Epic Health Systems Seeks Dismissal of Antitrust Suit Filed by Particle Health

Epic Systems, a leading electronic health record (EHR) company, has requested that a federal district court dismiss an antitrust lawsuit filed against it by Particle Health, a health tech startup. According to Fierce Pharma, Epic’s late Thursday filing argues that Particle Health has not provided sufficient evidence of anticompetitive conduct to support its claims.

The legal dispute stems from a lawsuit filed by Particle Health in September in the Southern District of New York. The startup, which offers a data platform aggregating health information for digital health companies via APIs, alleges that Epic is leveraging its dominant market position to stifle competition. The platform connects users to medical records for over 300 million patients. As reported by Fierce Pharma, Epic holds a commanding 36% share of the hospital EHR market, making it a significant player in the health IT landscape.

In its 81-page complaint, Particle accuses Epic of monopolistic practices and claims that the company is intentionally obstructing the exchange of patient information. According to Fierce Pharma, the lawsuit alleges that Epic uses its influence over EHR systems to extend its dominance into the emerging market for payer platforms.

Related: Epic Systems Seeks Dismissal of Antitrust Lawsuit Filed by Particle Health

Epic’s 45-page motion to dismiss counters these claims, asserting that Particle’s lawsuit is “nothing more than a baseless retributive attack.” Epic also alleges that Particle enabled its customers to access confidential patient records under false pretenses, which, according to the filing, was uncovered by Epic and its healthcare provider clients.

Particle Health responded to the motion with confidence. “We remain confident that our claims will survive the motion,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Per Fierce Pharma, Epic’s filing contends that Particle failed to establish a clear definition of a relevant antitrust product market, a key component for a successful antitrust claim. Epic also argues that the lawsuit lacks plausible allegations of anticompetitive behavior.

Source: Fierce Pharma