By Emily Chasan Fri Nov 2, 11:05 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. judge has ordered pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca (AZN.L) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (BMY.N) to pay double damages in a case over false mark ups of U.S. drug prices through 2003, according to court documents filed on Friday.U.S. District Judge Patti Saris, who sits in Massachusetts District Court, found that the companies had acted willfully, and ordered AstraZeneca to pay more than $12.9 million in total damages, while Bristol-Myers was ordered to pay $695,594.
Plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit said the drug makers boosted published average wholesale prices, which until 2003 were the basis for reimbursements from Medicare, state governments and private insurers.
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