According to an article from Morningology, the pharmaceutical company Teva has recently been charged by the U.S. Justice Department for conspiring to raise generic drug prices. This is a serious accusation, one that Teva adamantly rejects. As rare disease patients already have to deal with high drug prices and the financial struggles that can come with having a rare condition, this would be a violation of ethics and the law if it is found to be true.

About the Charges

Teva has been charged with three counts of conspiring with other companies, including Sandoz, Taro Pharmaceutical Industries, and Apotex Corp. There has been an ongoing investigation into these matters, and the Justice Department claims that Teva worked with other companies to raise the prices of widely used medications, one of which was a high cholesterol drug.

The first charge states that the three companies worked together to increase the prices of a number of generic drugs, including pravastatin. The second charge states that Teva and Taro colluded to raise prices, allocate customers to certain drugs, and rig bids. The final charge accuses Sandoz and Teva of conspiring to raise the prices of medications used to treat brain cancer, hypertension, cystic fibrosis, and arthritis.

The Justice Department has stated that all three of the companies have admitted their roles in the conspiracy in the past and even agreed to pay penalties. This contradicts a statement from Teva, which claimed that it has cooperated while the Justice Department “has shown an unwillingness to consider alternatives.”

Hopefully a trial will discover the truth and provide an outcome that is best for those affected by drug prices, namely patients.