Posted on: Thursday, September 6, 2001

Pharmaceutical lawsuit nets state $1 million

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Hawai'i will receive just over $1 million as its share of a nationwide antitrust settlement with six European and Japanese pharmaceutical companies.

The companies agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by 21 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia for $225.25 million. The suit alleged the companies conspired to fix prices on indirect vitamin products used in such things as animal feed and vitamin-enhanced foods.

"We are working on a plan of distribution but that is not finished yet," said Hawai'i Deputy Attorney General Rod Kimura. Kimura said the state should receive the money around the end of the year and plans to distribute the money to nonprofits, charitable organizations and municipalities. The state could take as much as 10 percent for its legal costs, but that has not been decided yet, Kimura said.