Interagency Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing Holds First Public Meeting

The White House announced the establishment of the Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing (“Strike Force”) earlier this year to enhance interagency cooperation and combat high prices. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) were named as the Strike Force’s co-chairs.

The Strike Force was launched, in part, to demonstrate the DOJ and FTC’s ability to enforce applicable law in response to impermissible pricing practices that are unfair, deceptive, or anticompetitive. On August 1, 2024, the Strike Force held its first public meeting to discuss enforcement actions so far.

During the meeting, DOJ and FTC spokespersons described multiple enforcement actions involving numerous federal agencies and occurring across several industries (including health care) that were designed to combat high prices. While this meeting did not announce any new policy, it did provide another example of ongoing agency interest in enforcement actions designed to combat anticompetitive practices and benefit consumers.