Source: Reuters
A U.S. judge has dismissed most claims in a consumer lawsuit against Idexx Laboratories, a Veterinary diagnostic testing company, which was accused of inflating animal healthcare costs through exclusive contracts with veterinarians. Chief U.S. District Judge Stacey Neumann ruled that the plaintiffs, pet owners from 14 states, lacked legal standing for many of their state-law claims. However, the judge allowed limited claims to proceed under Minnesota, North Carolina, and Missouri laws.
Previously, Neumann had dismissed federal antitrust claims, stating the plaintiffs were not direct purchasers of the diagnostic products at issue. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleged that Idexx’s market dominance led to overcharges for pet diagnostic tests, such as heartworm screenings, by passing inflated costs to veterinarians and, ultimately, to consumers. Idexx, which made $3.9 billion in revenue last year and employs over 10,000 people, must formally respond to the remaining claims by April 11. The company previously settled similar FTC claims in 2013.