A PYMNTS Company

Mexico: Antitrust Commission investigates drug sector

By  |  October 19, 2016

Mexico’s antitrust commission opened an investigation into possible monopolistic practices in the medicines sector, which has been under scrutiny since a leak earlier this year from the Panama papers revealed a questioned deal involving the country’s largest private drug distributor.

In a statement Wednesday, the federal competition commission said “some public information” prompted the investigation, which was opened in May. The commission can initiate probes before making them public to determine whether there are grounds for continuing the investigation.

The commission said it is investigating possible monopolist practices, such as price-fixing or allocation of customers between market players, in the production, distribution and sale of medicines in Mexico.

The commission said the investigation includes the purchase of the country’s third-largest pharmaceutical distributor, Casa Marzam SA, by a little-known Dutch fund, since the companies involved are part of the distribution chain, although the overall investigation is much broader.

Full Content: The Wall Street Journal

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletterr for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.