Exclusive: Siemens healthcare unit probed by China regulator for bribery – sources
By Adam Jourdan and Engen Tham SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A Chinese regulator investigated Siemens AG last year over whether the German group's healthcare unit and its dealers bribed hospitals to buy expensive disposable products used in some of its medical devices, three people with knowledge of the probe told Reuters. The investigation, which has not previously been reported, follows a wide-reaching probe into the pharmaceutical industry in China that last year saw GlaxoSmithKline Plc fined nearly $500 million for bribing officials to push its medicine sales. China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) accused Siemens and its dealers of having violated competition law by donating medical devices in return for agreements to exclusively buy the chemical reagents needed to run the machines from Siemens, the people said. Reuters was unable to determine whether Siemens had denied the accusations or if any action was taken against the company or the dealers.
