On 29 July 2015, the German government introduced a legislative initiative with the aim of fighting corruption in the healthcare sector. On 4 June 2016, the German Act on Fighting Corruption in the Healthcare Sector (Gesetz zur Bekämpfung der Korruption im Gesundheitswesen – Act) entered into effect under which the criminal offences of taking and giving bribes in the healthcare sector were incorporated into the German Criminal Code (StGB) as sections 299a and 299b. These new regulations could have a substantial impact on companies, as giving bribes to self-employed healthcare professionals is now considered a criminal corruption offence.
