Competition Board concluded the preliminary inquiry conducted in response to the claim that Novartis Sağlık Gıda ve Tarım Ürünleri San. ve Tic. A.Ş. and Roche Müstahzarları San. A.Ş. violated article 4 of the Act no 4054 in order to increase the usage of the drug Lucentis which is more expensive than Altuzan, both of which are used in the treatment of eye diseases.

After discussing the information and documents acquired and observations made in the preliminary inquiry in its meeting of 13.06.2019, the Board concluded that the findings were significant and sufficient, and took the decision no. 19-21/307-M to initiate an investigation about the following undertakings to determine whether they violated article 4 of the Act no. 4054:

•   Novartis Sağlık Gıda ve Tarım Ürünleri San. ve Tic. A.Ş.

•   Roche Müstahzarları San. A.Ş.

*Investigation decisions taken by the Competition Board are announced to the public following the notification of the decision to the undertakings or associations of undertakings about which an investigation has been initiated. Those announcements are made within the framework of informing the public about the decisions of the Competition Board and cannot be interpreted to mean that the undertakings or associations of undertakings about which an investigation has been initiated have violated the Act no 4054, or they are or will be subject to penal sanctions under the Act.