Archives
Epilepsy pill price hike of 1,300%
An epilepsy pill price hike of 1,300% has raised eyebrows given that the healthcare authorities have, in reality, had no choice but to accept the massive increase.
The US company at the centre of the price hike, Essential Phrama, claims that the monumental price hike is vital to “ensure the continued supply” of the epilepsy pill, but with such huge costs usually having to be borne on healthcare authorities and patients, questions must be asked.
In the UK, it’s common for such huge price hikes to be investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA); the competition watchdog whose job is to ensure fair competition that’s in the interests of consumers.
Vital Hydrocortisone tablets at the centre of suspected excessive and unfair pricing to the NHS
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are investigating price-hikes of vital hydrocortisone tablets on the basis that they suspect they are being excessively inflated.
Intas Pharmaceuticals Limited and Accord Healthcare Limited, which acquired Actavis UK in January 2017, are at the centre of the CMA’s investigations. The suspicion is breaches of competition laws through unfair prices over the supply of hydrocortisone tablets in the UK to the NHS.
Read More
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued a statement of objections on 9th August 2017 against Intas Pharmaceuticals Limited and its subsidiary Accord Healthcare Limited (which acquired Actavis UK) for suspected breaches of U.K and E.U competition laws.
The CMA believes that the two companies are charging excessive and unfair prices for hydrocortisone tablets, therefore breaking competition law and affecting consumers and the relevant market.
Any form of excessive pricing is bad, but when it comes to medication, you can argue it’s worse. Medication is there to help people and save lives!
Read More
CMA fines Pfizer and Flynn Pharma £90 million for abuse of dominant market position and price hiking
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cracked down on excessive and unfair pricing allegations over Phenytoin Sodium capsules. Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Flynn Pharma are accused of abusing dominant positions in the sector to inflate profits; breaking U.K. and EU competition laws in the process.
The CMA’s investigations were reportedly hampered as Pfizer failed to provide information as requested by the authorities.
Read More
The price of a “lifesaving” NHS drug has dramatically increased due to two companies allegedly agreeing not to compete with one another.
The competition watchdog, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has set up an investigation into an alleged anti-competitive agreement and abusive conduct in respect of hydrocortisone tablets. There’s a suspected breach of Chapters I and II of the Competition Act (CA), and Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) – competition laws.
Essentially, the companies involved are being accused of forming agreements that prevent competition as well as abusing a dominant position in the market.
Read More
The pharmaceutical industry’s £90 million fine for anti-competitive pricing
Earlier this month, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued an infringement decision that two companies had breached competition laws.
The CMA found that Pfizer (Ltd and Inc) and Flynn Pharma (Ltd and Holdings) both abused their respective dominant positions by imposing unfair prices for phenytoin sodium capsules that they sold in the U.K. This infringed the Chapter II Prohibition of the Competition Act (CA) and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
Read More