US: Surescripts faces antitrust suit

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed an antitrust lawsuit against the health information network Surescripts on Wednesday, April 24, accusing them of using illegal means to maintain monopolies over two portions of the electronic prescribing market, reported Reuters.

Surescripts said in a statement that it was “disappointed” by the lawsuit and had been cooperating with the agency.

The FTC accused Surescripts, which provides a range of electronic records and prescribing services to doctors, pharmacists, and patients, of requiring long-term exclusivity from customers and punishing them with high prices if they bought some prescriptions from another company.

Surescripts provides a network that allows health care providers to send prescriptions to pharmacies electronically. It also contacts patients’ insurance companies to determine benefit eligibility.

“Surescripts’ illegal contracts denied customers and, ultimately, patients, the benefits of competition – including lower prices, increased output, thriving innovation, higher quality, and more customer choice,” said Bruce Hoffman, the head of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition.