In March 2008, the Competition Council applied fines worth RON83.7 million (EUR22.6 million) to pharmaceutical producer Eli Lilly and pharmaceutical wholesalers A&A Medical, Relad Pharma and Mediplus Exim for entering anticompetitive agreements on the market of anti-diabetic medication.
Following an in-depth inquiry, the antitrust body concluded that Eli Lilly Export, on the one hand, and A&A Medical, Relad Pharma and Mediplus Exim, on the other hand, had colluded to share the portfolio of anti-diabetic medical products.
Mediplus was fined RON49.23 million, Relad Pharma was fined RON26.31 million, A&A Medical received a RON4.33 million fine and Eli Lilly Export was fined RON3.823 million.
At that time, Mediplus challenged the fine in court and in March 2011, the Bucharest Court of Appeals ruled in its favor and canceled the fine. Subsequently, the antitrust body appealed the court’s decision with the Supreme Court.
Mediplus is the largest pharmaceutical wholesaler on the local market and is part of A&D Pharma, a company controlled by businessmen Walid Abboud, Roger Akoury, Ludovic Robert and Michel Eid. (EUR1=RON4.3606)