Sanofi settles EU antitrust case over vaccine comparison, avoids fine
The European Commission accepted Sanofi's concessions to close an antitrust probe into a campaign that allegedly disparaged CSL Seqirus' Fluad vaccine, allowing the company to escape a penalty.
European Union antitrust authorities closed a probe into Sanofi after the company pledged specific remedial actions. The investigation centered on a marketing effort that targeted doctors in Germany and France, where Sanofi was deemed to have a dominant share of the flu-vaccine market, and allegedly cast CSL Seqirus' Fluad vaccine in a negative light compared with Sanofi's Efluelda. The European Commission, led by Executive Vice President Teresa Riberta, concluded that Sanofi's behavior could be considered disparaging.
In response, Sanofi committed to a corrective communication campaign that will address the previous claims and promised to avoid such tactics going forward. The agreement is binding and means Sanofi will not face a monetary fine. The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of pharmaceutical marketing practices within the EU.
Why it matters
The settlement shows EU regulators tightening oversight of vaccine marketing, impacting how pharma firms promote products.
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