UK Disqualifies Pharma Executive for Price-Fixing of Drug

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured the disqualification of pharmaceutical company director Amit Patel after he admitted his role in arrangements that broke competition law.

Amit Patel has signed undertakings that ban him from holding a director role at any UK company for the next 5 years, in connection with his involvement in illegal arrangements during his time at Auden McKenzie, the regulator determined.

From September 2014 to May 2015, Mr Patel was a director at the pharmaceutical company Auden McKenzie. A CMA investigation into agreements affecting the supply of nortriptyline, an National Health Service (NHS) prescribed drug used by thousands of patients to relieve the symptoms of depression, found that Auden McKenzie and King Pharmaceuticals had shared out between them the supply of the drug to a large pharmaceutical wholesaler.

The 2 companies agreed that King would supply only 25mg tablets and Auden Mckenzie only 10mg tablets. They also agreed to fix quantities and prices to the wholesaler.

The object of this agreement was to limit competition, meaning the NHS – and ultimately the taxpayer, could have been paying higher prices than if competition hadn’t been restricted by the agreement.

Full Content: Gov UK

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.