Priadel: Plan to withdraw bipolar drug is paused while competition watchdog investigates

The manufacturer of Priadel, a brand of lithium widely used to treat bipolar disorder, has halted plans to withdraw the drug after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into whether the company had broken the law.1

Essential Pharma had previously announced it would withdraw the drug in April 2021 forcing patients to switch to alternative, more expensive brands.

Priadel costs £4.02 (€4.4; $5) for a pack of 400 mg tablets. The company also owns the other main brand of lithium, Camcolit, and recently increased its price to £48.18 per pack of 400 mg tablets.

The CMA is investigating whether Essential Pharma has “abused a dominant position” by withdrawing Priadel and pushing patients towards its more expensive alternative treatment. It said it has reasonable grounds to suspect Essential …