People and health plans that paid for Chantix between September 29, 2015 and September 17, 2021 can now file for a share of a $44 million class action settlement. A "third-party payor" is any insurer, employer health fund, or similar entity that covers prescription costs on someone else's behalf. That group, alongside individuals who paid out of pocket at retail, forms the eligible class in an economic loss lawsuit pending before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The case behind the $44 million
The lawsuit's formal title is In re Chantix (Varenicline) Mktg., Sales Pracs. & Prods. Liab. Litig. (No. II), docket numbers 22-MD-3050 and 22-MC-3050. Chantix is the brand name for varenicline. The "MD" in the docket number stands for multidistrict litigation, a procedural mechanism that consolidates related cases from across the country into a single federal court for coordinated handling. The "(No. II)" designation marks this as the second wave of such litigation.
The claims cover marketing, sales practices, and products liability related to Chantix. The settlement is classified as an economic loss action. That label matters: the class is seeking compensation for money spent on the product, not for physical injury caused by taking it.
Who qualifies
The class period opened on September 29, 2015 and closed on September 17, 2021, a span of just under six years. Eligibility covers any individual who paid any amount for retail purchases of Chantix during that time. Third-party payors that covered Chantix costs for members or employees in the same period are included as well.
Three law firms are serving as class counsel: Honik LLC, Levin Sedran & Berman LLP, and Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP. They announced the settlement on July 13, 2026.
What the $44 million does not tell you
The settlement sets the total pool at $44 million. It does not state what any individual claimant will receive. That amount depends on how many valid claims are submitted and how the court allocates the fund among class members. The case sits in the Southern District of New York under docket 22-MD-3050, where court approval is required before any distribution occurs.