Pharmaceutical company settles with the Department of Health

The UK Department of Health and Ranbaxy (UK) Ltd recently announced settlement of the claims brought against Ranbaxy for alleged anti-competitive cartel conduct in connection with the supply to the National Health Service (NHS) of generic drugs between 1996 and 2000. As part of the settlement, Ranbaxy agreed to "compensate the NHS by payment of £4.5 million and to provide co-operation in the context of the ongoing proceedings".The Secretary of State for Health, the Prescription Pricing Authority and 28 English strategic health authorities issued three proceedings in the High Court against a number of generic pharmaceutical companies during the course of 2002 to 2004. Frontier (London) has been retained by the Department of Health in relation to each of the proceedings.