West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has informed the state’s counties and cities about their share of a $17 million settlement related to the Pfizer and Ranbaxy Lipitor antitrust lawsuit. The lawsuit claimed that the companies delayed the release of a cheaper version of Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering drug.
West Virginia will receive $3.485 million from the settlement, with the amount each county or city receives based on its population size.
Cities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000 will get $25,000, while those with populations between 2,000 and 10,000 will receive $15,000, and cities with fewer than 2,000 people will get $5,000. For counties, those with populations over 50,000 will receive $50,000, counties with 10,000 to 50,000 people will get $30,000, and counties with fewer than 10,000 people will receive $10,000.
The funds are intended to help reimburse counties and cities for the excess payments they made for Lipitor and are seen as a significant victory for individuals who paid more than they should have for the medication.