Germany fines Bayer €10m in drug pricing case

28 May 2008 16:17  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Germany’s competition authority has fined Bayer €10.34m ($16.15m) for allegedly influencing pharmacies to maintain the company’s recommended resale price on non-prescription over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, it said on Wednesday.

 

Bayer’s drug distribution arm Bayer Vital had allegedly promised discounts to some 11,000 of Germany’s 21,000 pharmacies if they adhered to the resale price recommendations, in violation of competition law, the Bundeskartellamt said.

 

Bayer said in a statement it disagreed with the ruling but would pay the fine to avoid a protracted legal dispute.

 

Meanwhile, Bayer Vital had reviewed its marketing practises towards pharmacies and revised them in cases where this was necessary, Bayer added.

 

($1 = €0.64)

 

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By: Stefan Baumgarten
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