Judge Rejects Drug Lawsuit Settlement

A federal judge today rejected a $408.9 million settlement of amajor price-fixing suit by pharmacies against several big drugmanufacturers.

U.S. District Judge Charles P. Kocoras had given preliminaryapproval to the settlement in February, but reversed himself afterprotests from renegade drugstores that were disgusted with the deal,reached on their behalf by attorneys.

At issue was a drug industry practice of granting deep discountsto health maintenance organizations, mail-order drug houses andhospitals while denying these same deals …