In one case, an executive at a pharmaceutical company had an employee email a competitor to discuss strategy. In another, a drug maker allegedly struck a bargain with another so that each company could maintain its respective market share. And in yet another, prosecutors say, two pharma companies compared notes while simultaneously boosting prices of their drugs.
Those details, and many others, are laid out in the unredacted complaint of a lawsuit filed by several states that alleged generic drug makers schemed to fix prices, according to a copy we obtained.
About the Author Reprints
Two thoughts:
1) There are clear examples of collusion / anti-competitive behavior within this article. Any direct engagement on pricing strategies between two direct competitors is a red flag.
2) There is also a distinction that must be made, where collusion is assumed but actually did not occur. Being adept at game theory is itself not collusion. In other words, strategic non-competition is smart business strategy in the right situations and in no way running afoul of anti-competitive law. If there’s only one other participant in the market, why would I undercut that company? What benefit would exist to me by starting a price war? There’s a material difference between #1 – actually colluding and #2 – deciding to not engage in a price war.
Buying cheap is ok, as long as the meds are not KILLING YOU!! PLEASE do everything in your power to get Congress to pass laws immediately to stop this serious health threat to you & us ALL. I am a retired College Counselor, teacher, etc. & am totally shocked to have learned, by accident, that most all our vital medicines are being made in germ-filled India (FDA-India & Mexico brought Incurable TB); & made in Communist China (U.S. & Canada, 1-4-2019, have warnings not to travel into China!). For many yrs. FDA known of false med. reports, & using cancer-causing fillers in our medicines, even ingredients used in Insecticides!! Two yrs. ago, Mexico was using “powdered CONCRETE in our meds! The FDA is doing almost no inspections in China & India as govn’t Control. These countries Only Interest is our Money! We must DEMAND our Pharmacies not buy medicines from these countries, & MEDICARE could help by not paying for their medicines as “NEVER Improve!” Medicare recently stopped payments for heart transplants at St. Luke’s Hospital for “not improving” (Houston Chronicle Th. 1-17-2019). Here are a few “Proven” Problems: 9-13-2018, Health Canada, using bad China’s Zhejiang Hushai & Torrent Companies used carcinogens in blood-pressure Valsartan used in making Pesticides & Rocket Fuel. In 2015-2017 & 11-13-2018, Sandoz Co. heart Valsartan had “contamination.” 1-2-2019, U.S. Aurobindo’s India Pharm. again had cancer chemicals in Valsartan! Again 1-2-2019 Cancer ingred. In heart/blood pressure meds)! The Westminister China Co., 8-16-2018, had recall of Thyroid Levothyroxin, for “impurities” & would not tell me What! 12-2018, N.J. Camber Co. uses Proven bad India Hetro Co., put heart meds in wrong bottles; Hetro, 8-9-2018, put deadly Nitrosodimethlamine in all mg. of Valsartan! One of many U.S. subs. in India, Accord Healthcare, mislabeled blood pressure medicine; another med. needed 12.5 mg. hydrochlorothiazide & they used spirolactone 25 mg. that depletes the body of potassium, rather than raising potassium-is deadly! Many Co.’s have been caught fabricating data (ie. Aurobindo, Zydus Camila, Dr. Reddy’s, Strides Arco, Ranbaxy, GVK Bio-Science Labs, Yag Mag Labs, in India & China. 2-5-2019 FDA alert, “Dr. Reddy’s Lab continues recalls of more Hosp. Injection meds for Mislabeling!” India has 526 Drug Labs with recently 10 (questionable) investigators & China has 517 Drug plants, with only 3 (loyal to China) investigators for the entire country! Read: 1-4-2019, Chicago Sun Times “Health,” “Tainted Drugs—Are Prescription Hospital Meds Making You Sicker!” Read: 11-12-2018, Eric Palmer, “More Problems with Manufacturing Meds in India,” shows Mylan & Sandoz (a generic arm of Novartis) had problems in 2015-2018 & had the same problems before with “impurities” that can cause cancer, etc. Read: The People’s Pharmacy, 9-10-2018, Pharm. Joe Graedon: “Do You Have Any Idea Where Your Pills Are Made?” & in Daily Yahoo, Nov. 30, 2018, “More Blood Pressure Drugs Being Recalled Over Cancer Concerns.” On 12-9-2018, over-the-counter cold medicines for children recalled. 10-12-2018, children in hospitals from Children’s Makeup that China titled “a toy” to AVOID U.S. Health Regulations & Christmas Day, 2018, exploding toy batteries badly damaged children’s eyes! June 8, 2018: The U.S. Dept. of State updated it’s alert to not travel to China after U.S. evacuated Embassy Personnel & their families from Guangzhou, China, being tested for symptoms of traumatic brain injury from poison gases used on them (as did recently in Cuba). The Chinese President & Vice Presid., Mike Pence, at the World Leaders Summit, outlined competing visions for “trade & Global Leadership!” Fri.12-21-2018, Newsmax: White House Trade Adviser, Peter Navarro: China is trying to steal the future of Japan, the U.S. & Europe, by going after our technology, “Trying to Steal the Future” of the U.S.” Yet we are buying everything from a Communist Country making them rich, & allowing them to make our vital medicines!! Even an India Dr. & wife in NYC were re-using needles & medicine, killed some & after lost license moved to Las Vegas & did the Same killing more! I could write a book on deaths caused by most all products from China, from new homes after hurricanes having asbestos & chemicals in Sheetrock & flooring causing cancer in families & pets; 12-10-2018 hot-water-heaters a fire hazard or carbon-monoxide poisoning; baby bottles a choking hazard; China electronic “ear-plugs” cause cancer; exploding cell phones, etc. 11-8-2018, lead in Scouts Uniforms/clasps & all painted toys, etc. I & many others got Lead Poisoning from the dye in India blouses & the skin specialist warned me was common! After many warnings about cancer causing (esp. in bones & liver) Cadmium in jewelry, 10-11-2018, it was found in 40%-100% of all jewelry-sold in Nat’l. Retailers like Ross & Nordstrom, etc. The FDA can’t demand a recall; can “only recommend”based on CenterDiseaseControl findings & often over-rides own “bans!” When call Pharmaceutical Co.’s must demand “Medical Dept.” for “truth” of where medicine made! DEMAND our meds be made in U.S., (Puerto Rico was making my Thyroid meds, I trust), but demand very close FDA supervision! Sincerely, Ms. Fields [email protected]