Investigation into suspected anti-competitive conduct by Vifor Pharma in relation to intravenous iron treatments
The CMA is investigating whether Vifor Pharma might have abused a dominant position through its conduct in relation to intravenous iron treatments.
Case timetable
| Date | Action |
| February 2025 (estimate) | Final decision on commitments, subject to responses to the consultation on the commitments proposed by Vifor Pharma |
| 10 December 2024 to 17 January 2025 | Commitments consultation period |
| 10 December 2024 | Consultation opened on commitments proposed by Vifor Pharma |
| January to November 2024 | Initial investigation: including information gathering, analysis and review of information gathered |
| 31 January 2024 | Investigation opened |
Consultation on commitments
10 December 2024: The CMA published a Notice of intention to accept commitments offered by Vifor Pharma and invited representations from interested third parties on the proposed commitments. The commitments offered by Vifor Pharma – which include an ex gratia payment of £23 million to the NHS and a communication campaign – seek to address the CMA’s competition concerns regarding Vifor Pharma making potentially misleading claims about a competitor’s intravenous iron treatment. The CMA will consider any representations made in response to the consultation before making a final decision on whether or not to accept the proposed commitments.
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Consultation on proposed commitments (10.12.24)
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Press release: NHS set to benefit from £23 million following CMA pharma probe (10.12.24)
Case information
On 31 January 2024, the CMA launched an investigation under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 into a suspected breach of competition law by Vifor Pharma, relating to concerns that Vifor Pharma may have misleadingly disparaged a competing iron treatment, Monofer, by making misleading claims about the safety of Monofer and Vifor Pharma’s own product, Ferinject, which were designed to hinder competition from a rival product and promote Ferinject. Monofer and Ferinject are iron treatments used to intravenously treat iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia.
- Press notice: CMA investigates Vifor Pharma to safeguard essential anaemia treatment (31.1.24)
Notes
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The CMA has not reached a view as to whether there is sufficient evidence of an infringement or infringements of competition law for it to issue a statement of objections to any party under investigation. Not all cases result in the CMA issuing a statement of objections
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The CMA will consider any representations it receives before any decision is taken as to whether competition law has been infringed
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Further detail of the CMA’s procedures in Competition Act 1998 cases is available in our guidance
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Changes to the timing of original entries in the case timetable will be made if the estimated timing changes
Contact
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Assistant Director, Neil Maxey-Branch (020 3738 6956, neil.maxey-branch@cma.gov.uk)
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Project Director, Andrew Groves (020 3738 6927, andrew.groves@cma.gov.uk)
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Juliette Enser (020 3738 6857, juliette.enser@cma.gov.uk)
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Media enquiries, 020 3738 6460, press@cma.gov.uk
The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its investigations, including investigations under the Competition Act 1998. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.
You can find more information about how the CMA handles personal information in the CMA’s Personal Information Charter.
Updates to this page
Published 31 January 2024Last updated 10 December 2024 + show all updates
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Consultation on proposed commitments opened.
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First published.