take advantage of generic alternatives as soon as they become available following a drug patent’s expiration.”
Washington consumers’ share of the settlement will be approximately $170,000 - $200,000. State agencies that purchased Remeron or its generic equivalent may be reimbursed approximately $80,000 - $100,000. The amount that individual Washington consumers receive will depend on how many claims are filed.
Consumers wanting claim forms and more information should visit the settlement website at www.RemeronSettlement.com or call 1-866-401-6807. Eligible consumers must file with the claims administrator no later than June 13, 2005. Claim forms may be mailed to Remeron Antitrust Settlement, c/o Complete Claim Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 24769, West Palm Beach, Florida 33416.
For more information on the Remeron settlement, visit the Attorney General’s Web site.
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For more information contact:
Kristin Alexander, (206) 464-6432, KristinA1@atg.wa.gov