Teva Pharmaceuticals asks US court to bar Israel references in drug price‑fixing trial

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania seeking an order that prevents any mention of its Israeli identity—such as being headquartered in Tel Aviv, listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, and being one of Israel’s largest companies—during an upcoming antitrust trial. The company argues that references to Israel could unfairly prejudice jurors amid heightened U.S. public controversy over the Gaza war, citing a Pew Research poll showing 60% of Americans hold unfavorable views of Israel. Teva maintains that its nationality is irrelevant to the core allegation that it participated in a generic‑drug price‑fixing and market‑allocation conspiracy involving Humana and other manufacturers. The trial, scheduled to begin on September 15 and run through late October, will address pricing of drugs such as baclofen and propranolol. Humana declined to comment on the filing. The request reflects a broader practice of parties seeking to limit potentially inflammatory evidence that might sway a jury.