Prilosec inquiry
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Stop Patient Abuse Now! (SPAN) coalition is calling on FTC and New York AG's office to launch an inquiry into whether Prilosec manufacturer AstraZeneca engaged in fraud. SPAN alleges AstraZeneca may have infringed on prior art by submitting a patent already held by a Korean firm to block generic competition in U.S. Group also claims New York consumers and taxpayers could save as much as $15 mil. a month if generic versions of the drug were approved. AstraZeneca, which along with P&G is seeking to switch the proton pump inhibitor OTC, is involved in ongoing patent litigation related to the drug (1"The Tan Sheet" July 9, 2001, In Brief and 2June 4, 2001, In Brief)...