VSL Probiotic Settlement: $20 Million for VSL#3 Buyers
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If you bought the probiotic VSL#3 in the U.S. between June 1, 2016 and June 19, 2019, a $20 million settlement in Starr v. VSL Pharmaceuticals pays $20 per bottle or box — one unit per household without proof, up to 40 units ($800) with proof. The deadline to file a claim, opt out or object is October 20, 2026. Nothing is paid until the court grants final approval; the hearing is set for January 6, 2027.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the VSL Probiotic Class Action Claims
The vsl probiotic class action was brought by VSL#3 buyers against VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Leadiant Biosciences, Inc. and Alfasigma USA, Inc., the companies that licensed, marketed and sold the product. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants told consumers the VSL#3 sold during the class period had been proven in clinical tests to work for certain medical conditions, when that formulation was not the one behind the studies, and that buyers overpaid as a result. The defendants deny all claims, and the official notice says “It has not been determined in court whether Plaintiffs are correct.”
The case grew out of an earlier fight between competitors: De Simone v. VSL Pharmaceuticals, No. 8:15-cv-01356, brought with ExeGi Pharma, which per class counsel ended in a jury verdict and a permanent injunction against Alfasigma and Leadiant over false advertising of VSL#3, affirmed on appeal. That was a business dispute; consumers are paid only through the Starr settlement. For the full background and the claim mechanics, see our report The $20 Million VSL#3 Settlement Pays $20 a Box.
Case Details
Starr v. VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Case No. 8:19-cv-02173-LKG, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, before Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby. The complaint was filed on July 23, 2019. In December 2020 the court (Judge Theodore D. Chuang) denied the motion to dismiss and let the RICO allegations proceed. A nationwide class was certified on January 28, 2025, and the Fourth Circuit refused to hear the defendants’ appeal of that ruling (No. 25-115, April 7, 2025). After mediation, the court granted preliminary approval on July 8, 2026 and appointed Angeion Group as administrator. The official site is VSL3Lawsuit.com.
Status: Settlement Approved Preliminarily, Claims Open
Don't miss the claim deadline
Claims are due by October 20, 2026. We'll email you 7 days and 1 day before the deadline.
Who Can Claim
You are in the class if you bought VSL#3 in the United States between June 1, 2016 and June 19, 2019. People who bought only to resell, the defendants’ officers and directors, the judges on the case and their staff, and class counsel are excluded.
The practical test is the notice. The court says class counsel obtained purchase records for more than 200,000 class members from the defendants and retailers, and those buyers were notified by email or mail. If you received a notice with Notice credentials, those records count as your proof of purchase. If you got nothing but remember buying VSL#3 in that window, you can still file — with receipts, or without proof for one unit per household.
How Much the VSL Probiotic Settlement Pays
Those figures move. If few people claim, payments rise pro rata but never above three times face value (so at most $60 for a no-proof claim and $2,400 for a 40-unit claim). If many claim, payments shrink pro rata. Our own arithmetic: if the court grants every requested fee, expense and award, about $11.8 million of the $20 million remains for claimants. The parties have proposed paying within 60 days after the settlement’s Effective Date, which cannot happen before the January 6, 2027 hearing and could be delayed by any appeal. Personal-injury claims are not released. Run your numbers in our class action settlement payout calculator.
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 9,880 federal civil cases of this typeclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025, 8.9% of them filed as class actions:
- 11.9% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 18.5% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 11.9% and 30.4%.
- 10.2% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 162 reached a trial (0.6%), after a median of 36.1 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 5.4 months.
- Only 211 of them (2.1%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $2,500,000.
These are base rates for this type of case (civil RICO) — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
VSL#3 Settlement Timeline
- 1
July 23, 2019 — Class Action Filed
VSL#3 buyers sue VSL Pharmaceuticals, Leadiant and Alfasigma in federal court in Maryland, case 8:19-cv-02173.
- 2
December 2020 — Case Survives Dismissal
Judge Chuang denies the motion to dismiss and lets the RICO allegations go forward.
- 3
January 28, 2025 — Class Certified
Judge Griggsby certifies a nationwide class of buyers from June 1, 2016 to June 19, 2019. The Fourth Circuit declines review on April 7, 2025.
- 4
July 8, 2026 — Preliminary Approval
The court preliminarily approves the $20 million non-reversionary settlement and appoints Angeion Group as administrator.
- 5
October 20, 2026 — Claim, Opt-Out and Objection Deadline
Last day to file a claim online or by mail postmarked, to exclude yourself, or to object. Late claims are not covered by the notice.
- 6
January 6, 2027 — Final Approval Hearing
Judge Griggsby decides whether to approve the settlement and the fee request. The parties have proposed paying within 60 days after the settlement’s Effective Date.
Three Things to Watch For
A real settlement with a near deadline and a name few people remember invites imitators:
Look-alike claim sites
The only court-authorized site is VSL3Lawsuit.com, run by Angeion Group. A page that asks for a fee, your Social Security number or bank login to “process” a VSL#3 claim is not the settlement.
“Your payment is ready” messages
No money has been approved: the court decides on January 6, 2027 at the earliest. An email or text claiming your VSL#3 payment is waiting now, and asking you to confirm details through a link, is fake.
Calls offering to raise your payout
Payouts follow a fixed formula: $20 a unit, one unit without proof, 40 units at most. Nobody can raise your amount for a fee; the official number for questions is 1-844-942-4216.
VSL Probiotic Settlement — Questions People Actually Ask
Is the VSL probiotic settlement real?
Yes. It is Starr v. VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., No. 8:19-cv-02173-LKG in federal court in Maryland, preliminarily approved on July 8, 2026. A notice from Angeion Group pointing to VSL3Lawsuit.com is legitimate.
Who qualifies?
Anyone who bought VSL#3 in the United States between June 1, 2016 and June 19, 2019, except resellers, the defendants’ officers and directors, court staff and class counsel. Purchases outside those dates are not covered.
How much will I get?
$20 per bottle or box. One unit per household without proof; with proof, at least three units ($60) and at most 40 units ($800). The final figure can rise up to three times or fall, depending on how many valid claims come in.
What is the deadline?
October 20, 2026, for claims (online, or mailed with that postmark), exclusions and objections. Claims filed after that date are not provided for in the notice.
I don’t have receipts. Can I still claim?
Yes, for one unit per household. If you received a notice with Notice credentials, the sales records behind it count as proof, which can unlock more units.
When will the VSL#3 settlement pay?
Not before final approval. The hearing is January 6, 2027; the parties have proposed paying within 60 days after the settlement’s Effective Date, and the notice says other reasons could delay payment. Any appeal would push payment back.
How much goes to the lawyers?
Class counsel asked on September 21, 2026 for $6,666,666.67 in fees plus $1,241,580 in expenses. The court decides at or after the January 6, 2027 hearing; objections to the fee request are due October 20, 2026 along with all others.
I had side effects from VSL#3. Does this settlement cover that?
No. The vsl probiotic settlement covers the price paid, not injuries, and the notice states the release does not include personal-injury claims. A separate injury claim is a question for a lawyer.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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