Spain: CNMC strikes at Aspen pharmaceutical group over market power abuse

Spanish competition authority CNMC has started sanction procedures against the Ireland-based Aspen Group pharmaceutical, as well as its Spanish distributor, Deco Pharma SL, over alleged abuses of market power, including denial of supply of certain drugs, excessive prices, and agreements to limit distribution and cause deliberate shortages.

The actions mentioned would be in violation of the country’s Competition Defense Law, as well as the Treaty on the Function of the European Union, by causing deliberate shortages of certain products in the national market in order to avoid the price guidelines set by the Spanish market, importing said products from other countries and allowing Aspen to set its own prices.

The CNMC’s probe was kick-started after information on these possible uncompetitive practices were notified by the Italian Competition Authority, from where some of the medications involved have been imported.

Full Content: CNMC

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