Medical company charged with cartel offences after ACCC investigation

“Those who are in pain and need these drugs are paying more. How much more is very hard to tell, but they’re not putting [the price] up by a small amount.”

Alkaloids of Australia both produces and supplies SNBB (scopolamine N-butylbromide, also known as hyoscine butylbromide), which is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in antispasmodic medications taken to relieve stomach pain and bowel cramps.

It is alleged the company made arrangements to restrict supply of SNBB, as well as allocate customers and/or rig bids for the supply of SNBB to international manufacturers.

The penalties faced for cartel behaviour in Australia are significant, with corporations faced with either a maximum fine of $10,000 for each offence, three times the…