Australian court finds GSK and Novartis misled consumers
Court finds that subsidiaries of GlaxoSmithKline and Swiss drugmaker Novartis promoted identical liniments as though they could treat specific ills
Sydney — The Australian subsidiaries of British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Swiss drugmaker Novartis misled customers and broke the law by promoting identical liniments as though they could treat specific ills, an Australian court found on Friday. The court said the companies admitted marketing Voltaren Osteo Gel as a treatment for osteoarthritis-related pain when its ingredients were the same as a cheaper Voltaren product, Emulgel. Judge Robert Bromwich said in a written decision that it was part of a “deliberate and considered marketing strategy”. “Novartis and GSK misled osteoarthritis sufferers into buying the more expensive Osteo Gel thinking that it was more effective,” Sarah Court, commissioner at Australia’s consumer watchdog, which brought the lawsuit, said in a statement. “This is not the case ... both gels are identical and are equally effective in treating osteoarthritis symptoms and a range of other pain conditions.” GSK said it had admitted the allegations and ...
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