NOWEDA FINED BY CARTEL OFFICE

The German drug wholesaler, Noweda, has been fined 3.1 million Deutschemarks ($1.9 million) by the Federal Cartel Office (BKA) for entering into agreements with other drug wholesalers to cut discounts, an action said to increase the pharmacy purchasing prices for drug products.

There are around 12 other companies which are thought to have been involved in the period between 1987 and 1990. These companies have been fined a total of 34 million marks. The fines are now said to be due because the companies have withdrawn their appeals, according to local reports.

Noweda has said it plans to appeal as no such agreements were made, and discount trends in the years in question were not to the disadvantage of pharmacists.