'An Attack On American People': Local States Among More Than 40 Suing Drug Companies For Alleged Price Inflation

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than 40 states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, are suing 20 of the biggest generic drugmakers in the country. The states are alleging the companies coordinated to inflate prices and reduce competition on more than 100 generic prescription drugs.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who is leading the lawsuit, said investigators obtained evidence in company e-mails, texts and phone records.

"This is an attack on the American people, it's a massive fraud that focuses on the drugs that we take every day," said Tong. "We want to claw back the money they stole from the American people."

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Nearly $75 billion of generic drugs were sold in the United States in 2015.

The drug companies named in the suit deny engaging in any illegal collusion.

They say prices go up with drug shortages and market forces.