Santa Clara County Gets OK for Drug Firm Challenge

Last week, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a class action lawsuit filed by Santa Clara County against a number of major drug companies, including Bayer, Pfizer and Glaxo-Smith Kline, for allegedly overcharging for drugs at public hospitals and clinics. Two years ago, a San Francisco federal judge dismissed the case, ruling that federal law prohibited the county from pursuing its claims, but the federal appeals court ruled otherwise.

• "Appeals Court Reinstates Santa Clara County's Lawsuit Against Drug Companies" (Mintz, San Jose Mercury News, 8/27).