How did GSK respond?
GSK made the decision to suspend supplies of these three products to all wholesalers in Greece and supplied pharmacies directly to ensure they were restocked. After nine weeks, it resumed supplies in quantities corresponding to Greek annual consumption, plus a safety margin. Q: What happened next? A: In 2001, many Greek wholesalers lodged complaints before the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC), alleging that GSK held a dominant position on the market for each of the three medicines and that by limiting supplies of the three medicines, GSK was abusing that dominant position. They also brought parallel proceedings before the Greek civil courts seeking the supply of additional quantities of products from GSK as well as damages. On 3 August 2001, the HCC ordered GSK to supply the three medicines to Greek wholesalers in unlimited quantities. The order came as a surprise, as never before had a competition authority ordered the supply of unlimited quantities, not even from a public utilit
