Scottish Government reach settlement over NHS drugs supply
Drugs firm pays £225,000 in settlement over anti-competition allegations
The Scottish Government has reported that it has reached settlement with a pharmaceutical company over alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the supply of drugs to the NHS. OPD Cartons Limited (formerly Kent Pharmaceuticals Limited) has agreed, on a full and final basis, to pay £225,000 in compensation.
In February 2005, the Scottish Ministers and Scottish Health Boards lodged claims in the civil courts in England against a number of companies, in connection with forming alleged price-fixing cartels in respect of the following generic drugs - Warfarin, Ranitidine and Penicillin-based drugs.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon, said: "I am pleased that our discussions with Kent have been concluded on a positive note and have resulted in a satisfactory settlement."
Peter MacIntyre, Interim Head of Service at the National Health Service Scotland (NHSS) Counter Fraud Services, added: "This outcome is a welcome one and I am glad that the CFS has played a role in this."
It might be of interest to other EHFCN members since some of the companies involved operate in other European countries.
