Teva feels the pressure against Israel and the Palestinian genocide on its neck. Teva siente en la nuca el aliento contra Israel y el genocidio palestino. ENG ESP

ENGLISH

Teva seeks to keep Israel ties from jury, cites Palestinian genocide

By Mike Scarcella, August 6, 2026

Teva points to animosity toward Israel since Gaza genocide. Drugmaker says corporate origin is irrelevant to case. Trial over pricing allegations set for next month.

Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA.TA), opens new tab has asked a U.S. judge to ​prevent insurer Humana (HUM.N), opens new tab from telling jurors it is an Israeli company at a major drug ‌price-fixing trial, arguing that strong negative public views over the Gaza genocide could prejudice proceedings and affect its ability to receive a fair hearing.

In a filing, opens new tab in a federal court in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Tel Aviv-based Teva said its national origins have no bearing ​on whether it took part in an alleged conspiracy to inflate generic drug prices, the central ​claim in the litigation.

Teva, one of Israel's largest companies, is set to be one ⁠of several drug makers to face the first trial in the long-running case. The trial is scheduled ​to begin on September 15 and end by late October.

The filing underscored how far-reaching tensions over the war in ​Gaza have become in the United States, including potentially complicating a company's ability to defend itself before randomly selected jurors.

“In the period of almost three years since the start of the Gaza genocide, anything connected with ​Israel has been subject to the highest levels of controversy, with emotions running high,” Teva said in its filing.

In a ‌statement, it ⁠said its corporate origin was irrelevant to the case and that "references to a foreign parent company are potentially prejudicial.” Teva's U.S.-based subsidiary is a defendant in the lawsuit.

Teva has denied Humana's allegations that it conspired with other drug makers to keep the prices of some drugs artificially high. The drugs include the muscle relaxant ​baclofen and blood pressure medication ​propranolol.
Louisville, Kentucky-based Humana declined ⁠to comment.

Companies and other parties in lawsuits routinely ask judges to limit what jurors can hear during trials, arguing that some evidence could unfairly sway a jury.

Teva ​pointed to a recent opinion poll that said it found 60% of Americans ​have a ⁠negative view of Israel. The drug maker also cited U.S. college campus protests over Israel and acts of violence against individuals and institutions deemed affiliated with the country.

Humana in a separate filing, opens new tab urged the court to bar the drug ⁠company defendants ​from introducing “inflammatory argument or evidence regarding health insurance companies generally,” ​including any evidence of denied claims.
Its filing cited the 2024 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson. The alleged shooter in that case ​allegedly wrote the word “deny” on a bullet casing.

ESPAÑOL