WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Jan. 26 that, following a public comment period, the agency approved a final order settling antitrust charges against Becton, Dickinson, a medical technology company.
The FTC had alleged that Becton, Dickinson’s proposed $24 billion acquisition of competitor C.R. Bard would harm competition and violate federal trust laws. The FTC claimed that the acquisition would specifically harm competition in two local markets in the United States for certain medical devices.
The devices in question are tunneled home drainage catheter systems, which treat recurrent fluid build-up in the lungs and abdomen, and soft tissue core needle biopsy devices, which doctors utilize to remove small samples of tissue from soft tissue organs.
Under the terms of the order, Becton, Dickinson will divest medical device businesses to Merit Medical Systems Inc., a medical device supplier in Utah. Becton, Dickinson’s soft tissue core needle biopsy device business and Bard’s tunneled home drainage catheter system business will be divested.
The FTC voted 2-0 to approve the final order. Jared Nagley of the Northeast Regional Office is the staff contact for the case.