Suit: Generic drug makers used code to fix price increases

A lawsuit says representatives of some of the nation's largest generic drug manufacturers used code words to collude with competitors to divvy up market share and coordinate price increases.

The code came in emails included in the lawsuit filed last month by attorneys general from more than 40 states. The 510-page federal lawsuit was released in full yesterday.

The lawsuit says the representatives used phrases like "playing nice in the sandbox" and "fluff pricing" in emails to one another.

Democratic Connecticut Attorney General William Tong says the goal was to artificially inflate prices, hinder competition and restrain trade.

A representative for Teva Pharmaceuticals, one of the firms named in the suit, didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment.