Attorney Leading Drug Pricing Litigation Cases Applauds GSK Actions

SEATTLE, Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Steve Berman, lead counsel in litigation against a group of leading pharmaceutical companies, applauded the settlement between five states and GlaxoSmithKline in the Average Wholesale Price drug litigation.

"I believe GSK did the right thing by coming to the table and reaching an agreement that will help millions of consumers to recover the excess costs for drugs," said Berman.

In the announcement yesterday, five states joined in a $70 million settlement with the pharmaceutical giant, concerning the method in which the drug company sets their pricing for states, insurers and consumers.

"While the settlement does release GSK from any further claims in this case, there are still many drug companies who have not answered for their actions," Berman said. "We intend to carry on with the fight on behalf of consumers and third-party payers."

According to Berman, there are more than a dozen remaining defendants, including pharmaceutical heavyweights AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

"We've tried to work with the remaining defendants, but have had little success in resolving these matters," said Berman. "It's a shame they continue to act in a way we believe defrauds consumers and third-party payers and insist on playing a game of litigation brinksmanship. In the end, though, we believe we will prevail."

About Steve Berman

Steve Berman is managing partner of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro in Seattle. Twice recognized as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal (2000 and 2006), Berman is a nationally recognized expert in class action litigation. Berman was also recently nominated Trial Lawyer of the Year by The Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation. Berman represented Washington State, 12 other states and Puerto Rico in lawsuits against the tobacco industry that resulted in the largest settlement in the history of litigation. He also served as counsel in several other high-profile cases including the Washington Public Power Supply litigation, which resulted in a settlement exceeding $850 million, and the proposed $92.5 million settlement of The Boeing Company litigation. Other cases include litigation involving the Exxon Valdez oil spill; Louisiana Pacific Siding; Morrison Knudsen; Piper Jaffray; Nordstrom; Boston Chicken; and Noah's Bagels.

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