Regulators in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug have begun a formal review of the proposed acquisition of the Nizhnevartovsk Regional Clinical Hospital to determine whether the terms of the deal could curb competition in the local medical devices market. The action follows a complaint filed with the Federal Antimonopoly Service by Golden Age, a St. Petersburg firm that argues the hospital’s purchasing conditions unlawfully restrain competition and disadvantage other manufacturers of medical devices. Local authorities are weighing whether the buyer’s approach to defining the product and its characteristics narrows the field of potential suppliers, potentially limiting options for clinics and patients. The case is being tracked by industry observers who stress that specification choices can unintentionally lock out competitors and distort market dynamics, a point highlighted in coverage from URA.RU.
