Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statements today regarding the proposed merger of Pfizer and Allergan.
“The mounting consolidation taking place in the healthcare industry is of concern to every American, and the Antitrust Subcommittee has and will continue to exercise close scrutiny of these transactions,” Lee said. “The proposed acquisition of Allergan by Pfizer raises concerns about overlapping drug portfolios, especially in the cutting edge field of biologics and biosimilars. We expect the enforcement agencies to review these matters thoroughly, as will the Subcommittee.”
“Healthy competition in the pharmaceutical market is necessary to ensuring consumers have access to affordable and innovative prescription drugs,” Klobuchar said. “I have fought tirelessly to promote competition in the health sector and I believe a merger of this record size needs to be examined carefully. We must be certain that the combination of overlapping drug portfolios and the elimination of a competitor will neither increase drug prices for consumers nor reduce incentives to research and develop life-saving drugs.”
