Pharmaceutical company Teva is under investigation by the European Commission over their competition practices, which the commission says interferes with medication research. Teva held a patent until 2015 on the medication Copaxone, which contains the active ingredient glatiramer acetate that treats multiple sclerosis. The commission found that Teva, to extend their exclusivity, was submitting and then withdrawing secondary patents, which continually delayed other companies from using glatiramer acetate in their medications. The EC also accuses Teva of running a disinformation campaign among healthcare professionals about competing medicines. Teva potentially faces substantial fines if found in violation of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), making it illegal for dominant players to abuse market power. The commission states that Teva's behavior inflates public healthcare spending, as sales from Copaxone make up more than €500 million ($515.6 million) yearly while preventing other companies from creating price-competitive medication.
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