Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, WORTH NOTING—Other Antitrust and Trade Regulation developments, (Aug 17, 2016)

A periodic roundup of other items of interest to the Antitrust and Trade Regulation community:

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS NEWS: The European Commission (EC) has cleared the proposed merger between U.S. companies IMS Health Inc. and Quintiles Inc. IMS is an information and services provider for biotech, health care, life science, and pharmaceutical companies. Quintiles provides health care companies with product development and commercial outsourcing services. The EC concluded that the proposed transaction would not be anticompetitive because: (1) the two companies’ activities in the collection of data based on actual patient experiences and clinical practice is very limited in the European Economic Area; (2) multiple strong players will remain active in this market post-merger; and (3) IMS Health does not own or control any database or software, which the EC said is "unique or indispensable for the provision of services performed by Quintiles and its competitors."

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS NEWS: The proposed acquisition of joint control over WireCo WorldGroup (Cayman) Inc. by Onex Corp. and Paine & Partners LLC has also been approved by the EC. WireCo, of the United States, manufactures highly-engineered and general purpose wires. Onex of Canada and Paine of the United States are both private equity firms. The EC concluded that the proposed deal did not raise competition concerns because there were minimal overlaps between the parties’ activities.

ANTITRUST NEWS: The staff of the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Economics, and Bureau of Competition has submitted a reply comment to the Delaware Board of Dietetics/Nutrition on its proposed telehealth regulation requiring in-person evaluation of patients and allowing dietitians and nutritionists to determine whether to use telehealth thereafter. The comment expresses the FTC staff’s concern that, because the proposed regulation would require that all initial evaluations be conducted in person, it may necessarily discourage the use of telehealth and restrict consumer choice. It also encourages the Board to consider whether the proposed regulation could be improved by eliminating the prohibition on the use of telehealth for initial evaluations and expressly stating that licensees have the option to use electronic communications for assessment and diagnosis.

Companies: IMS Health Inc.; Quintiles Inc.; WireCo WorldGroup Cayman Inc.; Onex Corp.; Paine & Partners LLC

News: AcquisitionsMergers Antitrust FederalTradeCommissionNews