Herald Staff Report

More than 800 Floridians are receiving checks totaling $453,000 as part of a settlement with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) for unlawfully monopolizing the manufacture of the anti-cancer drug Taxol and its generic, paclitaxel, Attorney General Charlie Crist announced today.

The settlement was the result of an antitrust case brought by attorneys general in the 50 states, alleging that the drug firm obtained invalid patents for Taxol that delayed the availability of cheaper generics. IVAX (IVX), the Miami pharmaceutical company, was one of those that fought in court to make a generic of the drug.

The settlement was approved in November and patients were asked to submit claims. Individuals whose Taxol treatments were covered in part by insurance or who paid the entire cost of one treatment will receive checks for $525, Crist's office said. Those who paid the entire cost for two or more treatments will receive $438 per treatment.

As part of the settlement, the state of Florida will get $2.1 million. About $600,000 of that will go to hospitals that were overcharged for Taxol.


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