NAN-F-37
Cancer
Johannesburg, June 14, 2017 (Reuters/NAN) U.S. drug maker, Pfizer, on Wednesday, denied allegations that it over-charged for cancer medicines in South Africa following an investigation launched into three drug companies by the country’s competition watchdog.
The Competition Commission said it would investigate Aspen Pharmacare, Africa’s biggest generic drugmaker, Pfizer, and Swiss-based Roche Holding on suspicion of charging too much for cancer medicines.
Pfizer denied it supplied its lung cancer product at the alleged price of 12,046 dollars.
It said that it would cooperate fully with the investigation.
“We await the opportunity to be contacted by the Commission to clarify the pricing for this product,” Pfizer said.
The Commission said it had information that suggested that Pfizer’s lung cancer treatment cost approximately 152,000 rand for 250 mg when bought through an agent.
Aspen, a local company based in Durban, denied any wrongdoing.
The company said it did not increase its prices for medicines used to treat leukaemia beyond the margin approved by the South African health department.
However, the third company to be investigated, Roche, said in an email that it had not been formally notified by the Commission.
It also said that it would cooperate fully with the authorities. (Reuters/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu