Britain Accuses Pfizer, Flynn Pharma of Price Gouging Epilepsy Drug

Aug. 6, 2015

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has accused Pfizer and Flynn Pharma of breaking European law by increasing the cost of an epilepsy drug by as much as 2,600 percent.

The CMA said Pfizer sold the Epanutin at between 8 and 17 times its historic price to Flynn in 2012, which then sold it at between 25 to 27 times more than the prices previously charged by Pfizer.

According to the CMA, as a result of this increase, the state-run National Health Service (NHS), which used to spend around $3.6 million on phenytoin sodium capsules annually, saw its bill jump to more than $77 million in 2013 and more than $62 million in 2014.

Flynn maintains that the drug is priced competitively against rivals, including a tablet version of phenytoin.

Read the Reuters press release