February 13/2003
Japan Fair Trade Commission
FTC sentenced to pay surcharge to ten corporations wholesaling drugs/medicines on 10 February 2003 under Section 48-2 (1) of the Antimonopoly Act.
1. Outline of violation (recommendation 3 Dec 2001, decision 21 Jan 2002)
There was a tacit coordinated interaction with each other that VITAL-NET, Inc. and nine other corporations should not try to interfere with their counterparts' drug transactions that had been already ongoing, and not to deprive themselves of business chances. Moreover,they agreed to and fixed discount rates off drug price standards to medical institutions. [violation of Section 3 of the Antimonopoly Act,as prescribed in 7-2 (1)]
2. The total amount of surcharge
The total number of corporations charged : 10 corporations
The total amount of surcharge: 536,790 thousand yen
3. The due date: 11 April 2003
*Every announcement is tentative translation. Please refer to the original text written in Japanese.
