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fizer, Bayer and Eli Lilly have been fined $5.7 million by the Swiss Competition Commission for allegedly fixing the price of their erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra (sildenafil), Levitra (vardenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil). In February, following an investigation that began back in June 2006, the Commission concluded that the firms made “inadmissible” agreements to maintain a recommended public selling price of their drugs. And, despite a vigorous defense in the months subsequently, it has decided on a punitive fine.
The SCC did not clarify the amount each individual company will have to shell out, but it is believed likely they will be proportional to the sales of each respective drug company.
The companies are unlikely to take this lying down and have told journalists they believe they have fully complied with Swiss law and that a case would not stand up in court; they are also looking to challenge the fine.
