Pfizer continues to conduct a meticulous investigation in line with its regular procedure and has disclosed what it knows to the respective authorities of the USA and Croatia and will continue to cooperate with them and share relevant findings, the company said in a statement.
Pfizer has been investigating activities in its branch in Croatia due to suspicion that some leading company officials in Zagreb paid some Croatian doctors large amounts of money to boost the sales of Pfizer products.
This led to the replacement of the director of the Croatian branch, Zdenko Bucan, and the director of its office for corporate communications, Sasa Separovic, the Croatian media reported.
Pfizer's business director for the Balkans, Christine Schellhorn, will temporarily represent Pfizer in Croatia replacing Bucan, the company said, adding that it would not discuss reasons for internal personnel decisions.
Bucan, who in the meantime was nominated candidate for the post of economy advisor at the Croatian general consulate in New York, told the Croatian media he was surprised with his dismissal because he had personally warned about irregularities in the company's activities.
Croatian Health Minister Andrija Hebrang has said that it is illegal for doctors to receive money from pharmaceutical companies.
Although this is common in Croatia, pharmaceutical companies also must not finance doctors' participation in congresses, the minister has said.