The whole management of Diagnostyka, Poland’s laboratory leader with 900 employees and Diag System, a company connected with, were stopped a week ago by the Internal Security Agency (ABW). Prosecutor accuses three members of Diagnostyka board to be part of organized criminal group which cheated in tenders to deliver elements for laboratory researches and equipment to hospitals. ABW stopped 25 people, the court decided that 18 of them should be arrested.
There are only about 100 hospitals in Poland which decided to outsource laboratory works to outside companies. The prosecutor will, however, have to check all of them. Representatives of other laboratories admit they expected this as part of contracts is doubtful.
“Sometimes, the prices offered by companies in tenders are so low that they don’t even cover costs of reagents necessary to do the research”, a representative of one of the companies taking part in a tender to work for a big hospital laboratory in Warsaw said. His company lost because another rival was much cheaper.
Meanwhile, all companies from the sector want to win the clients of Diagnostyka. The latter believes that it were rival companies who caused its problems.
“According to independent evaluation, the allegations might be inspired by unfair rivals who have debts with Diag System”, Diagnostyka said in a statement.
“We do feel sorry for colleagues from Diagnostyka but it would be a serious mistake not to take our chance now. If we play it right, we may win a big client in Warsaw from Diagnostyka”, the head of one of private laboratories said.