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| Drugs firm to pay NHS £8m after competition probe | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Drugs firm Aspen is to pay £8m to the NHS after an investigation into the supply of a life-saving drug to thousands of patients. | Drugs firm Aspen is to pay £8m to the NHS after an investigation into the supply of a life-saving drug to thousands of patients. |
| The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the firm offered to make the payment following an investigation. | The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the firm offered to make the payment following an investigation. |
| The CMA said it suspects competition law was broken after Aspen paid two rivals to stay out of the market. | The CMA said it suspects competition law was broken after Aspen paid two rivals to stay out of the market. |
| This left Aspen as the only UK supplier of fludrocortisone and able to set prices without competition, it added. | |
| Andrea Coscelli, the CMA's chief executive, said it was "unacceptable for the NHS - and the taxpayers who fund it - to have to pay millions of pounds more than they should for this life-saving drug". | Andrea Coscelli, the CMA's chief executive, said it was "unacceptable for the NHS - and the taxpayers who fund it - to have to pay millions of pounds more than they should for this life-saving drug". |
| The prescription-only fludrocortisone is mainly used to treat Addison's Disease, a rare deficiency of the adrenal glands. | The prescription-only fludrocortisone is mainly used to treat Addison's Disease, a rare deficiency of the adrenal glands. |
| This is the first time a CMA investigation will secure a payment such as this for the NHS. | This is the first time a CMA investigation will secure a payment such as this for the NHS. |
| In addition, Aspen will ensure that there are at least two fludrocortisone suppliers in the UK. |