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Mayes sues pharma companies for allegedly inflating diabetes drug prices

Then-Democratic candidate Kris Mayes speaks with the media after a televised debate against Republican Abraham Hamadeh for Arizona attorney general, Wed, Sept. 28, 2022.
Ross D. Franklin/AP
/
AP
Then-Democratic candidate Kris Mayes speaks with the media after a televised debate against Republican Abraham Hamadeh for Arizona attorney general, Wed, Sept. 28, 2022.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes had filed a lawsuit against pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical manufacturers for allegedly artificially inflating the price of insulin and other diabetes drugs.

Mayes says the scheme involving CVS, Express Scripts and OptumRx violates the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act.

Other defendants include drugmakers Novo Nordisk, Sanofi-Aventis and Eli Lilly and Company.

The lawsuit seeks restitution for insulin overpayments and other allegations and civil penalties for unfair and deceptive trade practices.

Mayes says she’ll also seek a court order permanently preventing the defendants from taking part in similar pricing schemes in the future.