Posted by Michael Wonder on 23 May 2017
US pharma giant Merck & Co. accused of blocking cheaper arthritis drugs for the NHS
23 May 2017 - The US pharmaceuticals giant Merck & Co is accused of abusing its dominance of the market for an arthritis drug to block the NHS from using cheaper alternatives.
Competition authorities hit MSD, as Merck & Co is known outside the US, with formal charges that could lead to fines of tens of millions of pounds.
MSD allegedly attempted to prevent NHS doctors from using rival suppliers of a drug called infliximab, which it sells under the brand name Remicade, after its patent expired in 2015.
