Teva to Pay $35 Million — Accused of Blocking Cheaper Generic Asthma Inhalers From Reaching Patients

Teva Pharmaceuticals has agreed to pay $35 million to settle a federal antitrust case accusing the company of paying a competitor — Amneal Pharmaceuticals — to hold off on releasing a cheaper generic version of its QVAR asthma inhaler. A federal judge granted preliminary approval to the settlement on April 2, 2026.

The people who were allegedly hurt most are the ones who paid out-of-pocket for QVAR inhalers, or who had high-deductible insurance that made them pay full or near-full price at the pharmacy. If a generic had been available sooner, they could have paid significantly less.

What the Lawsuit Says Happened

QVAR (beclomethasone dipropionate) is a prescription inhaled corticosteroid used to control and prevent asthma symptoms. It comes in two versions: QVAR and QVAR Redihaler.

According to the lawsuit, Teva — which made the brand-name version — entered into an agreement with Amneal, a generic drug manufacturer, to delay Amneal from bringing a competing generic inhaler to market. The arrangement is sometimes called a “pay-for-delay” deal: the brand-name company essentially pays the generic company to stay out of the market a little longer, so the brand-name version can keep selling at higher prices without competition.

Federal antitrust law generally prohibits these kinds of arrangements because they keep drug prices artificially high and harm consumers who need affordable medications. As part of the settlement, Teva also agreed to remove QVAR patents from the FDA’s Orange Book — a move that can make it easier for other generic manufacturers to bring competing products to market going forward.

Who May Be Eligible to File a Claim

According to settlement documents, you may be eligible if:

• You purchased QVAR or QVAR Redihaler inhalers between January 1, 2015 and July 31, 2025
• You paid for the inhaler yourself — either fully out-of-pocket or through a high-deductible health plan where you paid toward your deductible
• Your purchase was in one of the states covered by the settlement (check the settlement website for the full list)

People who received the inhaler through Medicaid, Medicare, or insurance where the plan paid the full cost may not be eligible under this settlement.

What the Settlement Money Is For

The $35 million fund is set aside to compensate consumers who paid more for QVAR or QVAR Redihaler than they would have if a generic version had been available. How much each eligible person receives will depend on how many people file valid claims and how much each person paid for the medication.

Teva has denied any wrongdoing. A settlement is not a finding that the company broke the law — it is an agreement to resolve the dispute without going through a full trial.

Why Generic Drug Competition Matters for Patients

Generic drugs exist to make medications more affordable. By law, when a brand-name drug’s patent protection runs out, other companies can make the same medication and sell it at a lower price. That competition is the whole reason generics are usually so much cheaper than brand-name drugs.

When a brand-name company pays a generic competitor to delay entering the market, it eliminates that competition before it can start — which means patients keep paying brand-name prices even when a cheaper option should have been available.

Asthma is a chronic condition that requires ongoing medication. For people who pay a significant portion of their prescription costs out-of-pocket, even a few months of inflated prices can add up to hundreds of dollars over time.

How to File — And When You Must Do It

The deadline to submit a claim is July 31, 2026. Missing this deadline generally means giving up your right to receive any money from this settlement.

Claims can be filed through the official settlement administrator. You will likely need to provide basic information about your inhaler purchases — prescription receipts, insurance statements, or pharmacy records can help support your claim, though not all programs require documentation for smaller claims.