Statement | PUTT Applauds FTC & DOJ For Passage of Mergers and Acquisitions Guidelines That Place Consumers Before Corporations

PHOENIX, AZ (December 19, 2023)  -  The Executive Board of Pharmacists United for Truth & Transparency (PUTT) today issued the following statement regarding the unanimous passage of new merger guidelines by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice.

“We applaud the FTC and DOJ for their joint undertaking to modernize American merger guidelines in a way that puts consumers first. For far too long vertical integration has been allowed to occur across a number of U.S. industries, healthcare in particular. Integration and market consolidation of this nature only works to the detriment of local small businesses and the general population.” 

“By taking to heart broader factors and conducting a more in-depth examination of potential anti-competitive effects, the FTC and DOJ are equipping themselves with a more comprehensive toolkit to evaluate mergers. This is crucial for ensuring that mergers, especially in healthcare, genuinely benefit consumers rather than merely advancing corporate interests at the expense of public health and wellbeing.”

“By strengthening the scrutiny on mergers and acquisitions, including a specific focus on trends towards industry concentration and vertical integration, both the FTC and DOJ are not only safeguarding competition but also supporting key core values that PUTT and its members hold dear: transparency, honesty, and patient-centered care. We trust that with these new guidelines in place, the balance will shift towards a landscape where innovation thrives, and where patients and healthcare providers can expect fairness and transparency.”