The Competition Commission has today filed a referral with the Competition Tribunal for prosecution of Switzerland based multinational healthcare company, Roche Holding AG (“Roche AG”), and its subsidiaries, F Hoffman La Roche AG (“Roche Basel”) and Roche Products (Pty) Ltd (“Roche SA”), for alleged excessive pricing of a breast cancer treatment drug, Trastuzumab, in contravention of sections 8(a) and 8(1)(a); of the Competition Act.

 

The Commission's referral also alleges that the excessive price of Trastuzumab constitutes a violation of basic human rights including the right of access to healthcare enshrined in the Bill of Rights as it denies access to life saving medicine for women living with breast cancer.