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Paul Hartigan reports from the Financial Times Pharmaceutical Conference: London December 2nd and 3rd 2008
At the Financial Times Pharmaceutical Conference, David Brennan, CEO of AstraZeneca, gave the key note address , and issued what might be seen as a warning for those that see Big Pharma as a counter-cyclical safe-haven for investors, saying that it's true people need healthcare regardless of the economy," the economic recession will be " And the evidence is there that Big Pharma is imbibing some cost cutting medicine, with most of the major players reducing sales and marketing expenses, quite often through cuts in the sales force. But it could also be that the massive spend on DTC advertising (which is legal only in the USA and New Zealand will also see some diminution). According to…

Awards for Innovation, Export Achievement and NHS Partnership held at ERBI's Winter Ball at The Imperial War Museum, Duxford on November 29th 2008.
A project which has the capability to shorten patient waiting lists for CT scans used to detect life-threatening conditions such as brain tumours, has won Hope Enterprises the ERBI Medtech 2008 award for NHS Partnership, sponsored by Health Enterprise East. The team worked closely with NHS staff to capture the data needed for specially customised prediction software. The software demonstrated that a ‘zero wait’ can be achieved and a same day service offered to patients, thereby avoiding the need for a return journey to hospital. The award was presented to Roger Thorpe, Managing Director of Hope Enterprises by Barnaby Perks of ERBI Medtech, an…

‘More universities should provide courses that offer hands-on experience to better prepare their students.’ This is the response from the Head of Cranfield Health, Professor Joe Lunec, after a report claimed that those leaving universities lacked the required knowledge and skills to progress in the UK’s pharmaceutical industry.
The report released by the ABPI (The Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry) earlier this month suggested that the industry was at ‘tipping point’ due to those entering it not having enough laboratory or practical real-life experience. It also stated that the knowledge of research and development into new medicines was limited and highlighted a deficiency of skills in the critical subjects which support translational medicine leading to research trials in pat…

According to recent information from MIND, the leading mental health charity, Patient research released today by the Healthcare Commission has revealed that a shocking 68% of mental health inpatients are still being housed on mixed sex wards, showing no improvement on last year's figures
According to recent information from MIND, the leading mental health charity, Patient research released today by the Healthcare Commission has revealed that a shocking 68% of mental health inpatients are still being housed on mixed sex wards, showing no improvement on last year's figures (1). Women were even less likely to be given single-sex accommodation than men, with 78% being treated on a mixed-sex ward in comparison to 61% of men. The count me in census (2), introduced as part of the Delivering Race…

Our eMarketing team at PharmiWeb Solutions often works with pharma brand teams to find new ways to reach healthcare professionals with news of the latest product or initiative. And sometimes, it can be challenging, with all of the pressures and time constraints that the average primary care practice faces.
But surely it must be easier for patients? Well, we thought so too, until we came across this recent news story that may be the start of an alarming trend. According to veritable news source Newsbiscuit.com, Moira Braithwaite, 52, of Dorking, Surrey, UK is celebrating her ninth successive Receptionist of the Month Award after preventing over 35,000 patients getting an appointment within 48 hours during the month of September alone. Click here to find out more. Let us know if you’ve come a…

We are facing a world where microbes once again have the potential to cause untreatable diseases, due to the resistance to virtually all available drugs. WHO suggests that even if the pharmaceutical industry were to step up the efforts to develop new drugs immediately, some diseases might still not have any effective therapies within the next ten years.
How about proving them wrong? Visiongain is dedicating its Re-emerging infectious diseases conference to the war on drug resistant microbes, uniting researchers from around the world in a unique exchange of thoughts, experiences and ideas. The conference will focus on the future of anti-microbial agents and will provide you with understanding of cutting edge research in: • DNA-based therapies • Novel beta-lactam inhibitors • New drug targets…

It takes courage to invest €300 million in a production site during a time of financial turmoil”,pointed out Karl-Ludwig Kley, Executive Board Chairman of the pharmaceutical company Merck Serono, this week.
The company, which is part of Merck KGaA, announced in the midst of the world’s greatest global economic downturn it had just made the biggest single investment in its corporate history. On top of the €1 billion it spends on R&D each year, hundreds of millions of euros are being ploughed into the construction of a state-of-the art facility to produce the company’s current and future biotechnology products. The existing site, where Merck Serono has produced its multiple sclerosis biotech product Rebif since 1999, has already achieved the ISO1401 international standard for environment…

White paper from CERAM highlights novel techniques to expose fake medicines and unlicensed manufacturing processes
CERAM Surface and Materials Analysis has published a white paper highlighting how surface analysis can expose counterfeit medicines. It describes how technologies such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToFSIMS) are being used in novel ways to not only analyse the composition of various pharmaceuticals, but also to determine differences in the manufacturing processes involved. The author of the white paper, Dr. Justine Bentley, explains how technology is helping to stem the trade in counterfeit drugs. She says "Counterfeit medicines are incredibly dangerous and represent a significant challenge to public health, so…

The UK’s success as a global centre of biomedical excellence is under threat in the long-term. A new report by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has highlighted serious concerns about the supply of skills that support the research and development of new medicines.
The report, Skills Needs for Biomedical Research: creating the pools of talent to win the innovation race, reveals that British students are lacking the core laboratory and mathematical skills for research and there is a deficit in the supply of critical subjects to support translational medicine - the process by which early research is translated into candidate medicines that can be tested on patients. Skills Needs for Biomedical Research is a follow up to the 2005 report by the ABPI, Sustaining The Sk…

The gastrointestinal (GI) disorders market has been one of the largest and most profitable therapeutic areas in the world pharmaceutical industry. With a reported $49.9bn in revenues in 2007, the GI disorders market competes consistently with cardiovascular diseases and oncology for the top 3 therapeutic areas in terms of market value.
The gastrointestinal (GI) disorders market has been one of the largest and most profitable therapeutic areas in the world pharmaceutical industry. With a reported $49.9bn in revenues in 2007, the GI disorders market competes consistently with cardiovascular diseases and oncology for the top 3 therapeutic areas in terms of market value. In 2007, this sector contributed seven blockbuster drugs, four of which ranked among the top 20 highest revenue generating pr…

NHS Direct estimate that one in five UK women over forty years of age suffer from stress incontinence and, whilst it is often caused by childbirth or menopause, it can affect any women at any age.
NHS Direct estimate that one in five UK women over forty years of age suffer from stress incontinence and, whilst it is often caused by childbirth or menopause, it can affect any women at any age. But dealing with the embarrassing symptons is only half the problem; the psychological impact can be devestating. One woman describes how her husband thought she had become agrophobic because she refused to go out anymore, another describes how she put her social life on hold and refused to go on holiday. The inhibiting effect also impacts on personal relationships with many women avoiding physical c…

Recent reports state that between four and five percent of the population suffer from Dyslexia. It is estimated that there are about 375,000 pupils in the UK with dyslexia and a total of some two million people who are severely affected. Yet it still can be difficult for parents to find the right help for their children.
Raising awareness about the needs of Dyslexic people will be one of the themes of the Dyslexia Awareness Week, which runs from 3th- 9th November. As part of the campaign, Need2Know are promoting their popular book, Dyslexia and Other Learning Difficulties - A Parent’s Guide. This informative guide takes parents step-by-step through diagnosis, treatment, education and into career options. Up-to-the-minute facts and practical advice will help parents to pinpoint exactly what…

Scientists have discovered the two key processes that allow cancer cells to change the way they move in order to spread through the body, reports leading scientific journal 'Cell'
Scientists have discovered the two key processes that allow cancer cells to change the way they move in order to spread through the body, reports leading scientific journal 'Cell' (1). The progression of cancer cells from one part of the body to another ("metastasis") is one of the biggest problems in curing cancer, therefore this research brings new hope of future therapies to fight cancer. The discovery has been made by Dr Victoria Sanz-Moreno in the research team led by Professor Chris Marshall at The Institute of Cancer Research, in work funded by Cancer Research UK. Professor Marshall says: "The spreading of…

Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals (P&GP) acknowledges the publication of the new Technology Appraisal Guidance (TAG 160, for the primary prevention, and 161 for the secondary prevention, of osteoporotic fragility fractures in post-menopausal women) issued by NICE.
- Final Guidance Issued by NICE Monday 27th October 2008: Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals (P&GP) acknowledges the publication of the new Technology Appraisal Guidance (TAG 160, for the primary prevention, and 161 for the secondary prevention, of osteoporotic fragility fractures in post-menopausal women) issued by NICE. Within the scope of this guidance NICE considered alendronate, risedronate, etidronate, strontium ranelate, raloxifene and teriparatide (secondary prevention only). P&GP welcomes the recommendation of…

Following a strong performance in the third quarter, the Bayer Group confirms its targets for 2008. “Despite the difficult environment we expect in the fourth quarter, we are confirming our guidance for 2008 as a whole,”
 Following a strong performance in the third quarter, the Bayer Group confirms its targets for 2008. “Despite the difficult environment we expect in the fourth quarter, we are confirming our guidance for 2008 as a whole,” Management Board Chairman Werner Wenning stressed during a conference call on Wednesday. “We are also confident about the future development of the business and aim to grow earnings again next year,” he added. The company continued on its path of growth after a very successful first half, increasing sales in the third quarter by 2.0 percent to EUR 7,9…

The global financial crisis could seriously delay the discovery and production of many new life-saving medicines, warns a major international conference.
Investment into research for new drugs - which globally runs into the billions - is now seriously at threat as former investors in the drug companies shy away as a result of the economic meltdown. Professor David Wield, Director of the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) Edinburgh-based Innogen Centre, and chair of the 'Genomics and Society: Reinventing Life?' conference, delivered a stark warning prior to the gathering of over 200 experts at conference in London. Professor Wield said: "Investing in biotech companies is now seen as risk taking, and will not be for the timid. What will happen to investment in biotech research if f…

The following is taken from the ABPI's Press Release dated 29th October 2008
Top-ups are a prime example of the inequalities that exist within the UK’s healthcare systems. We believe that they are not only discriminatory but also unnecessary. The notion that there is not enough money to pay for new medicines is wrong. Medicines are making up a smaller and smaller part of the overall NHS budget.See Figure 1. (Source:PPA, ONS, DH, NAW, ISD, IMS dataview). In 2007, medicines accounted for just 9.9 per cent of the overall budget. See Figure 2. (Source: OHE compendium) While people in the UK are being denied access to modern medicines that enhance and prolong life, they are readily available in other European countries, where prices and spending are higher. In 2007, the UK spent £195 pe…

NHS staff (in England) are making excellent progress against two key priority areas - to reduce waiting times to 18 weeks and cut Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections - statistics released today show.
Department of Health statistics for August show that nationally the NHS has met its commitment to ensure that 90% of patients who require admission to hospital and 95% of patients not needing admission, start treatment within 18 weeks of referral from their GP. This means that the operational standard has been met five months ahead of the end of December 2008 deadline. The median referral to treatment time waited by patients who were admitted for treatment has come down from 18.8 weeks in March 2007 to 8 weeks in August this year and the median referral to treatment time waited by…

Boehringer Ingelheim and the search for new targeted cancer treatments
Founded in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany, it is a family-owned, globally operating research-driven group of companies committed to the goal of serving mankind through research into diseases and the development of new treatment options of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine. The Boehringer Ingelheim group, with 137 subsidiaries in 47 countries across the world and a total of approximately 38,500 employees, reported net sales of almost 10.6 billion Euros in 2006. With its activities focused on Human Pharmaceuticals and Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim demonstrates a clear commitment to improving the…

The ever-evolving healthcare industry has very few constants, and the pharmaceutical sales industry is just another piece of the puzzle that is in the middle of a major transformation. For multinationals, eager to sell their drugs in different countries, juggling between scores of different languages and different laws has always proved to be a major dampener.
 Enter the medical sales representative, whose job does not entail just doling out drugs anymore. Sales reps have to understand the finer nuances of similar medications, and be able to succinctly explain the pros and cons of each option to demanding patients and health-care providers, in their preferred language. With mergers and alliances hitting an all-time high in the pharma sector, the effectiveness of the sales force can mak…