FTC Resources for Reporters
The FTC’s Health Care Work
When health care markets are competitive, consumers benefit from lower costs, better care and more innovation. The Federal Trade Commission enforces the antitrust laws in health care markets to prevent anticompetitive conduct that would deprive consumers of the benefits of competition. The agency also gives guidance to participants in the health care market - including physicians and other health professionals, hospitals and other institutional providers, pharmaceutical companies and other sellers of health care products, and insurers - to help them comply with U.S. antitrust laws.
The FTC maintains its expertise in health care markets by doing research and issuing reports on competition issues, which in the past have included empirical studies of generic drug entry, contact lens sales, and mail order pharmacies, and economic analyses of the effects of mergers involving non-profit hospitals.
News Releases:
- FTC Places Conditions on Watson Pharmaceutical's Proposed Acquisition of Actavis - 10/15/2012
- FTC Puts Conditions on UHS's Proposed Acquisition of Ascend Health Corporation - 10/05/2012
- Puerto Rican Pharmacy Cooperative Settles Price-Fixing Charges - 08/21/2012
- FTC Submits Brief for the Petitioner with U.S. Supreme Court in Phoebe Putney Hospital Merger Case - 08/20/2012
- FTC Staff Issues Advisory Opinion Regarding Generic Pharmaceutical Association's Proposed Initiative to Address Drug Shortages - 08/08/2012
- FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Johnson & Johnson's Proposed Acquisition of Synthes, Inc. was Anticompetitive in Market for Treating Traumatic Wrist Injuries - 08/07/2012
- FTC Order Will Restore Competition for Adult Cardiology Services in Reno, Nevada - 08/06/2012
- FTC Puts Conditions on Novartis AG's Acquisition of Fougera Holdings, Inc. - 07/16/2012
- FTC Approves Amended Final Order Settling Charges that Teva's Proposed Acquisition of Cephalon was Anticompetitive in Markets for Several Generic Drugs - 07/03/2012
- FTC Puts Conditions on Johnson & Johnson's Proposed Acquisition of Synthes, Inc. - 06/11/2012
- FTC Staff: Proposed Alabama Law Would Give Veterinarians More Choices in Providing Spaying, Neutering Services - 04/27/2012
- FTC Staff: Proposed Louisiana Law Would Expand Patient Care by Advance Practice Registered Nurses - 04/25/2012
- FTC Approves Cardinal Health, Inc.'s Application to Sell Nuclear Pharmacy Assets to Patient Care Infusion, LLC - 04/18/2012
- OSF Healthcare System Abandons Plan to Buy Rockford in Light of FTC Lawsuit; FTC Dismisses its Complaint Seeking to Block the Transaction - 04/13/2012
- Statement by FTC Bureau of Competition Director Richard Feinstein on the Court Ruling Granting a Preliminary Injunction in the OSF/Rockford Hospital Matter - 04/05/2012
- FTC Closes Eight-Month Investigation of Express Scripts, Inc.'s Proposed Acquisition of Pharmacy Benefits Manager Medco Health Solutions, Inc. - 04/02/2012
- FTC Testifies on Proposed Antitrust Exemption for Community Pharmacies - 03/29/2012
- FTC Staff: Proposed Missouri Legislation May Reduce Patient Access to Pain Management Services and Increase Prices - 03/28/2012
- Citing Likely Anticompetitive Effects, FTC Requires ProMedica Health System to Divest St. Luke's Hospital in Toledo, Ohio, Area - 03/28/2012
- FTC Staff: Proposed Kentucky Legislation Could Benefit Consumers; Would Expand Patient Care by Advance Practice Registered Nurses - 03/27/2012
- FTC Seeks U.S. Supreme Court Review of Appeals Court Ruling in Phoebe Putney/Palmyra Park Hospital Case - 03/23/2012
- FTC Approves Healthcare Technology's Application to Sell SDI Health's Audit Businesses - 03/16/2012
- FTC Requires Fresenius Medical Care AG to Sell 60 Dialysis Clinics Around the Country as a Condition of Acquiring Liberty Dialysis Holdings, Inc. - 02/28/2012
- FTC Seeks Public Comment on Cardinal Health, Inc.'s Application to Sell Nuclear Pharmacy Assets to Patient Care Infusion, LLC - 02/24/2012
- Omnicare Abandons Plan to Buy Rival Pharmacy in Light of FTC Lawsuit; FTC Votes to Dismiss its Complaint Seeking to Block the Transaction - 02/23/2012
- FTC Approves Final Orders Settling Charges that Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc.'s Proposed Acquisitions of Dermatology Businesses from Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson were Anticompetitive - 02/22/2012
- FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that LabCorp's Proposed Acquisition of Orchid Cellmark Inc. was Anticompetitive in Market for Paternity Testing Services - 02/01/2012
- FTC Sues to Block Omnicare's Bid to Buy Rival Pharmacy Provider PharMerica - 01/27/2012
- FTC Seeks Public Comment on Healthcare Technology's Application to Sell SDI Health's Audit Businesses - 01/25/2012
- FTC Approves Modified Final Order Settling Charges that Healthcare Technology Holding's Proposed Acquisition of SDI Health LLC was Anticompetitive - 01/10/2012
- Administrative Law Judge Upholds FTC's Complaint Against Ohio Hospital Deal; Orders ProMedica to Divest St. Luke's Hospital - 01/05/2012
- FTC Approves Universal Health Services' Application to Sell Las Vegas Psychiatric Facilities - 12/29/2011
- FTC Puts Conditions on LabCorp's Acquisition of Rival Orchid Cellmark, Inc. - 12/08/2011
- FTC Challenges OSF Healthcare System Proposed Acquisition of Rockford Health System as Anticompetitive - 11/18/2011
- FTC Seeks Public Comment on Universal Health Services' Application to Sell Las Vegas Psychiatric Facilities - 11/10/2011
- FTC Requires Parent of Market Research Firm IMS Health to Sell Two Product Lines Before Acquiring Rival SDI Health - 10/28/2011
- FTC Staff: Maine Dental Board's Proposed Rules Could Undermine Pilot Project to Expand Access to Dental Care in Underserved Areas - 10/25/2011
- FTC Study Finds that in FY 2011, Pharmaceutical Industry Continued to Make Numerous Business Deals that Delay Consumers’ Access to Lower-Cost Generic Drugs - 10/25/2011
- FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that DaVita, Inc.’s Acquisition of DSI was Anticompetitive in Market for Dialysis Clinics - 10/25/2011
- FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Cardinal Health's Acquisition of Biotech's Nuclear Pharmacies Was Anticompetitive - 10/21/2011
- Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice Issue Final Statement of Antitrust Policy Enforcement Regarding Accountable Care Organizations - 10/20/2011
- FTC Seeks Public Comment on Universal Health Services' Application to Sell Puerto Rico Assets - 10/13/2011
- FTC Staff: Proposed Tennessee Legislation May Reduce Patient Access to Pain Management Services and Increase Prices - 10/05/2011
- Universal Health Services Withdraws Application to Sell Las Vegas Psychiatric Facilities - 09/23/2011
- Administrative Law Judge Concludes That North Carolina Dental Board Illegally Blocked Non-Dentists from Providing Teeth Whitening Services - 7/19/2011
- FTC Staff Says Proposed Connecticut Legislation Would Likely Increase Health Care Costs and Decrease Access to Care - 6/8/2011
- FTC Staff: Proposed Texas Legislation Likely to Lead to Dramatically Increased Costs and Decreased Access to Health Care for Texas Consumers - 5/19/2011
- FTC Settlement Order Bars Texas Doctors' Group from Joint Price Negotiations - 5/10/2011
- FTC Requires Hikma to Sell Two Drugs as Condition of Baxter Healthcare Acquisition - 4/27/2011
- FTC Dismisses Complaint in LabCorp - 4/22/2011
- FTC and Georgia Attorney General Challenge Phoebe Putney Health System’s Proposed Acquisition of Palmyra Park Hospital - 4/20/2011
- FTC Bureau of Competition Director Issues Statement on Providence Health & Services’ Abandonment of its Plan to Acquire Spokane Cardiology and Heart Clinics Northwest - 4/8/2011
- FTC, DOJ Seek Public Comment on Proposed Statement of Antitrust Enforcement Policy Regarding Accountable Care Organizations - 3/31/2011
- FTC Denies North Carolina Dental Board's Motion to Dismiss Allegations That it Stifled Competition for Teeth-Whitening Services - 2/8/2011
- FTC and Ohio Attorney General Challenge ProMedica's Acquisition of St. Luke's Hospital - 1/16/2011
- FTC Challenges LabCorp's Acquisition of Rival Clinical Laboratory Testing Company - 12/1/2010
- FTC Requires Universal Health Services to Sell 15 Psychiatric Facilities as a Condition of Acquiring Rival Psychiatric Solutions - 11/15/2010
Reports and Workshops:
- Hearings, Reports, and Workshops
- Emerging Health Care Issues: Follow-on Biologic Drug Competition -- June 2009
- Innovations in Health Care Delivery – FTC Public Workshop 4/28/2008
Business Education:
- Competition in the Health Care Marketplace
- Industry guidance
- Health care advocacy
Congressional Testimony:
- FTC Testifies on Antitrust Enforcement in the Health Care Industry – 12/1/2010
- The Importance of Competition and Antitrust Enforcement to Lower-Cost, Higher-Quality Health Care – 7/16/2009
- Emerging Health Care Issues: Follow-on Biologic Drug Competition – 6/11/2009
Speeches:
Consumer Education:
