ADDRESSING CLAIMS that Agostini Group was at the head of a medical monopoly which controls the pharmaceutical sector and has influence over pricing, distribution and access to medication, the group issued a statement saying that its group has had less than half of the value for government tenders and has distributed on average less than 30 per cent of the country’s medicinal products.

Agostini issued the statement on December 5 in yet another dismissal of claims that the 100-year-old company is a monopoly.

Agostini, in the release, said the pharmaceutical distribution sector was well regulated and competitive. The group said there are more than 70 registered distributors supplying medicines nationwide.