Two former Heritage Pharmaceuticals executives were accused by federal authorities on Wednesday of conspiring with rivals to fix prices for a widely used antibiotic, the first criminal charges to stem from a two-year investigation into price collusion among generic drug makers.
Jeffrey Glazer, who was the chief executive officer, and Jason Malek, the former president, allegedly worked with other generic drug makers to fix the market for doxycycline hyclate, an antibiotic, and a diabetes treatment called glyburide, according to documents filed in federal court in Philadelphia. The price fixing largely took place between 2013 and 2015, and involved “communications with co-conspirators,” the documents noted.
About the Author Reprints
Outrageous! This touches the core of human indecency. These companies have built their empires on the backs and blood of sick people, all in the name of greed! Don’t tell me that this hasn’t been a practice of every single pharmaceutical company out there. The others just haven’t been caught yet. This is why I have completely lost my faith in the entire medical system. From the doctors to the medications to the hospitals. I absolutely do not trust that I will be prescribed the best medicine/treatment needed. Instead, I will be prescribed whatever makes the company/doctor/hospital the most money, regardless of the harm it may do to me. I have a disability that requires a me to live with a feeding tube but I’m no longer willing to follow up with my healthcare because of my lack of trust in the entire medical establishment. I’d rather just take my chances and rely on nature. So called medicine (and I’m referring to the entire scope of it) is a joke and nothing but a big lie created by businesses that have no real concern for the people they are supposed to care for. I’m unable to move past my disgust and deep seated anger for the mistreatment I have experienced because of this kind of thinking.
Well American companies have been ripping off Africans for decades. Even prevented them from accessing life saving medications. Health Imperialism is not possible without tyranny at home. Ubuntu – I am because you are.
Millions of preventable deaths. Untold morbidity and suffering. Primary cause for bankruptcy in the US. And the most expensive first world health system with the lowest health outcomes. James Love, Ralph Nader, MSF – heroes for the poor the world over, but no recognition at home… because it is all about $$$.
If Congress can pompously declare “no free lunch” for physicians by requiring Big Pharma to discontinue free pens branded with their product, how is it conceivable that Congress continues loading the feedbag around its neck with massive contributions by the lobbyists for Big Pharma?
This leads to the obvious issue here, and in the bigger picture regarding the rape of the taxpayer, the questions remain: why the inability of Congress to request the U.S. Attorney to prosecute through the RICO Act the pricing conspiracies, as well as through anti-trust legislation to prevent Big Pharma from securing agreements with generics to delay their market entry to enable additional shelf life for the brand product coming off of its patents?
Given how the taxpayer covers over 51% of pharmaceutical costs, i.e., Medicare, Medicaid, VA, if the public has been successfully manipulated to attack physicians over free pens, than why do we not hold Congress accountable to the same standards, and drastically revise their receipt of donations from Big Pharma? Remember, it was through Big Pharma’s unlimited funded lobbying campaign that secured the Medicare Part D Act of 2002 (known as the “open retail spigot act,” and also for denying Medicare any right to negotiate pricing). Acting again in its self-interest, Big Pharma muscled the ACA to prevent any effective means to tame its unlimited price structure.
Without any significant change to this self-serving milieu, we will continue to experience “Casablanca” redux, where Captain Renault claimed how shocked he was that gambling was occurring in Rick’s Cafe, just as the croupier handed him his winnings that evening.
Very insightful commentary. The ridiculously high cost of drugs costs all of us, from the people who can’t afford their medications to the taxpayers who subsidize these out of control prices. All to massively enrich the already uber riche. Their greed is hurting us all!
Glad they got these guys. Very sad to scalp Lyme patients and their pharmacy benefit managers. Interestingly, doxycycline monohydrate (in capsule form) has been reported to be more effective than hyclate, and less likely to cause nausea.
Even more “despicable” and “deplorable”, is the effect on animal welfare! The treatment of upper respiratory infections, heartworm, and lyme in shelter environments was hampered immeasurably. The sudden rise in cost devastated the rescue pawpulation due to the sudden unaffordability of this impawtant treatment! Unconscionable!
I was stung by the doxycycline scam in 2013, when I was prescribed doxycycline for a flare-up of rosacea. I was staggered to learn that the total cost of 90 doses was $1,240 and that I was stiffed for a co-pay of $138. For an ancient antibiotic!
I now rely on and support Diamondback Pharmacy to supply medications in a combined form. They work better, are easily dosed at the appropriate doses, can be flavored, and the Company is awesome to work with!!