$11.37M Hetero Valsartan Drug Contamination Settlement, Could You Qualify for a Cash Payment? Claim Before June 2, 2026

If you paid out of pocket for valsartan blood pressure medication made by Hetero between May 1 and July 31, 2018, you may be entitled to cash from an $11.37 million class action settlement. The lawsuit claims those pills contained NDMA — a probable cancer-causing chemical. Hetero denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle. The deadline to file a claim is June 2, 2026.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$11,365,489.80
Claim Deadline	June 2, 2026
Who Qualifies	U.S. residents who paid out of pocket for Hetero Process III Valsartan between May 1–July 31, 2018
Payout Per Person	Up to $40 per 30-day supply; maximum $120 without documentation
Proof Required	No — for standard claims up to $120. Yes — for claims above that amount
Settlement Status	Open for Claims (Preliminary Approval Granted)
Administrator	Postlethwaite & Netterville (Hetero Settlement Administrator)
Official Website	sartanmedicationsettlement.com

Where Things Stand Right Now

• The settlement has received preliminary court approval and is currently open for claims.
• The opt-out deadline, objection deadline, and claim filing deadline all fall on the same date: June 2, 2026.
• The court scheduled a Final Approval Hearing for June 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Payments go out only after the court formally approves the settlement at that hearing.

Why Did Consumers Sue Hetero Over Valsartan?

Valsartan is a widely prescribed medication that helps lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Tens of millions of Americans take medications like this every day, often for the rest of their lives.

Starting in 2018, the FDA discovered that certain batches of valsartan — produced by manufacturers including Hetero Drugs Ltd. and Hetero Labs Ltd. — contained NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine). NDMA is a chemical the FDA and World Health Organization classify as a probable human carcinogen, meaning repeated exposure may increase the risk of cancer. It is the same contaminant found in Zantac and several other recalled medications in recent years, and you can read more about how these contamination cases unfold in our coverage of the Zantac NDMA lawsuit and $2.2 billion settlement.

Plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Hetero Drugs Ltd., Hetero Labs Ltd., Hetero USA Inc., and Camber Pharmaceuticals Inc. violated state consumer protection laws by manufacturing, distributing, and selling valsartan contaminated with this probable carcinogen — causing real economic harm to the consumers who paid for it. This case is part of a larger federal proceeding called In re: Valsartan, Losartan, and Irbesartan Products Liability Litigation (Case No. 1:19-md-02875), overseen by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Hetero denies all allegations and disputes that NDMA levels in its pills posed any actual cancer risk, but both sides agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of a trial.

Who Specifically Qualifies to File a Claim?

The purchase window for this settlement is narrow — just three months. You may qualify if you meet all of the following:

• You are an individual living in the United States, its territories, or its possessions.
• You paid any amount out of pocket for retail purchases of valsartan — including copays, coinsurance, or the full retail price. This also covers purchases you made on behalf of a dependent.
• Your purchases happened between May 1, 2018, and July 31, 2018 — this is a strict, three-month window.
• Your medication used Hetero Process III Valsartan as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. The most commonly identified qualifying NDC codes are 31722-747-90 (160 mg) and 31722-748-90 (320 mg). Check your prescription bottle or ask your pharmacy for records to confirm.

You do not qualify if you are a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM), a federal or state government entity, a personal injury plaintiff in the same MDL, or a judge presiding over this case.

Not sure whether your prescription qualifies? Call the settlement administrator at 1-866-875-9644 or email [email protected] — they can help you confirm your eligibility based on your medication records.

Related article: $2.9M Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste Settlement, Did You Buy It Since 2020? Here’s How to Get Your Money Back Before July 6

How Much Can You Receive from This Settlement?

Your payout depends on how many 30-day supplies you purchased during the qualifying period and whether you can document your out-of-pocket costs.

Standard claims — no documentation required:

• Up to $40 per 30-day supply purchased
• Maximum of $120 per consumer (equivalent to three months of supply, which aligns with the three-month class period)

Documented claims — pharmacy receipts or records required:

• If you actually paid more than $40 for a 30-day supply, you can claim the documented higher amount
• There is no cap on your individual documented claim
• However, total consumer payouts across all claimants cannot exceed 40% of the net settlement fund (after attorneys’ fees, administration costs, and service awards). If all valid claims together exceed that 40% cap, individual payments get reduced proportionally.

How the $11,365,489.80 breaks down:

• Attorneys’ fees: up to $3,788,496.60
• Service awards to class representatives: $55,000 total ($5,000 each for five consumer representatives; $15,000 each for two TPP representatives)
• Settlement administration costs: TBD
• Consumer and third-party payor payments: remaining balance

Even if you only took a single 30-day supply during those three months in 2018, you may still recover up to $40 with no paperwork required.

How to File Your Claim (Step by Step)

Estimated time to complete: 5–10 minutes online

Step 1 — Go to the official claim portal at sartanmedicationsettlement.pnclassaction.com

Step 2 — Enter your personal details, including your full name, current address, and contact information

Step 3 — Provide information about the Hetero valsartan you purchased, including NDC codes from your prescription bottle and the number of 30-day supplies you bought during May–July 2018

Step 4 — Select your claim type: standard (no proof needed, up to $120) or documented (with pharmacy records proving higher out-of-pocket costs)

Step 5 — Upload supporting documentation if you are filing a documented claim that exceeds the $120 cap

Step 6 — Submit your claim and save your confirmation number — you will need it if questions arise later

Prefer to file by mail? Download and print the paper claim form and send it to:

Hetero Settlement Administrator PO Box 3376 Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Your mailed form must be postmarked by June 2, 2026.

Key Deadlines at a Glance

Milestone	Date
Settlement Preliminary Approval	Granted (2026)
Claims Period Opens	April 2026
Claim Filing Deadline	June 2, 2026
Opt-Out (Exclusion) Deadline	June 2, 2026
Objection Deadline	June 2, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	June 30, 2026 — 10:00 a.m., U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
Expected Payment Date	After June 30, 2026 (TBD)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim? 

No. You can file your claim directly on the official settlement website for free. Court-appointed class counsel — attorneys from Slack Davis Sanger, Honik Law, and Kanner & Whiteley — already represent all eligible class members automatically, at no direct charge to you.

Is this settlement legitimate?

 Yes. This settlement is part of a verified federal court case (Case No. 1:19-md-02875) in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The official website is sartanmedicationsettlement.com, and the settlement administrator is Postlethwaite & Netterville. Do not submit your claim through any third-party or unofficial website.

When will I receive my payment? 

The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for June 30, 2026. If the court grants approval, the settlement administrator will process and distribute payments after that date. Settlement payments typically take several months after final approval, and the timeline can extend further if any party files an appeal.

What if I missed the claim deadline?

 If you do not file by June 2, 2026, you will receive no payment. You also remain bound by the settlement, meaning you lose your right to sue Hetero separately for the same claims. Courts rarely reopen claim periods once a deadline passes, so file as early as possible.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes?

 It may. Payments that reimburse you for money spent on a product — rather than compensating you for a physical injury — are generally treated as taxable income by the IRS. Consult a tax professional about how to report any settlement payment you receive.

Why is the purchase window only three months — May to July 2018?

 The FDA issued a voluntary recall of certain Hetero valsartan products in the summer of 2018, specifically targeting batches manufactured using Hetero’s Process III method. The settlement covers only that narrow window of confirmed contaminated supply, not all Hetero valsartan sold at any time.

What if I no longer have my prescription bottle or pharmacy receipts?

 You can still file a standard claim without documentation — up to $120 — based on your recollection of purchases. For documented claims above that amount, contact your pharmacy directly. Most pharmacies retain prescription dispensing records for several years and can provide a printout.

Is this the same case as the Aurobindo Irbesartan settlement? 

They are related but separate settlements within the same federal MDL. If you took Aurobindo’s irbesartan since January 2016, a separate $2 million settlement also has a June 2, 2026, deadline. See the full details on the Aurobindo Irbesartan drug contamination settlement to check your eligibility for that claim too.

Sources & References

1. Official Settlement Website: sartanmedicationsettlement.com
2. Official Claim Portal: sartanmedicationsettlement.pnclassaction.com
3. Court Docket: In re: Valsartan, Losartan, and Irbesartan Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 1:19-md-02875-RBK-SAK, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
4. Settlement FAQ (Official): sartanmedicationsettlement.com/faqs/#Hetero

Last Updated: April 7, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.