GlaxoSmithKline accused of pay-for-delay deal

Drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline was today accused by the UK's competition watchdog of paying off firms to delay the launch of cheap versions of its antidepressant treatment in a move that denied the British National Health Service “significant” cost savings.

The UK's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is alleging that Glaxo offered “substantial” payments to Alpharma, Generics and Norton Healthcare, to hold off from supplying rival medicines to its blockbuster Seroxat treatment.