Ratiopharm under bribery investigation

German pharmaceutical firm Ratiopharm is being inves-tigated on suspicion of having defrauded the health insur-ance system by "bribing" doctors to prescribe its generic versions of branded drugs. The General Public Prosecutor's office in the Bavarian city of Stuttgart has launched an official investigation into the company following media reports and individual complaints.

Ratiopharm is accused of bribing doctors with cash and expensive electronic devices to prescribe its medications to patients - even if they cost more than those on offer by competitors.

Public Prosecutor Rainer Christ said his office had reason to believe the company could have systematically deceived Germany's health insurance system. He said: "we are of the opinion that grounds for suspicion of fraud and betrayal exist and that investigations are necessary."