Roche, GSK, Pfizer among drugmakers being investigated for corruption by Romanian authorities

3 August 2015

Government authorities in Romania are investigating charges of corruption against domestic units of nearly a dozen big pharma companies including Roche (ROG: SIX), GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK), Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Novartis (NOVN: VX), according to reports.

Romania's National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) is investigating suspicions of corruption offenses related to prescription and purchase of cancer medication by certain health institutions and medical doctors in the country between 2012 and 2015.

It is being alleged that Romania-based subsidiaries of pharma companies, which also includes Teva (NYSE: TEVA), Actavis (now called Allergan), Alvogen, Egis (FRA: EGS) and Glenmark, bribed medical doctors in a bid to pump up sales of their cancer drugs. The scandal involved multiple officials at the oncology sub-program of Romania's National Health Programme, as well as a public health department inspector responsible for pharmacies.

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