Abbott settles Norvir lawsuit

Abbott Laboratories has settled a lawsuit filed against it by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation over the company's 400% price hike in December on its anti-HIV medication Norvir, the Chicago Tribune reports. Abbott agreed to pay for HIV testing, prevention, and treatment programs for 10,000 people in the United States and in Africa to settle the lawsuit. The exact financial terms of the settlement weren't released, but Abbott spokeswoman Jennifer Smoter says the company will not reduce Norvir's price. AHF said in a statement that the settlement doesn't resolve the ongoing debate over anti-HIV drug pricing or the price increase on Norvir. "Where we're at now is in the best interest of the people we serve and the people we will serve," said AHF general counsel Tom Myers. "We don't agree with the pricing, but we're not going to take any more steps against it." A separate lawsuit filed against Abbott by the consumer coalition group Prescription Access Litigation is not affected by the settlement and remains unresolved.