The level of cartelization of public procurement of medicinal drugs is going up

Andrey Tenishev estimates that it reached 50% of all pharmaceutical procurement

On 6 April 2017 Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department Andrey Tenishev informed participants of the session on “Efficient procurement in health care” at «GOSZAKAZ – For fair procurement” Forum and Exhibition, about pharmaceutical cartels exposed by FAS.

He pointed out that FAS has exposed over 70 anticompetitive agreements in public procurement in medicinal drugs and medical products. The decisions on such violations were made in 80 regions of Russia. Anti-cartel investigations in this filed continue. Cartel participants were imposed administrative fines for over 600 million RUB.

“At the same time, none of public procurement ordering parties, regional Health Care Ministries or tender participants supplied us information about cartels”, commented Andrey Tenishev. He pointed out that a number of large cartels are exposed upon statements filed by active members of the All-Russia People’s Front.

FAS has the powers to impose exclusively administrative sanctions, however, if a cartel is recognized, violators are criminally liable under Article 178 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. “We have established cooperation with the law enforcement bodies to open criminal cases for organizing and participating in cartels. Currently criminal cases against cartel participants and officials are opened in several regions, 11 persons are in detention”, emphasizedHead of FAS Anti-Cartel Department.