Raleigh -- May 1, 2026:In a rare show of bipartisan unity, Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Treasurer Brad Briner announced today that North Carolina has reached an $11 million settlement with pharmaceutical giant Mylan. The agreement resolves an investigation into anti-competitive practices that saw the cost of life-saving EpiPens skyrocket by 500% over the last decade.
Financial Breakdown
The settlement recovers funds for taxpayers and state employees who were overcharged as prices rose from roughly $100 in 2007 to $600 by 2016.
$4.2 Million: Refunded to North Carolina Medicaid.
$4.2 Million: Refunded to the State Health Plan, which covers 750,000 teachers, troopers, and retirees.
$2.6 Million: Allocated for state restitution and legal fees.
Unmasking "Market Control"
The Attorney General’s office alleged that Mylan maintained a "stranglehold" on the market through several illegal tactics. Beyond simply raising prices, the state accused Mylan of:
Pay-for-Delay: Paying pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to keep generics off preferred lists.
Deceptive Marketing: Making misleading claims about the effectiveness of competing generic products.
Misclassification: Mislabeling the drug in federal programs to avoid paying higher rebates to the state.
“They used their control of the market to keep competitors out and drive the price up,” said Attorney General Jackson. “That’s not legal. We made them pay it back.”
Immediate Relief for Families
As a direct result of the settlement, Mylan must increase its co-pay coupon for the authorized generic version of the EpiPen from $25 to $40. This change is designed to immediately lower the out-of-pocket burden for the thousands of North Carolinians who rely on the medication for life-threatening allergies.
A Broader Fight
Treasurer Brad Briner emphasized that these efforts are critical to controlling healthcare costs for state members, noting that "every little bit helps." Meanwhile, Jackson continues to push the U.S. Department of Labor to require PBMs to disclose their profit structures, aiming for systemic reform in prescription drug pricing.