EU Antitrust Regulators Accept Vifor Pharma’s Pledge to Halt Disparagement of Rival

EU antitrust regulators have accepted concessions from Vifor Pharma, a unit of the Australian group CSL, addressing potential anti-competitive behavior related to a rival iron deficiency treatment. This decision follows a two-year investigation by the European Commission into Vifor Pharma’s marketing practices.

According to Reuters, the European Commission launched the investigation after allegations surfaced that Vifor Pharma’s marketing campaign disseminated misleading information about the safety of Monofer, an iron deficiency treatment developed by Danish company Pharmacosmos. Monofer is the closest competitor to Vifor’s Ferinject, a widely used treatment in the same category.

In response to the Commission’s concerns, Vifor Pharma has committed to implementing a comprehensive and multi-channel communication campaign. This initiative aims to rectify and counteract the effects of the potentially misleading messages previously spread about Monofer’s safety. Reuters reports that this move is designed to ensure that healthcare professionals receive accurate information, addressing the misinformation that may have impacted Monofer’s market position.

The EU competition enforcer stated that Vifor Pharma will refrain from engaging in external promotional and medical communications about Monofer’s safety profile, unless the information is based on Monofer’s official label or derived from clinical trials explicitly comparing Ferinject and Monofer across the entire European Economic Area (EEA). This commitment is set to last for a decade, ensuring long-term compliance and promoting fair competition in the market.

Reuters reports that the European Commission’s acceptance of Vifor Pharma’s concessions highlights the importance of accurate and truthful marketing practices in the pharmaceutical industry. This case underscores the Commission’s role in safeguarding competition and protecting consumer interests by preventing misleading information that could distort the market.

Source: Reuters