Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10755

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Roehr B.
Class action over Abbott's pricing of antiretroviral moves forward
BMJ 2007 Jun 30; 334:(7608):1339
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7608/1339-a

Abstract:

A US judge has authorised a class action lawsuit against the drug company Abbott for its 400% hike in price, begun in late 2003, of the anti-HIV drug ritonavir (Norvir).

The lawsuit charges that the increase was a violation of US antitrust laws. It aims to roll back the increase and seeks compensation for everyone who has overpaid for the drug since the price increase.

Ritonavir had been developed as a protease inhibitor but did not work particularly well on its own. Over the course of using it with various combination treatments, clinicians observed a synergistic effect with other protease inhibitors. Ritonavir impeded the clearance of those drugs by the liver. Second generation protease inhibitors were developed that used ritonavir in subclinical doses as a “booster.” Some compounds under development in the new integrase inhibitor class of drugs also use a ritonavir booster.

When this role for ritonavir became apparent, . . .