PGF's plans to acquire pharmacy networks take a knock

The Supreme Pharmacies Council (NRA) opposes the plans of the Polish Pharmaceutical Group (PGF) to take over the Apteki 21 pharmacy network. According to NRA's president Andrzej Wróbel the transaction may breach anti-monopoly regulations in the pharmaceutical law which state that one entity may own no more than 1% of pharmacies in any given voivodship. PGF has signed a contract with Enterprise Investors to buy Apteki Polskie at the end of April, but the contract has yet to be accepted by the Competition and Consumer Protection Office (UOKiK). However, Grzegorz Dróżdż, investment relations specialist at PGF, revealed that the contract contains a provision which states that the transaction will not be completed if it breaches the law. (Parkiet, p. 5) E.B.