OREANDA-NEWS. September 12, 2011. The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and the Federal Antimonopoly Service (the Russian Federation), with support of the US embassy in Moscow, organised a Russian-American Round Table “US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Russian Antimonopoly Law” (the Round Table), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia. 

The Round Table objective was to establish a sound dialogue between executive bodies and pharmaceutical companies, in particular, determining the requirements that must be observed by American pharmaceutical companies operating in Russia in view of simultaneous enforcement of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Russian antimonopoly law.

The event opened with a presentation by Igor Artemyev, the Head of FAS Russia. Welcoming addresses were also given by Sheila Gwaltney, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Tatiana Ragusina, Executive Vice-President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia.

Igor Artemyev talked about the main problems on the pharmaceutical market. The Head of FAS especially emphasised that “in the Russian Federation over 75% medicines are foreing-made, including innovative medicines and generics, but criteria for medicines substitutability are not determined. In these conditions pharmaceutical companies tend to demonstrate that their products are unique by developing marketing activities, strengthening their market positions and involving medical community in these activities.

The reverse side of this process is that holders of unique medicines would inevitably be recognised as dominating the market of a particular medicine and, thus, are under restrictive provisions of the RF law on competition. FAS undertakes robust efforts to develop Russian law on health care and circulation of pharmaceuticals, intending to create conditions for effective development of competition. At the same time, we pay special attention to harmonization of the law of the Russian Federation with the laws of other countries if it concerns operations of companies in Russia; and developing unified approaches to enforcement of our laws, which would guarantee the rights of market participants. This event is one of the major significant steps along this path. We have no doubt that our joint work will continue”.

Timophei Nizhegorodtsev, the Head of FAS Department for Control over Social Sphere and Commerce, also made a presentation at the Round table, where he paid special attention to discussing the forms of conduct of pharmaceutical companies violating the antimonopoly law.

Brief presentations were also made by representatives of “Debevoise & Plimpton LLP”, “Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners”, “Kimberly-Clark” and “Baker & McKenzie”.