Morning:
13°c
GlaxoSmithKline and fellow British drugmaker AstraZeneca were today accused of price-fixing on their seasonal flu vaccines (SFV) by one of the US's top prosecutors.
The pharmaceuticals giants are being investigated alongside French firm Sanofi-Aventis and Australian rival CSL.
The state of Connecticut's attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, said he had received reports that drugmakers were selling the seasonal flu vaccine for an expensive premium.
He wrote to the pharma firms: “Be advised that I will aggressively pursue enforcement action against any company or individual that is taking advantage of the current SFV shortage to engage in price gouging or other unethical and abusive business practices.”
Blumenthal added: “I will fight to assure no one makes a killing off the seasonal flu vaccine shortage — potentially endangering seniors and the sick.”
He said he had requested information on price, supply levels and distribution methods and was seeking a response by November 15.
