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Northern Ireland’s health service is to be paid over £800,000 by an international drugs company in a settlement of a claim of alleged price fixing.
US based Norton healthcare Ltd and Norton Pharmaceuticals Ltd offered the sum in a case that has centred around alleged anti-competitive cartel conduct in connection with the supply of generic drugs to the health service in Northern Ireland.
The civil claim, put forward by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Board, was settled when Norton offered the figure but did not admit liability.
In a similar deal just twenty four hours before the Northern Ireland settlement, Norton had also agreed to pay out £2,837,500 to the Scottish health service.
Northern Ireland Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said: “The money recovered from Norton will be used to support the delivery of front line patient services.”
Northern Ireland received a £250,000 settlement payment earlier this year from the Goldshield Group, based in Croydon, Surrey who also paid Scotland £750,000 under similar terms. It also paid £4 million England’s Department of Health last June.
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Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland
