European Biotechs Rust On the Auction Block

There's been a flurry of M&A action centered on the U.S. bio-pharma world. But European biotech companies haven't been finding buyers.

Brutal Gallery: A World of Cigarette Warning Pictures

The WHO is out today with the latest call for cigarette packs to carry "pictorial warnings."

Kennedy Plan: Health Insurance Mandate, Public Option

Ted Kennedy is privately circulating his own plan for health reform.

Blue Shield Wins Case Over Rescinded Health Insurance

It's the latest turn in California's long-running fight over when insurers can cancel policies.

Watch Advanced-Dementia Video, Then Make a Decision

The goal is to give patients an advanced look of what to expect if they develop the condition.

Watch a Video of Advanced Dementia, Then Decide What You Want

The goal is to give patients an advanced look of what to expect if they develop the condition.

Flu Outbreak Closes Eton, Ends Australian Luxury Cruise

A few flu news items from around the globe.

FDA Isn’t Ready to Approve J&J Anticlotting Drug

The agency's decision comes despite a 15-2 vote in favor of the drug by an advisory panel.

High Costs Put Damper on Massachusetts Insurance Program

More people are getting care, but some of the initial gains in terms of affordability have been chipped away.

Grassley Points to Another Academic Doctor’s Pay from Industry

He's making a case that universities and other institutions don't police conflicts-of-interest adequately.

Alzheimer’s, Aging and the Brain

The association of dementia and the hallmark signs of Alzheimer's decline with age, a study found.

Supremes Will Hear Merck Appeal in Vioxx Shareholder Lawsuit

The case could have wide-ranging implications for securities-fraud lawsuits.

FDA Message on Drug Ads: Don’t Bury Risk Information

The guidance provided a window into people's ability to understand information that's presented to them.

Industry Pledge to Curb Health Costs May Run Into Legal Troubles

Agreements among competitors, even when meant to cap prices, can run into antitrust problems.

Health Care Trust May Own 17.5% of General Motors

The deal between General Motors and the United Auto Workers gives a health-care trust GM shares in exchange for concessions on retiree health benefits.

The Drug Industry’s Talking Points on Health Reform

The industry makes the case that drugs aren't the main problem, and that "price controls" won't help.

Small Firms Face Choice Between Health Coverage and Jobs

President Obama's push for health reform might relieve some pressure on small-business owners.

Britain Says Health Service Is Splendid, Thank You Very Much

A British lord doesn't like advertisements in the U.S. that criticize the British health system.

Sotomayor’s Type 1 Diabetes Is ‘Non-Issue,’ Say Docs

Advances in understanding and managing the condition have substantially minimized the risk of complications.

FDA Top Dogs: Product Approvals Shouldn’t Be Litmus Test

The agency is often accused of either being too quick or too slow to approve new products, write Margaret Hamburg and Joshua Sharfstein in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Team Obama Keeps Up Heat on Touchy Health-Reform Issues

DeParle recently called a Blue Cross Blue Shield company about its opposition to a public insurance option; Orszag is focusing on variations in health costs.

FDA’s Hamburg, Husband Have Health-Related Wealth

They must divest themselves of several hedge-fund holdings as well as stock in companies including Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Medco.

Will Singh’s Exit Get Ranbaxy, Daiichi Sankyo Back on Track?

The pairing has been fraught with problems since the Japanese company bought a 64% stake in Ranbaxy.

Scientists Find ‘Happyhour’ Gene

Fruit flies with a mutation of the gene were relatively resistant to the intoxicating effects of alcohol.

Flu Update: Pigs, Genes and Vaccines

Researchers called for more surveillance of flu in pigs, as a study suggested the H1N1 strain may have been circulating undetected in pigs for some time. Also: The U.S. will spend $1 billion for vaccine development and the WHO reconsiders the meaning of a pandemic.

Yes, Bisphenol A Does Enter the Body from Plastic Bottles

The chemical's impact on health is a source of ongoing controversy.

Drug Companies’ Overseas Operations Cause Tax Headaches

GlaxoSmithKline is in another dispute with the IRS after paying some $3.4 billion to end litigation a few years ago.

GM, Union Near Deal On Health-Care Funds

The auto makers have struggled to pay the tens of billions of dollars they owe to retiree benefit funds.

Health-Reform Option: Government Health Plan as ‘Fallback’

A similar "fallback" mechanism was included in the legislation that created Medicare Part D prescription-drug coverage, but was never needed.

Study: Hospitals That Charge More Fare Worse On Quality Measures

It's the latest finding that suggests more health care isn't always better.

Schering Execs Could Leave With $108 Million After Merger

CEO Hassan alone would receive an exit payout of $17.8 million plus pension benefits of $13.2 million

What Do You Think of Work Limits for Medical Residents?

A recent report recommended shortening shifts for medical residents. Many doctors disagree. What do you think?

NIH Treads Where Drug Industry Rarely Goes

It's trying to do preliminary research that makes it less risky for drug makers to run trials of experimental drugs for rare diseases.

Should Medical Schools Use Pass-Fail or Letter Grades?

The University of Virginia's medical school compared the performance and mental health of students being evaluated by pass-fail and A-F grading systems.

Big Pharma Adds to Generics Medicine Chest

Novartis and Pfizer both announced deals that will help them expand their generic-drug portfolios.

PhRMA Tries to Keep ‘Comparative Effectiveness’ in Check

The industry is worried that "comparative effectiveness" research could lead to limits on insurance coverage for certain drugs.

Green Mountain for Docs? Vermont Wants Data on Industry Pay

Vermont is already out front on disclosure of drug makers' compensation to doctors, and it's about to go further.

After FDA Warning, J&J Yanks Online Video for Pain Med

It's the latest sign that drug marketers are still trying to figure out how to wade into the online ad world.

Will Nevo Revive J&J’s Stent Business?

Johnson & Johnson released preliminary data from a study that compared its Nevo stent against a device made by Boston Scientific.

The Familiar Woes of Japanese Pharma

Patent expirations? Troublesome acquisitions? It's a small world.

WHO Advisers: No Large-Scale H1N1 Vaccine Manufacturing Yet

Much of this year's seasonal-flu vaccine has yet to be produced.

Feds Join Lawsuits Against Wyeth on Protonix Prices

It's the latest case in which a drug maker is accused of offering hospitals deep discounts on drugs without offering similar deals to Medicaid programs.

PhRMA’s Billy Tauzin Talks From Experience on Electronic Records

The PhRMA head says he had to repeatedly fill out emergency-room forms and go through an unnecessary two-hour procedure because of the lack of electronic records.

WellCare Pays Another $10 Million Over Medicaid Fraud Probes

Earlier this month, it agreed to pay $80 million to resolve state and federal criminal probes.

Senate Mulls Laundry List of Tax Hikes to Fund Health Reform

Ideas include making changes to HSAs and FSAs and reducing a special tax deduction for non-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield companies.

WHO Chief: World Is in Midst of Flu ‘Grace Period’

Health officials are trying to keep the public from letting down its guard.

White House Again Leaves Door Open to Taxing Health Benefits

White House budget director Peter Orszag discussed the idea during an interview with CNN's John King.

California Jury Weighs Suit Over Insurance Canceled After Injury

The man lost his coverage after he was in a disabling car accident.

New York Closes More Schools as Assistant Principal Dies from Flu

The city has closed 11 schools since Thursday.

Early Winners and Losers in an Avalanche of ASCO Data

A handful of biotech companies get a boost from encouraging reports on emerging tests and treatments.

Live Blog: CDC Flu Update

Daniel Jernigan of the CDC's influenza division is getting on the line to talk with reporters. Here's what he's saying.

Obama Budget Chief: Four Steps to Cheaper, Better Health Care

Peter Orszag argues for changes he says will save money and improve outcomes.

Lines to See Most Specialists Get Longer in Boston

The state's universal health coverage may have contributed to the waits.

Who Is Thomas Frieden?

A thumbnail sketch of the New York City health chief who will run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Eli Lilly CEO Makes Case Against Public Health Insurance Plan

Such a plan could ultimately stifle innovation in the drug industry, he said in a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Recession Giveaway! Pfizer Offers Free Drugs to the Jobless

The company is giving away drugs to patients who lose their jobs and health insurance.

Eli Lilly CEO Makes Case Against Public Health Insurance Plan

Such a plan could ultimately stifle innovation in the drug industry, he said in a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Recession Giveaway! Pfizer Offers Free Drugs to the Jobless

The company is giving away drugs to patients who lose their jobs and health insurance.

Grassley Ups Total of Undisclosed Fees Paid to Prof by Glaxo

The Iowa Republican says that the payments not disclosed may be as high as $230,000.

California Mulls Banning Higher Insurance Tabs for Women

An insurance trade group in the state defended the practice of charging women more for coverage, despite what the industry's Washington lobby has said about it.

Faulty Defibrillator Wires Prompt Call for More Monitoring

Some of the wires were prone to fracture in the past.

Political Parties Prepare Their Spin on Health Reform

Words matter when selling health reform to the public.

Check, Please: Four Ways to Pay the Health-Reform Bill

There's lots of room for controversy.

Kids Take More Drugs for Diabetes, Attention Deficit

The data come from an annual report on drug spending from pharmacy-benefits manager Medco.

Army Says Faked Medical Study Involves ‘Ghost’ Soldiers

Walter Reed medical center says there was a "ghost population" in the study that it has "no record of ever having existed."

Medicare: Not Enough Evidence to Pay for Virtual Colonoscopies

Medicare again points to a lack of scientific evidence in declining to pay for a test.

CVS’s PBM-Pharmacy Combo Again Raises Conflict Concerns

Since the merger, critics have complained that it would mean the company would use its PBM to steer patients to its drugstores.

As Medicare Feels Pinch, Sebelius Puts Health-Reform Odds at 75-25

With Medicare's hospital fund now projected to run out of money by 2017, Sebelius says broader health reform will help.

Columnist With Parkinson’s Urges Keeping Ban on Device Suits

Michael Kinsley said he’s a believer that some risk is necessary in trying out new devices like the one in his head.

Pallone Lends Hand to Device Maker, Then Asks for FDA Probe

The gency says there are "legitimate concerns" about its review process and decision in the case of a knee-surgery product.

FDA Warns General Mills: Cheerios Is a Drug

Health claims on cereal boxes run afoul of the FDA.

Soda Tax: From YouTube, to New England Journal, to Congress

Tracking the recent journey of a controversial idea.

Johns Hopkins Employee May Have Stolen Patient Data

The employee had access to birth dates and social security numbers, but not health information.

Senate Considers Health Insurance Mandate

Discussion has focused lately on whether a public insurance plan should compete with private insurers. But there's another key debate waiting in the wings: Whether to require most Americans to buy health insurance.

AMA Prez-Elect: What Docs Want In Exchange for Curbing Costs

Doctors who follow evidence-based guidelines shouldn't be sued for skipping tests, argues Jim Rohack.

Pfizer CEO’s Three Tips for Research Success

Like its rivals, Pfizer is trying to streamline its labs.

Another Potential Plavix Competitor: AstraZeneca’s Brilinta

The news this morning is the latest sign of mounting pressures on the blockbuster drug from branded and generic rivals.

Chasing the H1N1 Flu Outbreak in Harvard Students

An outbreak at the dental school led to the suspension of classes and clinical work by both dental and medical students.

Quick: What Hospital Mainstay Is a ‘Product Nobody Likes’?

The Health Blog invites you to take a break from your worries over rising health costs and complex reform plans. Ponder, instead, a simpler health issue: The humble hospital gown.

What the Pledge to Curb Health Costs Does (and Doesn’t) Mean

Health-care interest groups ranging from doctors to insurers to drug makers will pledge to slow the rise in health costs. It's striking to see such a wide range of groups acting in unison. But the specifics are thin, and things will get trickier as the move toward health reform continues.

Aetna Puts Weight Behind Kidney Donor-Matching Effort

The annual dialysis is about $50,0000 compared with $8,500 to treat someone who is recovering from a transplant.

Coming Soon: Guidance for Grabbing Health IT Billions

Doctors and hospitals will have to demonstrate "meaningful use" of health IT to qualify for federal money. But what's "meaningful use"?

Understanding HCG, the Drug that Got Manny Ramirez in Hot Water

It's a hormone produced during pregnancy that is used by women with fertility problems and men to help them produce testosterone.

Key Republicans Back Obama’s FDA Nominee Peggy Hamburg

At a Senate hearing, Hamburg also spoke in favor of FDA regulation of tobacco.

Stress Tests: A Cardiologist Weighs In

Tracing the financial metaphor of the week to its roots in medicine.

H1N1 Flu: Thursday Update

With the flu outbreak settling into a rather steady pattern of rising numbers of generally mild cases, the WHO's Keiji Fukuda today brandished a big number to warn against complacency.

Adding Up Obama’s Proposed Increases to FDA Budget

The budget proposes more money for the agency across the board.

GE CEO to Tout Health-Care Push

The company's health-related businesses include selling electronic health records and systems for monitoring patients at home.

Massachusetts Looks to Change the Way Doctors Are Paid

The state is considering using single, global payments to cover care for each person for an entire year.

Grassley, Sticking Around at Finance, Talks Health With Obama

As it turns out, the Republican Senator isn't leaving the Finance Committee anytime soon.

Health Net Taps WellPoint’s Ousted CFO as Consultant

Despite resigning two years ago in disgrace, his industry expertise appears to remain in demand.

A Persistent Mystery: Why Is H1N1 Hitting the Young So Hard?

The acting director of the CDC suggested a few possible reasons.

Job-Related Drug Tests Show Progress, Mostly

Overall, 3.6% of pre-employment tests and 5.3% of random tests came back positive.

Deals Near for UN Agencies to Buy Vaccine for H1N1 Flu

The agreements, which would kick in if manufacturers begin making a vaccine against the new flu strain, would be designed to guarantee a rapid supply for countries in the developing world.

Flu Roundup: Vaccine Plan, a Death in Texas and a Pfizer Case

Here are a few items of note on the flu outbreak.

Grain Alcohol and Crystal Light? It’s for Science

A Harvard doctor is enrolling patients in a randomized trial to study the effects of alcohol on heart disease risk.

Face Transplants: Further Reading

After the first U.S. patient to receive a face transplant spoke publicly today, here's a reading list for those interested in learning more about this sort of procedure.

Order in the Senate! Single-Payer Advocates Disrupt Hearing

They got up, one by one, and complained that advocates of a single-payer system weren't getting a voice.

Live Blog: CDC Flu Update

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and CDC Acting Director Richard Besser are updating reporters about the flu outbreak.

Live Blog: WHO Flu Update

The WHO's Keiji Fukuda is talking with reporters about the latest on the flu outbreak.

More Sales Rep Jobs Bite the Dust, This Time at Amylin

The company will lean more heavily on Eli Lilly's sales force.

Sen. Specter Sends Mixed Signals on Health Reform

He has said he wants to get legislation done, but also opposes Democratic ideas such as a public plan.

Academic Medical Centers Often Guilty of Research Hype

Press releases about medical studies often exaggerate the findings, a report says.

Live Blog: CDC Flu Update

CDC Acting Director Richard Besser is talking to reporters about the current swine flu situation.

Wal-Mart Tries to Step on Pharmacy-Benefit Managers’ Turf

The company's program with employer Caterpillar tries to eliminate the drug-coverage middleman.

Daschle Puts Odds of Health Reform in 2009 at 50-50

If it doesn't get done this year, it will be tough to get done later on.

Want to Know if You Have Swine Flu? You May Have to Wait.

Is it easy to find out if you have swine flu? Not necessarily.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak - Monday

This live blog will track developments Monday related to the outbreak of the new H1N1 flu, from The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires and other news services.

Children Especially Vulnerable to A/H1N1 Virus

The new A / H1N1 virus that's spreading around the world appears to affect young people far more than the old.

Understanding Mexico’s Changing Flu Numbers

Mexico is changing the way it counts cases in the flu outbreak.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak: Saturday Edition

Get updates here on flu news over the weekend.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak: Weekend Edition

Get updates here on flu news over the weekend.

Genentech Exec Poised for Academic Post at UCSF

Desmond-Hellman, an oncologist, cancer researcher and 14-year company, is slated to become chancellor.

What Americans Are Doing to Avoid Catching the Flu

The Harvard School of Public Health surveyed Americans on their level of concern about the new flu strain, and what they're doing to avoid it.

Live Blog: WHO Flu Update

Marie-Paule Kieny, director of the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research, is talking to reporters about the flu outbreak. Here's what she's saying.

Botox Gets Stuck With Black-Box Warning

The warning also applies to two other drugs that are similar.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak: Friday

This live blog will track developments throughout Friday related to the new flu strain, from The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires and other news services.