Wettbewerbsrecht: Sanofi und EU einigen sich in Kartellverfahren zu Impfstoff
Der französische Pharmakonzern hat laut EU-Kommission unfair für seinen Grippeimpfstoff geworben. Mit Zusagen wendet Sanofi eine Strafe ab.
Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical company, has agreed to comply with a competition law case initiated by the European Commission regarding the advertising of its flu vaccine. The EU raised concerns that Sanofi had been unfairly portraying its flu vaccine "Efluelda" as superior to the rival vaccine "Fluad" in German and French advertisements since 2024.
This could potentially violate European antitrust laws. In September 2025, EU officials searched the company's offices in Germany and France over these allegations. Sanofi dismissed the accusations. EU Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera emphasized that when dominant pharmaceutical companies distribute false or misleading information about competing vaccines, it distorts competition and undermines the choice of doctors and patients.
Adhering to the legally binding commitments, Sanofi must revise promotional materials and publish an online statement acknowledging scientific evidence for both its and the rival vaccine. Failure to comply could result in a hefty fine, up to ten percent of the company's global annual revenue, or a daily fine of five percent of daily turnover for each day of non-compliance.
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