OREANDA-NEWS. April 17, 2014. The Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation refused to transfer a claim of “Medical Leasing Consulting” Ltd. to the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court to reconsider a judicial act under a supervisory review.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) found that “Medical Leasing Consulting” Ltd. and “DiMedica” Ltd. violated Clause 2 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Competition Protection”. The companies were engaged in bid-rigging at an auction for procurement of drugs for the needs of the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development.

In the course of the case investigation, the FAS Commission established that “Medical Leasing Consulting” Ltd. and “DiMedica” Ltd. concluded an agreement that resulted in maintaining prices at an open auction for supplying drugs for the state needs.

The agreement was implemented at the auction for supplying anti-tuberculosis drugs under the framework of “Tuberculosis” Sub-Programme of the Federal Target Programme on “Preventing and Combating Socially Significant Deseases”. The initial price of the auction lots was over 250 million RUB.

“Even the high social importance of the auction does not stop the desire of unfair market participants to gain the maximum profit. We are satisfied that the Supreme Arbitration Court finally drew a line in the case”, emphasized the Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department, Andrey Tenischev.