FTC to Investigate Possible Pharma Collusion.(payoffs for delays of generic drug introductions)(Brief Article)

Chemical Market Reporter, October, 2000

Agreements among brand and generic drug makers could be hurting consumers. THE FEDERAL Trade Commission will investigate whether agreements between brand-name and generic drug makers have cost consumers millions of dollars per year by denying them timely access to cheaper pharmaceuticals.

FTC will examine whether companies made deals or used other strategies to delay generic drugs from entering the market after patents expired. Generic drugs typically cost much less than their brand-name counterparts. The commission has already charged four companies with making arrangements that delayed the debuts of generic version of two hypertension drugs: Aventis SA's Cardizem CD and Abbott Laboratories' Hytrin. FTC says brand-name firms have...

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