Spain: CNMC to fine Big Pharma collusion

Spanish competition authority CNMC has filed charges against the country’s leading pharmaceuticals, including Pfizer, S.L.U., Janssen-Cilag, S.A., Merck Sharp & Dohme de España S.A., Lilly, S.A., Sanofi-Aventis, S.A. and Novartis Farmacéutica, S.A. over alleged uncompetitive agreements. The companies are suspected of having set up distribution systems geared towards maintaining a double-pricing scheme, as well as agreements between the various laboratories.

The case dates back to a complaint presented by the European Association of Euro Pharmaceutical Companies (EAEPC) in 2007. In 2009 the CNMC’s predecessor, the CNC, decided to dismiss the case, having failed to find any evidence of competition law violations.

The decision by the former regulator was reversed in March 2016, with a resolution reopening the files and urging the CNMC to continue their investigations into the case.

Full Content: CNMC

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