VSL#3 Probiotic Settlement: How to File Your Claim by October 20
Bought VSL#3 between June 2016 and June 2019? A $20 million settlement pays $20 a unit. The three claim paths, proof rules, payment options, and the October 20 deadline.
If you bought the probiotic VSL#3 between June 1, 2016, and June 19, 2019, a federal class action settlement may pay you $20 for every bottle or box. The long-form notice says “A $20 million Settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit,” and the only way to be paid is to file a claim by October 20, 2026. You do not need a receipt to file, but what you can prove decides how much you can claim. This guide explains the three claim paths, what each one pays, how to be paid, when money could arrive, and what you give up by filing.
The quick answer
- Who qualifies: “You are a Member of the Class if you purchased VSL#3 in the United States between June 1, 2016, and June 19, 2019”
- What it pays: “$20 per unit of VSL#3 they purchased,” adjusted up or down depending on how many claims come in. A unit is “a bottle or box,” and each bottle in a multipack counts
- Deadline: “All claim forms must be postmarked or submitted online by October 20, 2026.” Exclusion and objection deadlines are the same day
- No receipt? You can still claim “one (1) unit per household,” which is a $20 base before any adjustment
- Got a notice with an ID? The records behind it count as proof of purchase, per the notice, so you can claim the units they show
- When money could arrive: proposed “within sixty (60) days after the Effective Date,” and the final approval hearing is January 6, 2027
- Where to file: the official site, vsl3lawsuit.com. Filing is free
Key facts at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Case | Starr v. VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., No. 8:19-cv-02173-LKG (D. Md.) |
| Settlement fund | $20 million |
| Purchases covered | VSL#3 bought in the US, June 1, 2016 to June 19, 2019 |
| Base benefit | $20 per unit, adjusted pro rata |
| Without proof | One unit per household |
| With proof | The greater of 3 units or the units you can prove, up to 40 units or $800 before adjustment |
| Per-unit ceiling | Not more than three times the stated amount |
| Claim, exclude, or object by | October 20, 2026 |
| Final approval hearing | January 6, 2027, 2:30 p.m. |
| Questions | 1-844-942-4216 |
What the case is about
The plaintiffs claim the defendants “falsely represented to consumers that the formulation of the probiotic VSL#3 that Defendants sold during the Class Period had been proven in clinical tests to be effective for certain medical conditions,” and that buyers “overpaid for the product.” The defendants are VSL Pharmaceuticals, Leadiant Biosciences, and Alfasigma USA. The notice is plain about the other side: “Defendants dispute Plaintiffs’ allegations,” and the court has not decided who is right. The settlement “does not mean that any law was broken.”
Who is in the class
The class is anyone who bought VSL#3 in the United States during the window. Four groups are out: officers and directors of the defendants and their affiliates, anyone who bought “exclusively for resale to a consumer,” the judge and the judge’s staff and family, and class counsel and their staff and family. A person who bought for personal or household use is in. If you are unsure, the notice points you to the class lawyers, and the settlement phone line is 1-844-942-4216.
The three ways to claim
The claim form offers three options, and which one you can use depends on what you have:
| Path | What you need | What you can claim |
|---|---|---|
| Notice ID | An email or postcard notice with a Notice ID | The units in the sales records behind your notice |
| Receipts | Proof of purchase for your bottles or boxes | The greater of 3 units or the units you can prove, up to 40 units or $800 |
| Certify | Nothing but your sworn statement | One unit per household |
In the notice’s words, a notice with credentials means “Class Counsel has obtained records of sales of VSL#3 from Defendants and certain retailers, which counts as proof of purchase.” If you hold both a notice and receipts, the form says “you can receive credit for the greater number of units between Option 1 and Option 2.” The rule for people with proof is that they “may seek a settlement benefit for the greater of (3) units of VSL#3 or the total number of units of VSL#3 for which they submit proof of purchase,” with a ceiling of “up to a maximum of 40 units in total, or $800.”
What the payment really is
The $20 is a starting figure, not a promise. The notice says it is “subject to potential adjustment of the per-unit benefit based on the volume of claims received and the amount available to pay claims.” Two rules bound it:
- If claims are few, payments rise pro rata “although the amount paid per unit will not be more than three times the amounts set forth in this notice”
- If claims are many, “the amounts paid for valid claims will be reduced pro rata”
So one unit could pay less or more than $20, but never more than three times the stated amount per unit. Class counsel will ask the court for fees of “up to one-third of the settlement amount (i.e., up to $6,666,666.67),” which comes out of the fund before claims are paid, as do notice and administration costs.
How to file
- Find your Notice ID if you received an email or postcard. It is the quickest route, because the records count as proof
- Gather proof if you have it. The notice gives “receipts” as its example of proof of purchase. Ideas for where to look, which are our suggestions and not the settlement’s list: order confirmation emails, online retailer order histories, pharmacy or store account histories, and card statements. Check the settlement site’s FAQ or call 1-844-942-4216 if you are unsure a document will count
- Count units, not purchases. Each bottle or box counts, and each bottle in a multipack counts
- File online at vsl3lawsuit.com by October 20 and choose your claim option
- Pick how to be paid. Online claimants choose PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, a virtual prepaid card, or a physical check
- Keep the confirmation. The form warns that “any claim form may be subject to audit, verification, and Court review”
A paper form is possible, mailed to VSL#3 Class Action, c/o Settlement Administrator, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103, but it has a catch: “By filling out this paper form, you are electing to receive any settlement benefit by check. To receive an electronic payment instead, you must use the online claim form.”
When the money could arrive
The parties have asked the court to order payment “within sixty (60) days after the Effective Date of the Settlement,” and the Effective Date depends on final approval. The court “has set a hearing at 2:30 p.m. on January 6, 2027,” but “the date on which the Court will grant final approval is not known,” and the site adds that “No Settlement Benefits will be provided unless the Court approves the Settlement, and it becomes final.” In practice, expect any payment well after the January hearing and check the settlement site for updates.
What you give up, and the other options
If you file, you give up the right to sue the defendants over what the settlement covers. The released claims reach marketing statements, ingredients, and efficacy, but “the Released Claims do not include Legal Claims for personal injury.” Your other choices:
- Exclude yourself: you get nothing and keep your own right to sue. The request must be “in the form of a letter sent by U.S. mail” by October 20
- Object: you must file written objections with the court by October 20, with copies to class counsel
- Do nothing: you receive no benefit and are still bound by the settlement
“Submitting a Claim Form is the only way that you can receive any of the Settlement Benefits.”
Scam check
The notice states “A federal court has authorized this notice” and “This is not a solicitation from a lawyer.” File only on the official site, vsl3lawsuit.com, and be wary of any message that asks for a fee or for payment details outside that site. Our October 2026 settlement deadlines guide lists the other claims closing this month, including another purchase-based case, the pork price-fixing settlement.
Quick answers to what people search
Do I need a receipt to file a VSL#3 claim? No. Without proof you can claim one unit per household by certifying that you bought at least one unit in the class period.
How much will I get? The base figure is $20 per unit, adjusted by claim volume. With proof, the cap is 40 units, which is $800 before adjustment.
What counts as a unit? A bottle or box. Each bottle in a multipack counts.
What is the deadline? October 20, 2026, postmarked or submitted online.
When will the money arrive? The proposal is within 60 days after the Effective Date, and final approval is set for hearing on January 6, 2027.
Can I get paid by PayPal or Venmo? Yes, but only through the online claim form. The paper form pays by check.
Bottom line
If you bought VSL#3 in the window, file at vsl3lawsuit.com by October 20. Use your Notice ID if you have one, add receipts if you kept them, and otherwise certify one unit per household. Choose an electronic payment option online, keep the confirmation, and treat $20 per unit as an estimate that could move either way. Filing releases your claims except for personal injury, and payment depends on final approval after the January 6 hearing.
Settlement terms, deadlines, and payment options quoted from the court-authorized settlement website, the long-form notice, and the claim form linked above, read on October 1, 2026. Settlement terms can change at the final approval hearing, and the settlement site is the authority on your claim. This is general information, not legal advice.