Who was sanctioned, and for what?

From 2018 to 2021, the pharmaceutical manufacturer allegedly used two patient assistance foundations to fund Medicare beneficiaries’ co-payments for its drug Oxervate in order to promote its sales. Following a self-disclosure, Dompé paid 32 million USD.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Justice / U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Gifts, hospitality and benefits

Legal basis

Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)); False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 ff.)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

Self-disclosure.

Original amount 32,000,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Sep 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Between February 2018 and September 2019, five leaks of highly flammable hydrocarbons occurred at the Mossmorran major hazard site (COMAH upper tier), all caused by corrosion under insulation; around 82 tonnes escaped in one leak. During a routine inspection in May 2019, inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) smelled escaping gas – the company had known about this leak for around four months and had continued production without additional precautions. The inspection arrangements for insulated pipework were inadequate; fine of 267,000 GBP.

Authority / court

Health and Safety Executive (Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, reg. 6(2); Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, s. 33(1)(c)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

26 Aug 2026

Original amount 267,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 25 Aug 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Henkel wanted to buy the construction adhesive brand Liquid Nails for 725 million USD from the financial investor American Industrial Partners, thereby taking over the main competitor of its Loctite brand. After a seven-day trial, the federal court, on application by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), issued a permanent injunction against the acquisition.

Authority / court

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (auf Antrag der FTC)

Area of law

Competition law · Merger control

Legal basis

Section 7 Clayton Act; Section 13(b) FTC Act (Permanent Injunction)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

17 Aug 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

From 2016 to 2023, Veloxis provided transplant professionals with expensive meals and alcohol, trips and stays at luxury resorts, gifts and consultancy fees without consideration, and paid specialty pharmacies concealed remuneration in order to promote prescriptions and purchases of the immunosuppressant Envarsus XR. The company entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with a criminal payment of more than 10 million USD, is paying 34.45 million USD under civil law (21,211,251 USD to the federal government, 13,238,749 USD to states) and a penalty of 1.55 million USD under the Sunshine Act (Open Payments) – the highest to date – totalling over 46 million USD.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Justice / U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Gifts, hospitality and benefits

Legal basis

Anti-Kickback Statute; False Claims Act; Physician Payments Sunshine Act (Open Payments)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The U.S. Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) listed the manufacturer of cephalosporin antibiotics because it sources antibiotic intermediates from Yili Chuanning Biotechnology in Xinjiang. The company's goods are therefore presumed to have been produced with forced labour on import into the US unless the importer rebuts this.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force)

Area of law

Supply chain and human rights · Forced and child labour

Legal basis

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

3 Aug 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Between January 2019 and March 2023, the pharmaceutical manufacturer allegedly paid kickbacks to ambulatory surgery centres to induce them to purchase and use the injectable drug DEXYCU for cataract surgery. To resolve the False Claims Act allegations, EyePoint paid 4,657,463.18 USD and entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Justice

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Commercial bribery

Legal basis

Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)); False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 ff.)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Original amount 4,657,463.18 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 20 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The EPA, the US Department of Justice and West Virginia's environmental agency reached a settlement (consent decree) with Chemours over PFAS discharges into the Cape Fear, Delaware and Ohio rivers, some made without and some in breach of discharge permits, together with TSCA and RCRA violations at four plants. Chemours will pay a civil penalty of 22,500,000 USD in three annual instalments of 7,500,000 USD and carry out remedial measures, including drinking water supply, PFAS controls and a USD 90m mitigation programme, which the EPA puts at over USD 450m in total. The settlement was lodged with the court on 24 June 2026 and is subject to public comment and court approval. The authority allegedly made the findings set out here; this account is not based on a final judgment. The decision is not final.

Authority / court

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) / U.S. Department of Justice mit West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Clean Water Act (NPDES); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Toxic Substances Control Act; West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

not yet final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

The civil penalty was set on the basis of the company's ability to pay.

Published

24 Jun 2026

Original amount 22,500,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 24 Jun 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The EPA (Region 6) issued a Consent Agreement and Final Order against Denka Performance Elastomer over RCRA violations at its neoprene plant in LaPlace (Louisiana): missing waste determinations, breaches of land disposal restrictions and treatment and storage of hazardous waste without a permit. Denka will pay 996,703.35 USD and must clean out a brine pit and its ancillary equipment; if the currently idle plant resumes operations, further requirements apply, including on waste inventory, containers, training and protective equipment. The authority allegedly made the findings set out here; this account is not based on a final judgment.

Authority / court

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 6

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Waste and hazardous substances

Legal basis

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Docket RCRA-06-2025-0910

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Repeat case

yes

Published

2 Jul 2026

Original amount 996,703.35 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 23 Jun 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

From 2014 to 2020, Takeda allegedly selected physicians specifically for its speaker programme for the antidepressant Trintellix and provided them with fees and meals at expensive restaurants to promote prescriptions; some participants attended the same event several times without any educational benefit. Takeda paid 13,670,921 USD.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Justice / U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Gifts, hospitality and benefits

Legal basis

Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)); False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 ff.)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Original amount 13,670,921 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 14 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Pyrolysis oil leaked twice at the Lavéra petrochemical site in Martigues: around 50 tonnes in July 2018 through a failed seal into the Anse d'Auguette, part of which reached the sea, and around one tonne in April 2022 through a corroded seawater pipe, of which some 500 kg reached the Anse d'Auguette. Naphtachimie therefore concluded an environmental CJIP (convention judiciaire d'intérêt public, French deferred prosecution agreement) with the Marseille public prosecutor; it pays a public interest fine of 1,200,000 EUR, compensates two environmental associations and will trial, at its own expense, a biological clean-up of the Anse d'Auguette; validated on 13 May 2026.

Authority / court

Parquet de Marseille (Procureur de la République); Validierung durch den Präsidenten des Tribunal judiciaire de Marseille

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Art. 41-1-3 Code de procédure pénale (pollution des eaux)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

26 May 2026

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Following its 2020 guilty plea, the opioid manufacturer was sentenced in Newark to a criminal fine of 3.544 billion USD (asserted in the insolvency proceedings) and forfeiture of 2 billion USD; up to 1.775 billion USD can be credited against the forfeiture if Purdue emerges from insolvency as a public benefit company. Purdue had deceived the DEA and paid kickbacks to prescribers via its speaker programme and to an electronic health records platform in order to increase opioid prescriptions.

Authority / court

U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey (Anklage: U.S. Department of Justice)

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Gifts, hospitality and benefits

Legal basis

Verschwörung zum Betrug der USA und zur Verletzung des Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; zwei Fälle Verschwörung zur Verletzung des Anti-Kickback Statute (Schuldbekenntnis vom 24.11.2020)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Culpability

intentional

Original amount 5,544,000,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 28 Apr 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In 2019, an employee stepped into a puddle of caustic soda; his safety boots offered no protection, and his leg had to be amputated below the knee. In 2022, another worker suffered chemical burns during manual decanting. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found leaking pipes and valves, a lack of maintenance, no risk assessment for decanting and untested safety footwear; fine of 3.8 million GBP plus 124,748 GBP in costs. According to the annual accounts filed with the UK companies register for financial year 2024, the company had around 469 employees.

Authority / court

Health and Safety Executive (Southwark Crown Court)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, reg. 7(1)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

250 to 999

Published

24 Apr 2026

Original amount 3,800,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 21 Apr 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

While flange bolts were being removed from a steam trap in November 2023, a corroded isolation valve failed and high-pressure steam escaped; the contractor's fitter narrowly escaped serious injury. The agrochemicals group had not maintained work equipment and had not assessed the risk despite known corrosion (only single instead of double isolation). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution resulted in a fine of 400,000 GBP plus 8,288 GBP in costs.

Authority / court

Health and Safety Executive (Leeds Magistrates' Court)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, reg. 5(1); Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg. 3(1)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

28 Jan 2026

Original amount 400,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 28 Jan 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

A routine inspection in 2023 found that the company was selling eyeliners containing the PFAS substance perfluorononyl dimethicone without submitting the required notification of a ‘significant new activity’; a subsequent compliance order was not complied with. The court imposed 750,000 CAD; the company must inform its shareholders and is listed in the Environmental Offenders Registry.

Authority / court

Ontario Court of Justice (Ermittlungen: Environment and Climate Change Canada)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Waste and hazardous substances

Legal basis

Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (Significant New Activity, Compliance Order)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

2 Feb 2026

Original amount 750,000 CAD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 13 Jan 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In 2019, as a result of an equipment defect, sodium chlorite entered the Rivière du Lièvre twelve times from the ERCO Mondial chemical plant in Gatineau; in the last incident, the authorities were only informed after five days. The company was fined 1.35 million CAD.

Authority / court

Court of Québec (Ermittlungen: Environment and Climate Change Canada)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Waste and hazardous substances

Legal basis

Fisheries Act (Einbringen schädlicher Stoffe; unterlassene sofortige Meldung)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

8 Jan 2026

Original amount 1,350,000 CAD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 7 Jan 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

At the Wigton plant in 2021 an employee collapsed in a pump room after exposure to gas and died; a delivery driver who tried to help also lost consciousness. According to the investigation, the cellulose film manufacturer had not assessed that hydrogen sulphide from the production process could enter the drainage system and be released there; fine of 200,000 GBP plus 20,000 GBP in costs. According to its 2025 annual accounts, the company had an average of 283 employees.

Authority / court

Warrington Magistrates' Court (Anklage: Health and Safety Executive)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Section 2(1) und 3(1) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

250 to 999

Published

8 Jan 2026

Original amount 200,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 6 Jan 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

Following a loss of steam in April 2019, the ethylene plant in Fife flared for almost a week; the smoke significantly exceeded permit limits, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) received over 900 complaints. Existing procedures and emergency plans should have prevented the incident but were not adequately followed. The company pleaded guilty and was fined 176,000 GBP.

Authority / court

Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court (Ermittlungen: Scottish Environment Protection Agency, SEPA)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Regulation 67(1)(b) Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012; Section 2 Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Culpability

negligent

Published

28 Oct 2025

Original amount 176,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 28 Oct 2025.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In 2022, the Moscow office of the British subsidiary made payments – mainly salaries – to accounts at Alfa-Bank, Promsvyazbank, Sberbank and VTB; after deduction of payments covered by a general licence, around 128,300 GBP remained in breach. The approval process in the UK checked only the amount and the recipient, not the bank; because of a four-month delay in reporting, HM Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) granted only a 35% instead of a 50% reduction. According to the annual accounts filed with the UK companies register for financial year 2025, the company had around 280 employees.

Authority / court

HM Treasury, Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, reg. 12

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

250 to 999

Mitigating circumstances

Disclosure and full cooperation, but delayed

Published

30 Sep 2025

Original amount 152,750 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Sep 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

P&G Japan advertised its 'Febreze bathroom anti-mould' product (ファブリーズ お風呂用防カビ剤), among other things on the packaging from April 2022 to May 2023, by claiming that simply placing it in the bathroom would prevent black mould for around six weeks. The documents submitted did not substantiate this effect, so the advertising was deemed misleading; the order required a corrective notice, measures to prevent recurrence and cessation.

Authority / court

Consumer Affairs Agency (消費者庁, CAA)

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Misleading advertising and pricing

Legal basis

Art. 7 Abs. 1 und 2 i. V. m. Art. 5 Nr. 1 Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations (不当景品類及び不当表示防止法, Gesetz Nr. 134/1962)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

1 Aug 2025

Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In consignment agreements, the pharmaceutical wholesaler had made payment to suppliers of food supplements dependent on subsequent resale (payment period over 30 days) and had reserved the right to hold suppliers liable for spoiled goods. The Konkurentsiamet (Estonian Competition Authority) found infringements of the act on unfair trading practices in the food supply chain and ordered amended contractual terms.

Authority / court

Konkurentsiamet (Estnische Wettbewerbsbehörde)

Area of law

Competition law · Abuse of market power

Legal basis

§ 4 Abs. 1 und 2, § 5 Abs. 2, § 7 Abs. 1 PTEKS (UTP-Richtlinie (EU) 2019/633)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

According to the European Commission's findings, Alchem took part from 1 November 2005 to 12 February 2018 in an EEA-wide cartel concerning the active ingredient N-butylbromide scopolamine (SNBB), involving minimum prices, quotas and exchanges of sensitive information. Unlike the other participants, who were subject to a settlement decision in October 2023, Alchem declined to settle and received a fine of 489,000 EUR without any reduction.

Authority / court

Europäische Kommission

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Art. 101 AEUV; Art. 53 EWR-Abkommen

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

4 Jul 2025

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV, Spanish securities market supervisor) imposed two fines totalling 1,000,000 EUR on Grifols: 800,000 EUR because the consolidated financial statements for 2021 to 2023 and the 2023 half-year report contained inaccurate or incomplete information under IFRS, and 200,000 EUR for misleading information on the calculation of alternative performance measures (APMs) in the management reports. The company waived administrative appeals.

Authority / court

Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Art. 282.1.b) und Art. 292.1.f) Ley 6/2023 de los Mercados de Valores y de los Servicios de Inversión

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not reported here.

Published

6 Aug 2025

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In 2016–2021, the Texas supplier of catalysts for refineries and steelworks supplied products and advice to customers in Iran via employees and agents, and sold goods to a blocked Venezuelan company. The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) considered it an egregious but voluntarily self-disclosed case; there were parallel settlements with the DOJ and BIS, which were taken into account in determining the amount.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations; Venezuela Sanctions Regulations; IEEPA

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Culpability

intentional

Mitigating circumstances

Voluntary self-disclosure, cooperation and remedial measures after discovery

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not reported here.

Published

16 Jun 2025

Original amount 3,882,797 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 16 Jun 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

According to the AGCM, from at least January 2018 to December 2023 Novamont tied film producers to its bioplastic Mater-Bi through exclusive or semi-exclusive purchasing obligations and tied retail chains to carrier bags made by its licensees, thereby excluding competitors in bio-compounds for lightweight and very lightweight plastic carrier bags (Art. 102 TFEU). Novamont must pay 30,359,000 EUR (capped at the 10% turnover limit); for the period after its acquisition by the Eni group on 18 October 2023, Novamont and Eni are jointly and severally liable for a further 1,701,052.08 EUR, a total of 32,060,052.08 EUR.

Authority / court

Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM)

Area of law

Competition law · Abuse of market power

Legal basis

Art. 102 AEUV; Art. 15 Legge n. 287/1990

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

None recognised: the compliance programme of the Eni group, which Novamont joined in October 2023, had not worked effectively because training and controls covered other topics and exclusive contracts continued to be concluded; the AGCM considered Novamont's earlier programme manifestly inadequate, partly because its competition law manual did not specifically address exclusive purchasing obligations among the forms of abuse.

Published

24 Jun 2025

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The CMA had investigated whether, between 2010 and 2024, Vifor abused a suspected dominant position in high-dose intravenous iron by spreading potentially misleading claims about the safety of the rival product Monofer compared with its own Ferinject. It accepted binding commitments: a voluntary payment of GBP 23m to the NHS, a corrective communication campaign aimed at healthcare professionals and additional compliance measures; no infringement was found.

Authority / court

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

Area of law

Competition law · Abuse of market power

Legal basis

Chapter II prohibition, section 18(1) Competition Act 1998 (Verdacht); Verpflichtungszusagen nach section 31A Competition Act 1998

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

23 May 2025

Original amount 23,000,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 23 May 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Gilead paid physicians who spoke at or attended events on its HIV medicines fees, meals and travel expenses to promote prescriptions; high prescribers received hundreds of thousands of dollars, and events took place at luxury restaurants. The court-approved settlement of 202 million USD contains extensive admissions of fact.

Authority / court

U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York; U.S. District Court (S.D.N.Y.)

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Gifts, hospitality and benefits

Legal basis

Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)); False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 ff.)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

29 Apr 2025

Original amount 202,000,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 28 Apr 2025.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Bayer S.A. concluded a settlement (Termo de Compromisso de Cessação) with the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE, Brazilian competition authority) in proceedings concerning the exchange of competitively sensitive information between employers in the consumer goods sector with possible effects on the Brazilian labour market. The company admitted its participation, undertook to cease the conduct and to cooperate with the investigation, and allegedly pays 5,003,188.80 BRL to the Fund for Diffuse Rights (FDD). In the same proceedings, 3M do Brasil concluded a separate settlement of allegedly 4,454,414.82 BRL. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.

Authority / court

Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Lei nº 12.529/2011 (Lei de Defesa da Concorrência), Termo de Compromisso de Cessação

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

6 May 2025

Original amount 5,003,188.8 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 28 Apr 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Over more than 15 years, the three OTC medicine manufacturers jointly developed the category management project ‘SMAN’, through which they steered the placement of non-prescription medicines in selected pharmacies in their favour and disadvantaged or excluded competing products. In a settlement procedure, the Autorité belge de la Concurrence / Belgische Mededingingsautoriteit (Belgian Competition Authority, BMA) imposed a total of 11,249,280.48 EUR.

Authority / court

Autorité belge de la Concurrence / Belgische Mededingingsautoriteit (BMA)

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Code de droit économique Art. IV.1; AEUV Art. 101

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

24 Apr 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Between 2005 and 2019 Boehringer Ingelheim, Alkaloids of Australia, Alkaloids Corporation, Alchem, C2 PHARMA, Linnea and Transo-Pharm set minimum selling prices for the active ingredient butylscopolamine bromide (SNBB), allocated quotas and exchanged sensitive business information. The Wettbewerbskommission (WEKO, Swiss Competition Commission) closed the case with amicable settlements; sanctions total around CHF 600,000, with C2 PHARMA as the self-reporting party exempted in full and Transo-Pharm and Linnea in part. It is the first cartel concerning a pharmaceutical active ingredient that WEKO has sanctioned.

Authority / court

Wettbewerbskommission (WEKO)

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Kartellgesetz (KG): Preis- und Mengenabrede, einvernehmliche Regelungen, Bonusregelung

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

Amicable settlements; full immunity for C2 PHARMA (leniency programme), partial reduction for Transo-Pharm and Linnea.

Published

10 Apr 2025

Original amount 600,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Apr 2025.

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

On 8 April 2025 the Competition Tribunal (South Africa's competition adjudicator) confirmed a settlement with Pailpac (Pty) Ltd, a maker of injection-moulded plastic pails for the paints and coatings industry. The Competition Commission (competition authority) alleged that, as the dominant supplier of containers for water-based coatings, the company had tied major customers through exclusive or near-exclusive supply agreements and used below-cost pricing; Pailpac disputes this. It nevertheless allegedly pays an administrative penalty of 5,000,000 ZAR, releases customers from exclusivity and automatic renewal clauses, will buy packaging waste from small businesses and informal waste collectors for five years and will introduce a compliance programme.

Authority / court

Competition Tribunal of South Africa (auf Antrag der Competition Commission)

Area of law

Competition law · Abuse of market power

Legal basis

Section 8(1)(d)(i) und 8(1)(c) Competition Act 89 of 1998 (Vorwurf der Competition Commission, ohne Anerkenntnis)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

9 Apr 2025

Original amount 5,000,000 ZAR, converted at the ECB reference rate of 8 Apr 2025.

Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link

At the Mount Maunganui fertiliser plant in July 2023, a worker cleaning the conveyor system fell onto a moving belt, was dragged under the frame of another conveyor and died. There was no effective, trained and monitored safe system of work for cleaning and maintenance, and no effective guarding or emergency stop devices. On 18 March 2025 the Tauranga District Court imposed a fine of 420,000 NZD (starting point 700,000 NZD, 40% discounts) and made no reparation order because the family had already received 287,202.86 NZD (77,000 NZD directly from the company and 210,202.86 NZD from a group life insurance policy held by the company).

Authority / court

Tauranga District Court (Anklage: WorkSafe New Zealand)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, ss 36(1)(a), 48(1), 48(2)(c) ([2025] NZDC 5282)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

Guilty plea, remorse, cooperation and reparation, with discounts totalling 40%; payments to the family totalling 287,202.86 NZD, of which 77,000 NZD was paid directly and 210,202.86 NZD came from the company's group life insurance policy.

Original amount 420,000 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Mar 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Pfizer pays USD 59,746,277 on behalf of its subsidiary Biohaven to resolve False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute allegations relating to the period before the acquisition; about USD 50.2 million goes to the federal government and about USD 9.5 million to state Medicaid programmes. From March 2020 to September 2022 Biohaven allegedly gave selected doctors speaker fees and meals at expensive restaurants to encourage prescriptions of the migraine drug Nurtec ODT; some events were attended repeatedly by the same doctors or by spouses, relatives and practice colleagues with no educational need.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Justice (Civil Division; USAO Western District of New York)

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Gifts, hospitality and benefits

Legal basis

False Claims Act; Anti-Kickback Statute

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

24 Jan 2025

Original amount 59,746,277 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 24 Jan 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The biotech company did not disclose as soon as possible the FDA's request for an additional study on PXT-3003 and the subsequent rejection of an SPA application, and disseminated misleading communications to shareholders. Sanction imposed on Pharnext: 500,000 EUR.

Authority / court

Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), Commission des sanctions

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Art. 17 MAR; Art. 12 Abs. 1 lit. c und Art. 15 MAR

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

under appeal

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not reported here.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

In July 2024, nitrogen dioxide above the exposure limit was released during chemical processing at the plant of Zep subsidiary AFCO in Chambersburg (Pennsylvania); twelve employees were examined in hospital and two were admitted. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) criticised the lack of an emergency action plan, deficient respiratory protection and hazard communication programmes and a delayed evacuation, and proposed $161,310 (including one repeat violation).

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

29 CFR 1910.120, 1910.134, 1910.1200

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Repeat case

yes

Published

14 Jan 2025

Original amount 161,310 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 14 Jan 2025.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The CADE Tribunal convicted five companies of a cartel in public tenders for medicines and in private pharmaceutical sales which, according to CADE, operated at least from 2007 to 2011 in states including Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Bahia and Pernambuco; besides direct price-fixing between manufacturers, some manufacturers facilitated collusion between distributors (hub-and-spoke cartel). The fines on the companies total 45,328,574.05 BRL (Hipolabor Farmacêutica 15,741,025.02; Sanval 12,191,091.60; Comercial Cirúrgica Rioclarense 11,952,437.72; Rhamis Distribuidora Farmacêutica 3,585,615.18; Macromed 1,858,404.53 BRL). Proceedings against several other parties were closed for lack of evidence or because settlements had been fulfilled. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.

Authority / court

Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Art. 20 I–IV i. V. m. Art. 21 I, II, III, VIII Lei nº 8.884/1994, entsprechend Art. 36 I–IV, § 3 I a, c, d Lei nº 12.529/2011; Bemessung nach Art. 37 Lei nº 12.529/2011

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

12 Dec 2024

Original amount 45,328,574.05 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 11 Dec 2024.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

During the review of the sale of the European rights to the hormone products Duphaston and Femoston to Theramex, an Initial Enforcement Order was in force. Viatris replaced members of the UK management without the consent of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and subsequently failed to report the breach; the CMA imposed 1.5 million GBP.

Authority / court

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

Area of law

Competition law · Merger control

Legal basis

Enterprise Act 2002, s. 72(2) (Initial Enforcement Order), s. 94A

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Original amount 1,500,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 Nov 2024.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

Teva abused its dominant position for the MS medicine Copaxone: it artificially extended patent protection by filing staggered divisional applications with the EPO and strategically withdrawing them, and spread misleading statements about an authorised competing product among physicians and decision-makers. Seven Member States were affected over periods of four to nine years.

Authority / court

Europäische Kommission

Area of law

Competition law · Abuse of market power

Legal basis

Art. 102 AEUV

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

During a European Commission inspection in the fragrance sector in March 2023, a senior employee of the manufacturer, after being informed of the inspection, deleted WhatsApp messages exchanged with a competitor on a mobile phone; the Commission treated this as obstruction of the inspection. It is the Commission's first fine for deleting messages in a messaging app; because of the manufacturer's cooperation, the amount was reduced by 50% to €15.9m (0.15% of total turnover).

Authority / court

Europäische Kommission

Area of law

Competition law

Legal basis

Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1/2003 (Behinderung einer Nachprüfung)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Culpability

intentional

Mitigating circumstances

Immediate acknowledgement, proactive cooperation and help in recovering the data: 50% reduction.

Liability of senior managers

The deletion was carried out by a senior employee; the fine is addressed to the companies.

Published

24 Jun 2024

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Company name anonymised since 24 Jun 2026 · Direct link

In 2017–2018, the Thai plastics company had US banks process 467 payments totalling 291 million USD for HDPE plastic produced in an Iranian joint venture with the Iranian state-owned petrochemical group. Shipping and documentation practices concealed the Iranian origin. The penalty was imposed by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Authority / court

U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (31 C.F.R. part 560)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Culpability

intentional

Published

19 Apr 2024

Original amount 20,000,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 19 Apr 2024.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 4 · Company name anonymised since 19 Apr 2026 · Direct link

The Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU, Office of the Comptroller General) imposed on a pharmaceutical distributor, which now trades under a different name, a fine of BRL 3,879,251.35, extraordinary publication of the decision and a declaration of unsuitability for public contracts (declaração de inidoneidade). According to the final report, in the Ministry of Health's planned purchase of 20 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine the company submitted a document that the vaccine manufacturer later described as false, as well as pro forma invoices that did not match the contract terms. On a request for reconsideration (pedido de reconsideração) the CGU reduced the fine to BRL 2,586,167.56 on 5 May 2025 and shortened the posting period for the publication from 75 to 60 days; the declaration of unsuitability remained in place.

Authority / court

Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU)

Area of law

Bribery and corruption

Legal basis

Lei nº 12.846/2013, Art. 5 IV b und d, Art. 6; Lei nº 8.666/1993, Art. 87 IV und Art. 88 III

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

reduced

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

Following the request for reconsideration, the CGU reduced the fine from BRL 3,879,251.35 to BRL 2,586,167.56.

Published

15 Jan 2024

Original amount 2,586,167.56 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 Jan 2024.

Checked against the official source on 7 Oct 2026 · Company name anonymised since 9 Jan 2026 · Direct link