UK won't drop price-fixing cases

A criminal price-fixing trial in the U.K. against several generics makers has fallen apart. But that hasn't stopped the government from trying to collect damages. The National Health Service is pressing ahead with civil proceedings that have already yielded some $64 million in damages.

According to the government, the companies--including Ranbaxy Laboratories, Goldshield, Norton Healthcare, and Kent Pharmaceuticals--conspired to prop up the prices of commonly used meds such as the blood thinner warfarin, and penicillin and other basic antibiotics. Prices for those meds rose by up to 800 percent over that time period, the government alleges.

The companies all deny the charges of price fixing, and wouldn't comment when the Financial Times asked for details, citing the pending charges.

- read the FT article