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Every year the FTC brings hundreds of cases against individuals and companies for violating consumer protection and competition laws that the agency enforces. These cases can involve fraud, scams, identity theft, false advertising, privacy violations, anti-competitive behavior and more. The Legal Library has detailed information about cases we have brought in federal court or through our internal administrative process, called an adjudicative proceeding.
The Commission approved a final consent order to ensure the maintenance of competition in the market for prone stereotactic breast biopsy systems (SBBSs). The Commission had challenged this merger which was consummated in 2005. The order required the divestiture of all prone SBBS assets to Siemens, a company well-positioned to become a competitor in this market.
The consent order settles charges that the $27 billion acquisition of Guidant Corporation by Boston Scientific Corporation would harm competition and consumers in several significant medical device markets. Guidant Corporation by Boston Scientific Corporation are the largest market shareholders in several coronary medical device markets in the U.S., together accounting for 90% of the U.S. PTCA balloon catheter market and 85% of the U.S. coronary guidewire market.
Associated Octel settled charges that its acquisition of Oboadler Company would eliminate direct competition and raise prices in the highly concentrated market for the manufacture and sale of lead antiknock compounds. Under terms of the order, Octel agreed to supply Oboadler's current distributor, Allchem Industries, Inc., with lead antiknock compounds for resale in the United States for 15 years.
Fresenius AG settled charges that its purchase of rival dialysis provider Renal Care Group, Inc. would likely have resulted in higher prices for dialysis services. The consent order requires that Fresenius AG will sell 91 outpatient kidney dialysis clinics and financial interests in 12 more.
Consent order permits the acquisition of MAPCO, Inc. but requires Williams to lease its pipeline to Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, a terminal competitor of MAPCO, to ensure that Kinder Morgan can continue to exist as an independent competitor in the transportation and terminaling of propane in certain Midwest markets. Under terms of the consent order Williams agreed to connect its Wyoming gas processing plant to any new competing pipeline in the future.