Pfizer Accused of Overcharging for Epilepsy Seizure Drug by UK Competition Watchdog
August 05 2021 - 3:00AM
Dow Jones News
By Ian Walker
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority said Thursday that it
has provisionally found that Pfizer Inc. broke competition law by
charging unfairly high prices for phenytoin sodium capsules, which
is used to treat epileptic seizures.
The regulator said that over a four-year period Pfizer charged
the U.K. National Health Service 780% to 1,600% more for the drug
than it had previously. The company then sold the drug to another
company--Flynn-- who sold it for between 2,300% and 2,600% more
than before.
"As Pfizer and Flynn were the dominant suppliers of the drug in
the U.K., the NHS had no choice but to pay unfairly high prices for
this vital medicine," the CMA said.
The regulator said that both Pfizer and Flynn have the
opportunity to respond to its provisional findings and that it will
consider their representations before making a final decision on
whether they broke the law.
Pfizer wasn't immediately available to comment when contacted
early Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.
Write to Ian Walker at ian.walker@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 05, 2021 02:54 ET (06:54 GMT)
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