Feb. 20, 2001-- If you think prescription drug prices are too high, wait until you hear this. A drug maker is accused of jacking up prices 2,000 to 3,000 percent on pills.

Now, that drug company is agreeing to reimburse patients to the tune of $70-million. News Specialist Debbie Dujanovic explains what happened, and which pills are involved.

WAYNE KLEIN/ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, "IT OFFENDS ME, IT IS AGGREGIOUS, IT IS UNCONSCIENABLE."

What's got Assistant Attorney General Wayne Klein so upset? A major price jump in two anti-anxiety pills!

Wayne Klein/Assistant Attorney General: "ONE WOMAN WAS CHOOSING BETWEEN THIS DRUG FOR ANXIETY AND HER ANTI-CHOLESTEROL DRUG -- AND SHE GAVE UP THE ANTI-CHOLESTERAL DRUG, WHICH WAS MORE DAMAGING TO HER HEALTH BECAUSE SHE NEEDED THIS DRUG TO COPE ON A DAILY BASIS."

In a $100-million settlement, patients who bought lorazepam and clorazepate at jacked up prices, will get a big chunk of money back from the drug maker: Mylan laboratories.

Both drugs treat anxiety -- often used for to calm dying patients and their fears of death.

DEBBIE DUJANOVIC: "THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE SAYS WHAT THE COMPANY DID WAS ILLEGALLY-- CORNER ALL THE RAW INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE THE TWO DRUGS, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD MAKE THEM -- THE PRICES WENT SKY HIGH."

Two-thousand to three-thousand percent higher!

In the late 90's the price of clorazepate jumped from $23 a bottle to $754 a bottle! Lorazepam from $14 to $378 a bottle.

Long-time local pharmacist Dean Jolley says patients need to pay attention to prices and report problems.

Dean Jolley/Jolley's Pharmacy: "DOUBLE CHECK WHAT'S GOING ON FOR YOUR OWN HEALTH AND YOUR OWN POCKETBOOK."

WAYNE KLEIN, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, "WE GOT COMPLAINTS FROM DOCTORS, WE GOT COMPLAINTS FROM PHARMACISTS WHO SAID SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE."

Those complaints led to a statewide, and nationwide investigation. Now patients who bought the pills will enjoy a big payout -- on average -- each person will get $600 back.

As for the prices now, they've come down significantly. Because more companies can get the raw ingredients, there's more competition.

A bottle of Lorazepam, for example, is selling for $44.