CORONAVIRUS IS NOT A REASON FOR ENRICHMENT

Moscow OFAS issued warnings to stop disseminating incorrect information about diagnostics and treatment of coronavirus

Moscow antimonopoly body exposed several medical facilities that were misleading the population about performing diagnostics of coronovirus.

The information was obtained by Moscow OFAS in cooperation with the Office of Roszdravnadzor [the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare] in Moscow and the Moscow region. According to the official data of the latter, the need for diagnostics of coronavirus is established by a medical doctor based on strict medical indications, and the test is not related at all to the services offered by private medical facilities.

The “Open Clinic” chain of medical clinics (openclinics.ru), “SM-Clinic” Medical Centres (smclinic.ru), and the Pulmonology Research Institute (pulmonls.ru), however, offered in their advertisement and on their web-sites to diagnose coronovirus through lungs X-ray, MRI, general clinical tests and other basic medical procedures, and even treat coronavirus with involvement of their doctors. These expensive offers are contrary to facts and constitute deliberate misleading of potential consumers.

Armen Khanayn, Head of Moscow OFAS, commented: "It is principally impossible to use people and their concerns for personal enrichment. It is amoral and we shall suppress any kind of such actions".

"Offering services for diagnostics of coronavirus are unreasonable not only from the medical point of view but also from the ethical aspect. It is yet another attempt to capitalize on people’s concern of their health”, pointed out Stats-Secretary, Deputy Head of FAS Andrey Tsarikovsky. “Such actions also include increasing prices for essential goods amidst panic demand and advertising non-existent services. All this is unscrupulous and shall be rigidly suppressed".

Moscow OFAS found that actions of “Open Clinic” Ltd., “Prospekt Mira” Treatment-and-Diagnostic Centre” Ltd., “SM-Clinic” Ltd., “DERICE” Ltd. and “Medical Centre” Ltd. violate Articles 14.2 and 14.8 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and issued warnings to immediately terminate disseminating incorrect information about diagnostics and treatment of coronavirus by any means, and generally do not offer patients any medical services by mentioning coronavirus.

To avoid administrative liability, the companies must execute the warnings within 10 days.