STAT+: Novartis is fined by Belgian regulators for anticompetitive practices over an eye treatment
Belgian anti-trust regulators fined Novartis nearly $2.8 million for making misleading statements about a treatment for a serious eye disease, the latest instance in which the company was cited by a government for anticompetitive practices in connection with the medication.
The fine is only the latest act in a long-running drama over Lucentis, which is used to treat age-related macular degeneration, a common disease among the elderly that can lead to blindness. However, an older and cheaper cancer medication called Avastin is often repackaged by physicians to treat the eye disease, even though it is not approved for that use.
Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…
