The Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade), Brazil’s competition authority, has launched an investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices in the anesthesiology market of the Federal District.
The inquiry was prompted by a formal complaint from the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT).
The focus of the investigation is the Cooperativa dos Médicos Anestesiologistas do Distrito Federal (Coopanest/DF) and its members. According to Cade’s preliminary findings, the cooperative may have engaged in conduct aimed at restricting competition within the regional healthcare market, raising serious concerns about the impact on both market dynamics and the quality of healthcare service delivery.
Specifically, the authority is examining allegations that the cooperative centralized both contract negotiations and billing processes, potentially creating uniform standards for the conduct of its members. Reports also suggest the expulsion and marginalization of anesthesiologists who did not adhere to the cooperative’s practices. Further concerns involve the imposition of substantial financial barriers for new professionals seeking to enter the market, including alleged million-real payments required to join established groups.
These suspicions were further reinforced on April 10, 2025, when the MPDFT and the Civil Police of the Federal District (PCDF) launched “Operation Toque de Midaz,” targeting a purported criminal organization accused of cartel practices through the medical cooperative.
Given the alignment between the findings of various enforcement agencies, Cade is preparing to request judicial authorization to access the evidence collected during the police operation. This material is expected to support the ongoing administrative inquiry and help determine the extent to which competition laws may have been violated.
The outcome of the investigation may have significant implications for the regulation of medical cooperatives in Brazil and the enforcement of antitrust laws in professional service markets.
Cade has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving fair competition and ensuring open access to healthcare markets for qualified professionals, free from undue restrictions or monopolistic control.
Further developments will depend on the judicial review of the case files and the progress of the administrative proceedings.
