The Market’s Not Biting on Roche’s Offer for Genentech

Genentech shares fell today to close several dollars below Roche's offer.

A Health Economist’s Fix for ‘Chaotic’ Hospital Pricing

Hospitals should model their charges on the payment system used by Medicare, a Princeton economist argues.

Harvard Health Economist Cutler to Join Obama Administration

Another Harvard prof is headed to Washington to help steer economic policy: David Cutler, a health-policy adviser to the Obama campaign.

With Caveats, FDA Staff Likes Lilly’s Blood Thinner Prasugrel

The recommendation comes a few days ahead of a meeting of advisors to the FDA. The drug, if approved, would compete with Plavix.

Beyond Fee-for-Service: Paying Doctors for ‘Episodes of Care’

Medicare and private insurers are looking to change the way doctors get paid. One possibility: Providing bundled payments for episodes of care.

Will Roche’s Hostile Move Alienate Genentech Scientists?

Roche may be betting that alternatives for aggrieved Genentech workers will be a lot harder to come by in the current economic gloom.

J&J’s Stoffels Says ‘Open Innovation’ is the R&D Answer

Over a two-year span, one unnamed NSF senior official spent as much as 20% percent of work time visiting pornographic Web sites, an inspector general's report said.

Grassley Investigates Porn Viewing at National Science Foundation

Over a two-year span, one unnamed NSF senior official spent as much as 20% percent of work time visiting pornographic Web sites, an inspector general's report said.

Glaxo Takes $400 Million Legal Charge Over Marketing Probe

The charge relates to a nationwide investigation of Glaxo's marketing of several of its top products.

Grassley Investigates Porn Viewing at National Science Foundation

Over a two-year span, one unnamed NSF senior official spent as much as 20% percent of work time visiting pornographic Web sites, an inspector general's report said.

Glaxo Takes $400 Million Legal Charge Over Marketing Probe

The charge relates to a nationwide investigation of Glaxo's marketing of several of its top products.

Mold and Roaches Found in Peanut Butter Plant Linked to Salmonella

Federal inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the plant, and a recall of peanut butter products was expanded.

States Wrestle Over Medicaid Funds in Stimulus Package

At issue is a funding formula that would distribute more funds to states with high unemployment rates.

HealthCentral Buys Wellsphere, as Online Health Shakeout Continues

A Chicago hospital system had been accused of providing inadequate discounts to the uninsured.

Chicago Hospital System Agrees to Boost Care for Poor, Uninsured

A Chicago hospital system had been accused of providing inadequate discounts to the uninsured.

Google Opposes Sale of Personal Medical Info

A consumer group accused Google of seeking provisions in the economic stimulus package that would allow it to sell patient medical data to Google Health advertisers.

Will Bristol Plug Its Plavix Hole or Become Another Drugmaker’s Plug?

Bristol-Myers Squibb talks like a buyer but may become a seller, as generic competition looms.

Google Opposes Sale of Personal Medical Info

A consumer group accused Google of seeking provisions in the economic stimulus package that would allow it to sell patient medical data to Google Health advertisers.

Will Bristol Plug Its Plavix Hole or Become Another Drugmaker’s Plug?

Bristol-Myers Squibb talks like a buyer but may become a seller, as generic competition looms.

Health Reform Pervades Economic Stimulus Bill

The bill lets unemployed workers qualify for Medicaid, regardless of income.

Abbott Cuts Sales Reps After FDA Delays 12-Hour Vicodin

The company has let go of 200 sales representatives who were supposed to be selling a long-acting version of Vicodin, which FDA has not approved.

Cosy World of Cancer-Drug Compendia Draws Questions

Drugmakers pay indirectly for their cancer medicines to be reviewed for a list that influences insurers coverage decisions.

Why Medicare Pays So Much for Cancer Drugs

A constellation of laws limits Medicare's ability to control the use or price of cancer drugs, an oncologist argues in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Checking the Math on Job Cuts at Pfizer and Wyeth

Nearly 20,000 jobs may be lost from the companies.

When Should Medicare Pay for Unproven Use of Cancer Drugs?

New federal rules will expand reimbursement for off-label use of cancer drugs.

Checking the Math on Job Cuts at Pfizer and Wyeth

Nearly 20,000 jobs may be lost from the companies.

When Should Medicare Pay for Unproven Use of Cancer Drugs?

New federal rules will expand reimbursement for off-label use of cancer drugs.

Health Blog Obit: Martin Delaney, AIDS Activist

In the 1980s, Delaney pushed the medical establishment to shape its research agenda by listening to AIDS patients.

Correlation, Causation and What Welsh Rugby Means for the Pope

Reading too much into observational studies can be perilous, for the general public and health reporters alike.

Pfizer Takes $2.3 Billion Charge Linked to Bextra Probe

It stems from an agreement in principle with the U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts to resolve probes over alleged off-label marketing of now-withdrawn painkiller Bextra.

Allscripts CEO Urges One-Two Punch on Electronic Medical Records

The CEO of a big health IT shop discusses the federal stimulus package and electronic health records.

Analysts React to Pfizer’s Bid for Wyeth

Analysts say the acquisition helps deal with the Lipitor cliff, but doesn't do much for earnings growth.

Live Blogging the Pfizer-Wyeth Press Conference

We got up a little earlier than usual to schlep up to Fox Business for a chat about Pfizer's $68 billion deal for Wyeth.

Live Blogging the Pfizer-Wyeth Analyst Call

After the deal, Pfizer said that no drug will account for more than 10% of its revenue in 2012.

Pfizer Broadens Beyond Pills with $68 Billion Wyeth Buy

After the deal, Pfizer said that no drug will account for more than 10% of its revenue in 2012.

Pfizer Closes In on Wyeth Deal at $68 Billion

The deal would result in deep cost-cutting and a reduction of Pfizer's hefty dividend to satisfy ratings agencies and bankers.

Pfizer and Wyeth Move Closer to a Deal

As a Pfizer deal for Wyeth draws closer, consider the effect another mega-deal would have on research productivity.

Former Purdue Execs Excluded from Doing Business With Feds

An administrative law judge's ruling is the latest fallout from a long-running OxyContin case.

Beyond Pfizer and Wyeth: Pharma M&A Possibilities

Talk of a Pfizer-Wyeth deal spurs questions about other drug makers that might be in play.

How the Geron Stem Cell Treatment is Supposed to Work

Researchers hope a treatment based on human embryonic stem cells will generate new myelin in patients with spinal cord injuries.

Hospital Sued for Charging Patients 18% Interest

The suit was filed by Minnesota's attorney general. The hospital says it did not violate the law and has lowered its rates.

A Pfizer-Wyeth Deal Could Signal Consolidation Wave

The golden age of the 1990s, when every drug maker seemed to have blockbusters aplenty, are long gone. Tough times make the drug sector ripe for consolidation.

Vioxx Settlement Lawyers Ask Judge to Lift Fee Cap

Some plaintiffs lawyers argue that they deserve higher fees than those allowed by the judge.

J&J Drug, On Hold in U.S., Wins Approval in Europe

It's the latest of several drugs that have been approved in Europe but not the U.S.

Venture-Capital Losses Nick UnitedHealth

The company took a $50 million write down on its $200 million venture capital investment program.

Where Should the Money for Primary Care Come From?

A primary care doctor makes a case for trimming some health care spending in order to spend more on primary care. Do you agree with his cuts?

Health Reform Passes! (In China)

A few academic medical centers are starting to post their doctors' financial ties to industry online. It's part of a broader trend.

Pete Stark vs. Doctor-Owned Hospitals

The Democratic Congressman's campaign against physician-owned specialty hospitals rolls on.

Polio Fight Gets $635 Million from Gates, Rotary & Governments

Eradicating polio has proved more difficult than expected, in part because many people infected with the disease show no obvious symptoms.

Polio Fight Gets $630 Million from Gates, Rotary & Governments

Eradicating polio has proved more difficult than expected, in part because many people infected with the disease show no obvious symptoms.

Envelopes with Unknown Powder Found at Wall Street Journal

The Health Blog is locked down after The Wall Street Journal received more than a dozen envelopes with an unknown white powder in them.

Diversified Abbott Outshines Diversified Johnson & Johnson

Abbott's results were helped by the Xience stent, while J&J's profits fell amid recessionary pressures and generic competition.

Will Obama Build on Bush Legacy in Community Health?

The Bush administration increased funding for community health centers, and some legislators are pushing for more of the same under Obama.

Diversified Abbott Outshines Diversified Johnson & Johnson

Abbott's results were helped by the Xience stent, while J&J's profits fell amid recessionary pressures and generic competition.

Chilled Inaugural Crowds Visit Medical Tents

Hundreds of people visited 56 tents and warming stations with cold feet, dehydration or chronic conditions such as asthma that were exacerbated by the cold.

E-Prescribing: Green Means Generics; Red Means Pricey Brand

As the ranks of doctors prescribing drugs electronically grows, patients have a better crack at cheaper drugs.

After Seizure, Ted Kennedy Leaves Inaugural Luncheon in Ambulance

"I would be lying to you if I did not say that right now a part of me is with him," President Obama said.

Should a Health Fed Decide if a Drug Is Worth the Cost?

As Democrats seek more research on treatments' relative costs and effectiveness, there's some pushback against centralized decision making.

Obama: Health Care Costs Too Much, but Technology Can Help

Zach Holmquist

A tag cloud for Obama's inauguration speech.

The newsroom at [...]

Steven Nissen Gives Obama an Rx for FDA Reform

Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Steven Nissen wants the FDA to make more data from clinical trials public.

An Old Drug Called Salsalate Could Become Cheap Diabetes Fighter

The medicine, written about as a possible diabetes treatment in 1876, could provide an inexpensive option, if research pans out.

Salmonella Risk Spurs More Recalls of Foods With Peanut Butter

The FDA has traced the outbreak to a plant in Blakely, Ga., owned by Peanut Corporation of America.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The Health blog won't be published today, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Medco CEO Wants Health Fed to Set Treatment Rules for Doctors

Snow says the public doesn't trust the private sector to come up with medical protocols, so an "apolitical" body should do it.

With Obama in Wings, Policy Wonks Make Health Wishlists

They sound off on what the Obama administration to do to fix the health-care system.

States, Advocates Challenge Bush ‘Conscience’ Rule in Court

Seven states and two advocacy groups are trying to get a court order to prevent the rule from going into effect on Tuesday.

Medtronic Pays Surgeon ‘$20,000 or More’ — Much, Much More

A University of Wisconsin spine surgeon received $19 million in payments from Medtronic over five years.

Roche Cutting Hundreds of Manufacturing Jobs

The cuts come on top of a reduction of 1,152 jobs related to a restructuring of production sites.

Report: Pfizer May Cut Sales Force by Nearly a Third

The plan, which is reportedly under consideration by senior management, would eliminate as many as 2,400 workers.

Feds Delay ICD-10 for Two Years

The new billing codes are supposed to allow for greater precision in describing treatments, but doctors worry about the complexity.

Justice Department Beats Chest Over Zyprexa Settlement

At $1.415 billion, it's the largest amount paid by a single defendant in Department of Justice history.

UnitedHealth Ponies Up $350 Million Over Out-of-Network Pay

UnitedHealth insurance units were accused of paying too little for care by out-of-network doctors.

Newer Antipsychotic Drugs Double Heart Risk, Just Like Older Meds

Patients taking the newer drugs are twice as likely to suffer sudden cardiac failure and death as nonusers, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Daschle Hits Speed Bump on Road to HHS

There are some questions about his taxes and a relationship with an education loan nonprofit that is separately under scrutiny.

A Simple Surgical Checklist Saves Lives

Using a checklist immediately before surgery reduces deaths and complications.

Apple’s Jobs to Take Medical Leave Through June

Citing medical reasons, Steve Jobs is stepping aside from day-to-day management of Apple until June.

Religious Investors Push Companies to Embrace Health Reform

The Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility has filed 26 shareholder resolutions to prod companies to embrace health reform in the coming proxy season.

Pfizer Cleans Out Cabinets, Names Ex-General Mills CEO to Board

Pfizer to plug along in research with fewer people and projects. Drugmaker names ex-cereal exec to its board.

The Next Step in Cancer Drugs: Who Should NOT Get Them

Colon cancer patients with a common genetic mutation shouldn't get a popular class of drugs, an oncology group said.

The Next Step in Cancer Drugs: Who Should NOT Get Them

Colon cancer patients with a common genetic mutation shouldn't get a popular class of drugs, an oncology group said.

As States Cut Health Coverage for Poor, Feds Look to Do More

Strapped states are cutting back. Democrats in Washington are pushing for more funding.

UnitedHealth Agrees to Fund Database of Doctor Charges

The company will pay $50 million to establish a nonprofit that will produce an independent database of customary medical charges, under a settlement with New York Attorney General Cuomo.

Elan Board Says Sale of Company Now an Option

The company said it is considering "strategic alternatives," including a minority investment in the company or a strategic alliance, merger or sale.

Pfizer Axing 800 Researchers at Labs World-Wide

The world's largest drugmaker is trimming its R&D work force by 5% to 8% this year.

Internal Documents Suggest FDA was Lax on Device Approvals

Some FDA scientists allege the agency doesn't require enough testing of devices and has allowed reviews to be influenced inappropriately.

Rite Aid Settles With Feds Over Handling of Abuse-Prone Drugs

The Justice Department found a "pattern of non-compliance" at Rite Aid pharmacies when it came to procedures for drugs prone to abuse.

What Kinds of Docs Are in Demand for Locum Tenens Jobs?

Demand for temporary physicians is rising, with primary care docs in especially high demand.

Jamie Dimon, Wall Street Titan to Health-Care Pundit

The time is now to reform health care and cover the uninsured, Dimon told a group of health-care investors.

Race for Inexpensive Genomes Goes Electric

Measuring electrical changes as DNA passes through tiny holes may lower the price and speed the production of personal genomes.

Sleep Well to Fight Colds Better

Your grandmother was right, even if she and some academic researchers aren't exactly sure how sleeping better makes you less likely to develop a cold.

As U.S. Economy Sheds Millions of Jobs, Health Care Adds Workers

The sector added more than 30,000 jobs last year.

Glaxo’s Witty Puts Better Foot Forward

The British drugmaker is scaling back on TV advertising and disclosing more about its financial relationships with doctors.

Abbott Bets Another $2.8 Billion on Medical Devices

The company's purchase of Advanced Medical Optics pushes it further into the device business.

Abbott Bets Another $2.8 Billion on Medical Devices

The company's purchase of Advanced Medical Optics pushes it further into the device business.

Frank Torti, Science Guy, Named Acting FDA Commissioner

With Obama about to take office, the Food and Drug Administration names an interim chief and the head of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention steps aside.

WSJ Health Blog Blushes

We're a finalist for best medical Weblog of 2008 in a contest run by Medgadget.

Sabril: An Epilepsy Drug’s 15-Year FDA Odyssey

The FDA may soon decide whether to approve Sabril, an epilepsy drug that's been submitted for approval several times since 1994.

Antipsychotics Raise Death Risk for Alzheimer’s Patients

A British study finds the potent drugs doubled the risk of death for Alzheimer's patients treated with them long-term.

FDA Again Says No to Expanded Gardasil Vaccine Use

The FDA wants more data before deciding on expanding use of the cervical-cancer vaccine to women ages 27 to 45.

J&J’s Poon to Head Ohio State Business School

The head of J&J's pharmaceuticals business is landing in academia after retiring from the company in March.

Sidney Wolfe: Outsider Becomes FDA Insider

Wolfe, a longtime critic of the agency and the industries it regulates, now serves on a key FDA panel assessing drug safety.

FDA to Vytorin Patients: No Need to Change Drugs

Schering-Plough and Merck, marketers of the cholesterol drug, said they were "pleased" by agency's conclusion.

Daschle Calls Ranks of Uninsured ‘Unacceptable’, Loss of ‘Confidence’ in FDA

In confirmation testimony, Daschle, nominated for HHS chief, said health reform "cannot be dictated from the White House and Washington," but must come from the grassroots.

Hospitals Scale Back on Robots, Infusion Devices in Tough Economy

Two high-profile hospital suppliers are seeing reduced demand for their products.

Does a Yearly Checkup Make Medical Sense?

The annual physical is a ritual based as much in tradition as medical evidence.

Generics Giant Actavis Appears Headed for Auction Block

A sale of Icelandic company at auction could bring in $6 billion or more.

Wegmans Offers Free Generic Antibiotics

The supermarket chain's giveaway is the latest by retailers after Wal-Mart took the lead on cheap generics a few years back.

Drug Industry Hustles to Blunt Democratic Strikes

The industry is joining labor and consumer groups in backing an ad campaign pushing for universal health coverage.

FDA Morale-Booster Backfires Over Comparison of Woodcock to Ghandi

The FDA's drug division is drawing criticism for a $1.5 million consulting contract to "improve workplace leadership" and "empower staff."

Early C-Sections Can Double Health Risks for Newborns

Complications are doubled when babies are delivered two weeks before full term.

Diversifying Wyeth Eyes Vaccine Maker Crucell

A deal would fit Wyeth's shift from traditional medicines to vaccines and biotechnology .

Soon Free of Bush Veto Pen, Democrats Push Children’s Health

The new Congress is moving ahead with plans to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, as President Bush, who twice vetoed legislation that would have expanded it, heads toward the exits.

Obama Aims to Help Patients Wipe Away Medical Debts

Obama proposes to ease the way for people with overwhelming medical expenses to qualify for bankruptcy protection.

Medicare Slows Patients’ Pace Toward the ‘Doughnut Hole’

A new rule is meant to curb an industry practice that has inflated the price of drugs for some patients.

Tufts Medical Threatens to Drop Massachusetts Blue Cross Over Pay

Tufts says its doctors and hospital get 20% to 40% less from Blue Cross than other major teaching hospitals, even though Tufts' quality of care is high.

Blue Shield of California Reinstates Insurance for Patients it Dropped

The California insurer is the latest to agree to reinstate coverage for patients who lost coverage after they fell ill.

Injected Fat-Dissolver Shows Promise in Human Tests

Kythera Biopharmaceuticals said a drug it is developing to reduce fat deposits under the chin did well in two clinical studies.

Judge Dismisses Medtronic Lawsuits Over Fidelis Lead Recall

A federal judge's decision reveals the state of play for medical device suits in the wake of an important Supreme Court case.

Sanjay Gupta, Surgeon General?

Gupta has reportedly been offered the job, and is likely to accept.

What Do Rockefeller Center and Ranbaxy Have in Common?

Daiichi Sankyo's $3.84 billion write-down of its stake in Ranbaxy Laboratories harkens back to some other sour deals by Japanese buyers.

Tax Hikes, FDA Regulation Could Be Coming for Tobacco

With control of Congress and the White House, Democrats may soon make some big changes to federal tobacco policy.

Go to Detox; Get Free Beer

Lawsuits accuse seven New York hospitals of Medicaid fraud related to detox programs.

Economic Double-Whammy Means Job Cuts for Cigna

The insurer's investments took a hit last year. This year, it faces declining enrollment.

Pharmalot, R.I.P.; Long Live, Ed Silverman.

The Newark Star-Ledger's trailblazing drug-industry blog is history. Ed Silverman, the man behind the blog, is moving to Elsevier.

Merck Seeks FDA Approval for Gardasil in Boys

An expansion of use may spur further questions about the cost-effectiveness of the Gardasil vaccine.

Steve Jobs’s Health: What the Pancreas Has to Do With Weight Loss

Steve Jobs's health history suggests his weight loss may stem from lingering problems in his pancreas, after a tumor was removed in 2004.

Apple’s Jobs Says Weight Loss Caused by ‘Hormone Imbalance’

He adds that the remedy is relatively simple, and he's already begun treatment.

Canadians Worry U.S. Health Reform Could Lead to Doctor Poaching

More access to care will mean more demand for primary care doctors. Some might come from north of the border.

Pfizer CEO: Big Acquisitions Are an Option

Jeff Kindler says the drug maker is looking at ways "big, small and in between" to increase revenues.

Fighting Dengue Fever by Making Mosquitoes Die Young

A study published this week in Science suggests a creative strategy for reducing dengue.

Pfizer Looks for a Better Way to Detect Drug Risks

An industry-sponsored pilot aims to use electronic medical records to make it easier to detect potential problems.

Boy With Cancer Becomes an Oncology Resident as a Man

A good-news story, at a moment when good news is scarce.

Pfizer Looks for a Better Way to Detect Drug Risks

An industry-sponsored pilot aims to use electronic medical records to make it easier to detect potential problems.

Boy With Cancer Becomes an Oncology Resident as a Man

A good-news story, at a moment when good news is scarce.

Massachusetts Probes High Insurance Payments to Favored Hospitals

State officials will look into payments to the group that includes both Mass. General and Brigham and Women's hospitals.

Giant Supermarkets Gives Away Generic Antibiotics

The chain is the latest to promote new offerings of inexpensive -- in this case, free -- generics.

Out On the Prairie, General Surgeons Grow Scarce

Fewer young doctors are becoming general surgeons. The problem is particularly acute in rural areas.