GRANT APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE TO BENEFIT CONSUMERS WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND ANGINA
 

MADISON - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced that beginning today, the New York State Attorney General, on behalf of the Attorneys General of all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, including Wisconsin, is soliciting applications from nonprofit organizations and public agencies for grants to benefit the health care needs of consumers with hypertension, chronic stable angina and/or angina due to coronary artery spasm.

Grants will be made on a one-time basis for specific projects that have a nationwide impact. The New York State Attorney General may award either one grant in the amount of approximately $268,000 or more than one grant in smaller amounts. The deadline for submitting Grant Applications is 5:00 PM, November 21, 2008. The Notice of Grants Availability and Request for Proposals and the Application for Funding are available at http://www.cypresfunds.net/cardizem.html.

"I am pleased that this money is available to benefit thousands of Americans who have heart problems," Van Hollen said. "I encourage all Wisconsin non-profits and public agencies who serve the needs of these patients to apply for a grant."

The grant funds are the result of a settlement of an antitrust case brought by the Wisconsin Attorney General, as well as other state attorneys general, and private class action plaintiffs against two drug companies accused of conspiring to keep a generic version of a widely used blood pressure and angina medication off the market. (In re Cardizem CD Antitrust Litigation, Master File No. 99-MDL-1278 (E.D.Mich.) (NGE).)

The settlement resulted in the distribution of over $21 million to over 76,000 consumers nationwide. 1,297 Wisconsin consumers received checks totaling approximately $431,900 in 2005 and 2006 as a result of the settlement. The approximately $268,000 that will now be distributed represents the remaining funds.