Pfizer wins appeal against record £90m fine for alleged 'price gouging'

Pfizer
Pfizer and its UK partner increased the price of an anti-epilepsy drug by more than 2,000pc Credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

US drug giant Pfizer has won its appeal against a record £90m fine levied against it and UK manufacturing partner Flynn for allegedly ‘price gouging’ the NHS by jacking up the price of an anti-epilepsy drug by more than 2,000pc.

Watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) - which first levied the fines on the firms in December 2016 - said it was “disappointed” by the verdict and was considering an appeal.

The case related to medicine Epanutin - phenytoin sodium capsules used to control seizures in 50,000 patients - which jumped in price from £2.83 a pack to £67.50 overnight.

The two drug firms had taken advantage of the fact Epanutin had fallen out of patent to rebrand it and increase...

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