Anti-competitive conduct in the pharmaceutical sector

The pharmaceutical sector operates at a complex crossroads of public and private interests, where innovation, protected by patents and driven by high investment in research and development, often clashes with the universal need for access to safe and affordable treatments. Characterized as a "differentiated oligopoly," the market is subject to high regulation, price controls, and significant information asymmetry, making it fertile ground for the proliferation of conduct that restricts competition. It is in this challenging scenario that this work fits in, offering an overview of how competition authorities around the world have dealt with illegal practices. The book catalogs dozens of cases that illustrate the most diverse anti-competitive strategies adopted by companies and the reaction of authorities and the enforcement mechanisms used to curb such practices."