EU promises pharma 'anticompetitive' report soon
The European Commission's preliminary report into suspected anticompetitive practices by pharma companies in the EU is expected to be published in November.
The European Commission's preliminary report into suspected anticompetitive practices by pharma companies in the EU is expected to be published in November.
The Commission said it will then assess reactions from the pharma sector and the general public before formulating a final report in the spring of 2009.
"The ongoing investigation is in full swing. We have sent a third set of questionnaires to the companies involved," said Jonathan Todd, spokesman for Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition.
Launching the inquiry in early 2008, Commissioner Kroes had stated that there were indications that competitiveness in European pharma markets might not be operating as it should. The inquiry seeks to determine whether pharma companies are obstructing product placement in EU markets through misuse of patent rights, contentious practices or other unfair means.
The Commission has inspected the premises of a number of companies, including AstraZeneca, sanofi-aventis, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Sandoz. If irregularities or illegal practices are unearthed, the companies could face heavy fines, EU officials said.
Meanwhile, EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva has launched another "EU Sweep" that is believed to be investigating online pharmaceuticals.
The Sweep is a new kind of enforcement action in which a systematic check is carried out simultaneously in different member states to investigate breaches of consumer protection law.