Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Questioning Industry Funding of Medical Specialty Societies
Writing in JAMA, a group of doctors called for tight restrictions.
Senator Puts UnitedHealth Execs on Payments Hot Seat
The company's answers didn't appear to satisfy the committee chairman.
Questioning Industry Funding of Medical Specialty Societies
Writing in JAMA, a group of doctors called for tight restrictions.
Senator Puts UnitedHealth Execs on Payments Hot Seat
The company's answers didn't appear to satisfy the committee chairman.
Adding Plavix to Aspirin Can Lower Stroke Risk for Some
The effect was statistically significant but modest in reducing events like stroke, heart attack and blood clots.
Adding Plavix to Asprin Can Lower Stroke Risk for Some
The effect was statistically significant but modest in reducing events like stroke, heart attack and blood clots.
Kathleen Sebelius Goes to Washington
Obama's nominee to run Health and Human Services testifies in the Senate today.
Monday, March 30, 2009
With Wyeth Gone, Will ‘Company X’ Seek Another Deal?
Abbott is the mysterious 'Company X,' the WSJ reports.
Obesity Drug Development Is Tough — Just Ask Arena
The company said its obesity drug hit key targets, but the market was underwhelmed and the stock fell sharply.
Doctors Push for Clean Slate on Medicare Reimbursement Rates
Physician leaders are looking to break a regular cycle where Congress must intervene to block cuts.
Lilly CEO Not Interested in Merger with Bristol-Myers Squibb
The CEO says big deals are being driven by weakness and aren't a solution to long-term problems in the drug industry.
Cardiology Confab Roundup: Drugs, Stents & More
Here are a few highlights from this weekend's big American College of Cardiology conference.
AMA Wades Into Flap Over JAMA Editors
At issue is how the editors handled allegations that a study author failed to disclose a potential conflict of interest. Here's the AMA's statement.
Friday, March 27, 2009
What Docs, Insurers, Pharma and Businesses Agree On
A coalition that includes some key national health and business organizations put out a set of recommendations Friday.
Coming Soon: Comparative Effectiveness Research for Biotech
The NIH has signaled how it may spend some of the $1.1 billion in comparative-effectiveness research funding included in the stimulus package.
What the Republicans’ Budget Outline Says On Health Reform
Among other things, the plan proposes raising premiums the wealthy pay for Medicare drug coverage.
More States Look to Legalize Medical Marijuana
Under the Obama administration, the federal government has indicated a more lenient stance toward states' medical marijuana laws.
CDC to Americans: Don’t Trip Over Your Dog
More than 80,000 people a year wind up in the emergency room because of pet-related falls.
Regulators Cast Wary Eye On Deals to Delay Generics
A $2.1 million settlement is the latest reminder over the trouble that can follow when branded drug makers cut deals with generics manufacturers.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Indian Outsourcing Shop May Buy Into in U.S. Health Market
The co-chairman of Infosys singled out the sector as an appealing target.
Generic Biotech Drugs Are Coming; the Only Question Is When
The bill would give branded biotech drugs five years of protection from competition. Industry has pushed for 14 years of protection.
Doctor Groups Accuse WellPoint Of Underpayment
It's the latest lawsuit stemming from a widely used database built by a UnitedHealth subsidiary.
As Roche-Genentech Deal Closes, the End of ‘DNA’ Looms
Farewell to a clever ticker symbol that proclaimed the science nerds' arrival on Wall Street.
Docs, Hospitals Skip Electronic Records for the Same Reason
Like doctors, hospitals have been slow to adopt electronic health records. Billions of federal stimulus dollars could change that.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Health Proposal Reflects Consensus, But Not On Toughest Issues
The proposal is due to be released from a coalition called Healthcare Reform Dialogue. Two big unions recently pulled out of the coalition.
State Faults Boston Hospital for Handling of Surgery Patient
The report was far more critical than an earlier one on the case.
Psychiatrists to Stop Taking Meeting Money From Drug Makers
Drug makers have paid as much as $50,000 a meal to sponsors sessions during the conference.
State Faults Boston Hospital for Handling of Surgery Patient
The report was far more critical than an earlier one on the case.
Downturn Adds a Wrinkle to Cosmetic Procedures
The overall number of procedures inched up but the recession added to the Botox-induced decline in surgeries.
Will Americans Be Required to Buy Health Insurance?
The insurance industry backs a mandate, as do some powerful congressional Democrats
Obama: Health Costs Are ‘Biggest Driver of Long-Term Deficits’
At his press conference last night, the president gave a quick rundown of policies he argues will drive down long-term health costs.
Glaxo Expands List of Public Payments to Doctors
As lawmakers push for transparency, reporting payments to physicians is the hot new thing in the drug business.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Court Decision Raps FDA’s Handling of Plan B Contraceptive
The judge said agency officials bowed to the Bush administration and its “constituents.”
Next Item Up for Bid: Nycomed
The privately held Swiss drug maker could fetch more than $13 billion.
Should Congress Create a Government-Run Health Plan?
The question is one of the central debates in crafting health-reform legislation.
Next Item Up for Bid: Nycomed
The privately held Swiss drug maker could fetch more than $13 billion.
Should Congress Create a Government-Run Health Plan?
The question is one of the central debates in crafting health-reform legislation.
Bristol-Myers CEO Comp. Tops $21 Million
The company got rid of executive perks, including personal air travel on company aircraft.
Monday, March 23, 2009
After Two Delays, FDA Approves Symbyax for Depression
The expansion could be a financial boon for the medicines, which are running out of patent life.
Walgreen Swoops In to Buy Stores from Troubled Rivals
The chain has recently purchased some Drug Fair and Rite-Aid stores.
JAMA Sets New Policy in Wake of Disclosure Flap
In the course of a week, Jonathan Leo (pictured) has gone from a “nobody and a nothing” to “somebody doing something very important.” Leo, a professor of neuro-anatomy at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., faced criticism from editors [...]
The Long Decline of Drug Sales Reps
The number of drug reps is falling as the industry looks to cut costs.
Obama’s Health IT Pick Pointed to Challenges for Doctors
David Blumenthal also questioned whether the U.S.'s bottom-up approach to health IT was too fragmented.
India Investigaes Wyeth Vaccine Trial; China Clears J&J
Two stories serve as a reminder of Asia's multiple roles in the modern drug business, and of the tough issues that come along with globalization.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Obama’s Health IT Pick Pointed to Challenges for Doctors
David Blumenthal also questioned whether the U.S.'s bottom-up approach to health IT was too fragmented.
Protocol Breach Reported in Biederman Study of Preschoolers
Biederman said "in no way was the subject’s safety jeopardized."
Dems Map Strategy to Pass Health Reform Without Republicans
They're saying the tactic would be a back-up plan if compromise can't be reached.
Doctors Donate Money to Hospital to Stave Off Layoffs
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's CEO has been engaging in a very public dialogue about the hospital's financial troubles.
Stiefel Labs Looks for Spot on Pharma Takeover List
The closely held company sells dermatologic products.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Will a Vote of Confidence Be Enough for J&J Anticlotting Drug?
An FDA advisory committee just voted 15-2 that the benefits of the experimental anticlotting drug rivaroxaban outweigh the risks, Dow Jones Newswires reports. That's good news for Johnson & Johnson, which would sell the drug in [...]
Match Day: High-Paid Specialties Still In, Primary Care Still Out
Training slots for high-paid medical specialties were largely filled by seniors getting M.D.s from U.S. medical schools this year. That group filled less than half the slots in family medicine residencies.
New Tuberculosis Drug Shows Early Promise
A report in science suggested an experimental drug could be effective against strains of tuberculosis that are hard to treat with existing treatments.
Pfizer Could Expand Generics Business Through Acquisitions
Like many of its big-pharma peers, Pfizer is looking to diversify beyond the business of branded drugs.
Former Pfizer Sales Manager Convicted of Obstruction of Justice
The manager was accused of directing a sales rep to alter documents related to off-label use of a drug.
Hospital Exec Pleads Guilty in Homeless Patient Scheme
Unnecessary hospital stays were part of a plan to defraud government insurance programs.
Obama’s AG Details Medical Marijuana Policy
The Justice Department won't target stores operating in accordance with state laws, but will go after those being used as fronts for dealers.
Comeback Continues for Sanofi-Aventis’s Heart Drug
Will a new study be enough to win approval for Multaq?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Studies Don’t Resolve Debate on Screening for Prostate Cancer
The studies both began in 1993, after the after the introduction of a blood test for a chemical called prostate-specific antigen to detect prostate cancer.
Before Match Day, Med Students Go Through Chaotic ‘Scramble’
The Scramble may soon undergo some changes meant to make it a somewhat calmer process.
How Natasha Richardson’s Fall on Bunny Slope Could Go So Wrong
Seemingly mild head injuries can turn out to be catastrophic.
Electronic Records: Ready for Patients to Use at Home?
One patient uses a computer to monitor her cholesterol and communicate with doctors.
Boston Hospital Cuts Budget, But Won’t Give Up Red Sox
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center CEO Paul Levy is making budget cuts a very public process.
AstraZeneca Accused of Suppressing Negative Seroquel Study
Court documents show patients gained weight on the drug, and a number of them stopped taking it in less than a year.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Pfizer Sells $13.5 Billion in Bonds to Help Pay for Wyeth
It's another example of drug companies' ability to get loans when many other industries are struggling on that front.
Medicare Adviser: Medicare Advantage’s Perks Cost Too Much
MedPac says the funding for Medicare Advantage should be more in line with what the traditional Medicare program gets.
What the SCHIP Fight Means for Health Reform
The children's health program was an incremental health-reform step rather than a sweeping overhaul.
Malpractice Suits Bubble to Surface of Health-Reform Debate
Medical malpractice is a hot-button issue within the broader health-reform debate.
Big Drug Deals Mean Big Risks
Roche, Pfizer and Merck will have to overcome big obstacles as they swallow up Genentech, Wyeth and Schering-Plough.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Senate’s ‘Board of Directors’ Will Be Key Players in Health Reform
A bipartisan group of senators is meeting every week to try to figure out how to make health reform work.
J&J to Go Up Against Abbott in Stent Trial
Head-to-head trials can be risky for companies, but can lead to big payoffs.
University of Chicago Reconsiders Plan to Redirect ER Patients
Critics of the plan said the hospital was failing in its obligation to treat patients.
Obama Might Not Oppose Taxing Health Benefits
The president opposed John McCain's plan to tax employer-sponsored health insurance.
The Great Biotech Shakeout is Near
Who will support the small biotech shops that typically lose money for years before they have any chance of turning a profit?
Friday, March 13, 2009
Schering-Plough May Pay $165 Million to Settle Shareholder Suit
In the years-old suit, investors allege the company withheld information about a warning from the FDA.
Abbott’s Search for a Disappearing Stent
The company published early data this week on a stent that dissolves once its no longer needed.
Google Searches as Early Warning for Disease Outbreaks
Relevant searches rose in Canada last summer before the official announcement of a deadly listeria outbreak.
JAMA Editor Calls Critic a ‘Nobody and a Nothing’
A professor at a small university said there was a lack of disclosure in an antidepressant study published in the prestigious journal.
Pfizer CEO’s Compensation Slips 5% — to $13.1 Million
The company said it is freezing executive salaries this year.
Supremes Could Hear Challenge to SF’s Universal Health Program
The program survived a legal challenge from the city's restaurant association.
Duty-Free Magnate Pledges $125 Million to Medical Center
The money is from the foundation of Charles F. Feeney, who in the '80s and '90s anonymously gave away some $600 million.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Employers See Less Health Coverage in the Next Decade
The economic crisis one reason for the drop; the prospect of a different health-insurance system was another.
Another Dem Questions Obama Plan to Fund Health Reform
Kent Conrad, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said he is wary of putting more money into the health-care system.
Employers See Less Health Coverage in the Next Decade
The economic crisis one reason for the drop; the prospect of a different health-insurance system was another.
Another Dem Questions Obama Plan to Fund Health Reform
Kent Conrad, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said he is wary of putting more money into the health-care system.
Employers See Less Health Coverage in the Next Decade
The economic crisis one reason for the drop; the prospect of a different health-insurance system was another.
Another Dem Questions Obama Plan to Fund Health Reform
Kent Conrad, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said he is wary of putting more money into the health-care system.
To Dodge Lawsuit, Ex-Biotech Exec Lied About Having Cancer
A former SVP of Biopure pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
Massachusetts Bans Industry Gifts to Docs
The state will also require disclosure of some industry payments to doctors.
Pharma’s $150 Billion M&A Trifecta
Tallying the Roche/Genentech, Merck/Schering-Plough and Pfizer/Wyeth deals.
The Price of Friendship: For Genentech, It’s $95 a Share
The back-and-forth behind the $46.8 billion Roche-Genentech deal.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
How Hospitalists Help and Hurt Primary Care
While their role has helped primary-care docs see more patients in the office, it may also reduce primary-care docs' job satisfaction.
Waxman Charts a Pathway for Generic Biotech Drugs
The time may finally be ripe for a compromise as many big pharmaceutical companies move into biotech drugs.
Pfizer Made Case for Sutent by Giving it Away in U.K.
Pfizer's effort was meant to build evidence showing the kidney-cancer drug's effectiveness.
Who is Margaret ‘Peggy’ Hamburg?
She appears to be the top candidate for FDA commissioner, with Joshua Sharfstein as a deputy commissioner.
A New Low in Drug Research: 21 Fabricated Studies
The researcher who allegedly faked the data has been influential in his field.
Wal-Mart to Sell Electronic Medical Records to Doctors
The company hopes it can convince small medical practices to get on board.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Obama Budget Director Criticized as Vague on Health Reform
His budget director was short on specifics during a Senate Finance Committee hearing.
Grassley Says Knee Device Maker Was ‘Calling the Shots’ at FDA
He's inquiring about ReGen Biologics' interactions with FDA prior to the approval of a knee implant.
Should Doctors Have to Follow Treatment Rules?
The largest doctor group worries about government telling doctors what to do.
Should Doctors Have to Follow Treatment Rules?
The largest doctor group worries about government telling doctors what to do.
Baucus, Known for Compromise, Is Health-Reform Force
The Senate Finance chairman historically has annoyed the left by yielding to Republicans on some issues.
CVS Shutters 90 Retail Clinics for the Season
The company's move to make some clinics "seasonal" is a sign of overcapacity in the young industry.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Eyeing Schering-Plough Shares’ Climb Before Merck Deal
Schering-Plough's stock rose 8% on Friday, ahead of its merger agreement with Merck.
Sweet Spot for Roche-Genentech Deal Looks Like $95
The deal would be $2-per-share higher than Roche's increased offer from late last week.
Analyst React to Merck’s Deal for Schering-Plough
Analysts responded favorably, but discussed risks related to Johnson & Johnson and the rights to drugs Remicade and golimumab.
What’s Next for Schering-Plough CEO Fred Hassan?
Hassan has spent years at the helm of major drug makers.
Live Blogging Merck and Schering-Plough’s Analyst Call
The companies' executives are discussing their announced $44.1 billion deal.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Sanofi-Aventis CEO Looks to Cut Research Spending
He wants to spend more on partnerships with small companies, who may be more likely to offer up promising drug candidates.
How a Hospital Braces for $20 Million Operating Loss
Medicaid reimbursements and patient volume are down. Layoffs are coming.
More Baby Bottles Will Be BPA-Free
The six largest manufacturers said they will no longer use bisphenol A in baby bottles sold in the U.S.
More Questions Over FDA Advisers
A doctor says the agency "stacked" a committee that reviewed a device to repair damaged knees.
Sanjay Gupta Won’t Be Surgeon General
The neurosurgeon/CNN correspondent said he had been offered the job.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Obama: We’ll ‘Run Out of Money’ If We Don’t Cut Health Costs
Expanding health coverage will not be enough, Obama said at the White House health-reform summit.
Dems Move to End Pre-Emption of Medical-Device Lawsuits
The bill would align the rules for device and drug makers.
Invited to Summit, Single-Payer Group Cancels Protest
Advocates of single-payer health care had planned to protest what they called the exclusion of single-payer advocates from the White House's health-reform meeting.
U.K. Says Tykerb Isn’t Worth Cost, Even With 12 Free Weeks
NICE recommended against the drug for routine use in women with advanced breast cancer.
Report: WellPoint Pharmacy Benefits Business On the Block
Insurers may face more pressure to sell their in-house PBMs as their stock prices fall.
Report: WellPoint Pharmacy Benefits Business On the Block
Insurers may face more pressure to sell their in-house PBMs as their stock prices fall.
Report: WellPoint Pharmacy Benefits Business On the Block
Insurers may face more pressure to sell their in-house PBMs as their stock prices fall.
Washington’s Physician-Assisted Suicide Law Takes Effect
Doctors and hospitals can choose whether to participate.
Washington’s Physician-Assisted Suicide Law Takes Effect
Doctors and hospitals can choose whether to participate.
Washington’s Physician-Assisted Suicide Law Takes Effect
Doctors and hospitals can choose whether to participate.
Washington’s Physician-Assisted Suicide Law Takes Effect
Doctors and hospitals can choose whether to participate.
Washington’s Physician-Assisted Suicide Law Takes Effect
Doctors and hospitals can choose whether to participate.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Supremes Set Different Rules for Suing Device, Drug Makers
The Supreme Court ruled differently in similar cases regarding the drug and device industries. That's because the industries are governed by different federal laws.
Supremes Set Different Rules for Suing Device, Drug Makers
The Supreme Court ruled differently in similar cases regarding the drug and device industries. That's because the industries are governed by different federal laws.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Baucus Questions Lowering Deductions to Fund Health Plan
Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised concerns about Obama's plan to fund a significant piece of his health-reform plan.
Supremes Set Different Rules for Suing Device, Drug Makers
The Supreme Court ruled differently in similar cases regarding the drug and device industries. That's because the industries are governed by different federal laws.
Supreme Court Rules in Wyeth v. Levine
The case, closely watched by the drug industry, raised the question of whether FDA regulation prevented suits filed under state law.
Reading the CEO Tea Leaves at Bristol-Myers Squibb
The company named Lamberto Andreotti its president and created an executive committee to "chart the future" of the company.
Online Soon: Industry Payments to a Med School’s Faculty
As the University of Minnesota hammers out a new conflict-of-interest policy, some proposed provisions are being weakened.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Genzyme Shows Biotech Drugs Are Tough to Reproduce
The company's trouble getting approval to expand production of its Pompe disease drug highlights a problem that could await would-be makers of generic biologics.
Health-Reform Appointee Sits on Health-Industry Boards
Nancy-Ann DeParle is expected to step down from the boards of Cerner, Medco and Boston Scientific
Pfizer Grabs Rights to Sell More Generics
The big maker of branded drugs continues to warm to the idea of selling copycat versions.
Tallying Harvard Medical School’s Drug-Industry Ties
Some 1,600 professors and lecturers have disclosed financial ties to industry under the school's disclosure rules.
Mass General Boosts Genetic Testing in Cancer Patients
The hospital is embracing the field of "personalized medicine."
Monday, March 2, 2009
Genentech: A Robust Future or Last Hurrah?
Genentech chairman and CEO Art Levinson and his executive team got a wintry day in Manhattan to make their case to investors that Roche is lowballing the company with its $86.50 hostile tender offer for the shares of the company it doesn't already own. Despite projections of a [...]
Dartmouth Picks Global Health Leader as its President
Jim Yong Kim has worked heavily on diseases including AIDS and tuberculosis and providing health care for the poor.
In Naming Sebelius, Obama Pushes Bipartisan Health Reform
Nancy-Ann DeParle, his choice to head the new White House health-reform office, has deep experience with Medicare and Medicaid.
New Use for Erbitux Stalled by FDA’s Data Request
The cancer drug was a key reason Eli Lilly acquired ImClone.
Insurers Control Quantity Over Quality in Medical Imaging
They've been pushing to curb unnecessary tests, but say there isn't an easy way to pay more for better scans and interpretation.
Valeant Slashes Research as Solution to Drug Pipeline Woes
The company takes an acquisition strategy a step beyond what most major drug companies are doing.
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