the uk competition and markets authority said thursday that cochlear ltds 170 million australiandollar us1141 million acquisition of demant asknown as oticon medicalwill lead to worse outcomes for patients and higher prices for the uks national health service the regulator said the merger substantially reduces competition as it would give the enlarged company a 90 share of the bone conductive solution market in the uk this could lead to patients who need hearing implants losing out with less choice reduced quality or less innovation as well as the nhs the main buyer of bcs products in the uk in due course potentially paying higher prices the regulator said the cma added that it also looked at the supply of other hearing implantscochlear implantsat an earlier phase of investigation but found no competition concerns in that sector the regulator said it will consider potential remedies for its concerns including whether halting cochlears purchase of oticon medical or preventing the sale of the bcs part of that business is likely to be an effective way to address the competition issues the cma plans to issue a final report on the deal by june 5