Articles

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…

This week, organizations around the globe are working to create awareness and educate people about the signs, symptoms, treatment and prevention of one of the leading causes of death and disability––stroke. Wednesday, 29 October officially marks World Stroke Day.
According to the World Health Organization, every year 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke. Five million die, and another five million are left permanently disabled. Globally, stroke is the second leading cause of death above the age of 60 years, and the fifth leading cause of death in people aged 15-59 years old. In many developed countries the incidence of stroke is declining even though the actual number of strokes is increasing because of the aging population. In the developing world, however, the incidence of stroke i…

Dr George Patino (aka Giorgio Giovanni Paticciano), 48 years old and a Mexican citizen by birth, was sentenced today at Kingston Crown Court to 3 years imprisonment.
Dr George Patino (aka Giorgio Giovanni Paticciano), 48 years old and a Mexican citizen by birth, was sentenced today at Kingston Crown Court to 3 years imprisonment. He is the latest in a group of businessmen engaged in a conspiracy to be prosecuted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in an operation known as Stormgrand. This operation led to convictions in one of the biggest conspiracies of the supply of counterfeit medicines of its kind in the UK. Over a period of nine months (February 2005 – October 2005) Dr Patino, with the help of his co-conspirator Ashish Halai, bought nearly $237,000 worth…

Lilly Commences Cash Tender Offer for ImClone Systems at $70 Per Share
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Alaska Acquisition Corporation, has commenced its tender offer for all outstanding shares of ImClone Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: IMCL) at a price of $70.00 net per share in cash. Lilly and ImClone previously announced that they had reached a definitive merger agreement for Lilly to acquire ImClone. The Board of Directors of ImClone has unanimously determined that the offer and the merger are fair to, and in the best interests of, ImClone and its shareholders; approved and declared advisable the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the offer; and recommended that holders of shares of ImClone common stock…

Data Indicate Bioabsorbable Stent Platform Has Potential to Become the Next Major Breakthrough in Interventional Treatment
Washington — Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced two-year data from 30 patients in its ABSORB clinical trial, demonstrating that its bioabsorbable drug eluting stent successfully treated coronary artery disease and was absorbed into the walls of treated arteries within two years, leaving behind blood vessels that appeared to move and function similar to unstented arteries. Patients who received Abbott's bioabsorbable drug eluting coronary stent and were followed out to two years experienced no stent thrombosis out to two years and no new major adverse cardiac events (MACE) between six months and two years. These results confirmed earlier positive one-year clinical re…

The pharmaceutical industry has often been described as counter-recessionary, the broad logic being that people will always get sick, and hence there will be a continuous demand for drugs. And whilst this may be true at a surface level, a more granular analysis would reveal dissimilarities between different segments of the industry
The pharmaceutical industry has often been described as counter-recessionary, the broad logic being that people will always get sick, and hence there will be a continuous demand for drugs. And whilst this may be true at a surface level, a more granular analysis would reveal dissimilarities between different segments of the industry – for example between the major ‘Ethicals’ (the providers of branded, blockbusters and the newest treatments) and the ‘Generics’ (man…

The new oral antidiabetic drugs sitagliptin and vildagliptin work by boosting the guts incretin hormones GLP-1 and GIP to regulate insulin secretion following food intake and glucagon secretion when blood sugar is low.
The new oral antidiabetic drugs sitagliptin and vildagliptin work by boosting the gut’s incretin hormones GLP-1 and GIP to regulate insulin secretion following food intake and glucagon secretion when blood sugar is low. Their action seems to be merely to enhance a natural process. However, given concerns about the impact of other oral antidiabetic drugs on the heart, clinicians and patients are asking what impact, if any, DPP-4 inhibitors have on cardiovascular disease. Over the past couple of years, the link between antidiabetic drugs and heart disease has been a hot topic…

In 2007, the world market for bone metabolism disorder pharmaceuticals generated sales of over $10bn - how much of this market have you captured?
The majority of this market consists of the fast-expanding osteoporosis segment, a disease with high incidence and under-treatment at present. The bone metabolism market is competitive and progressive, facing generic competition amongst its top-selling drugs. Nevertheless, market growth will be driven by aging populations worldwide and the entry of novel therapies during the years ahead. In Osteoporosis & Bone Metabolism Disorders, 2008-2023, visiongain forecasts that the bone metabolism disorder market will increase - but by just how much? Order the report today to find out.. Worldwide, significant numbers of osteoporosis sufferers remain un…

Current treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are failing to control patients' pain adequately, and health care professionals are not fully addressing patients' concerns, new research suggests. At the recent Annual Congress of Rheumatology meeting (EULAR) in Paris this summer, findings of a study presented during a UCB-sponsored symposium highlighted a mismatch between perceptions of patients and professionals as to what constitutes effective management of RA
Rheumatologists who treat RA tend to monitor a patient’s response to treatment focussing on how many joints remain tender and swollen, and by the level of markers of active inflammatory disease in the circulation, Dr Peter Taylor of The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, at Imperial College London, explained. If these are reduced by…

Deciding whether or not women with breast cancer require adjuvant chemotherapy after removal of the primary tumour has traditionally been based on a series of prognostic clinical features such as tumour size, lymph node involvement, and other factors. If risk of recurrence is deemed low, adjuvant therapy and its associated toxicity can be avoided. Molecular technology is now available to help clinicians decide on the risks of a particular tumour recurring, based on its genetic fingerprint.
Women with very small breast cancer tumours <20mm, are usually considered by clinical guidelines to have a good prognosis. However, results of a small study reported at the recent European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) annual congress in Stockholm, Sweden, suggest that for a substantial proporti…

A new national guideline will provide clarity on emergency oxygen use in adults
The first national guideline for the emergency use of oxygen in adults has been published, with the aim of simplifying oxygen delivery and better protecting acutely ill patients. Developed by a working party and led by the British Thoracic Society (BTS), the guideline is published in the October 2008 issue of Thorax1, the journal of the BTS, and is supported by 22 professional societies and institutions. Until now, most healthcare professionals have followed their own institution’s customary practice when administering oxygen therapy, and it is this lack of consistency and clear guidance that the BTS’ guideline aims to correct. Oxygen is one of the most widely used drugs, and is used across the whole range of…

Sydney, Australia 29th September, 2008. A recent case heard in the Federal Court of Australia illustrates the need for comprehensive, accurate and regularly updated patent information to ensure that the planned launch of a generic pharmaceutical product is not delayed.
Sydney, Australia 29th September, 2008. A recent case heard in the Federal Court of Australia illustrates the need for comprehensive, accurate and regularly updated patent information to ensure that the planned launch of a generic pharmaceutical product is not delayed. In Interpharma Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Patents [2008] FCA 1283, the applicant was unsuccessful in seeking, among other things, an order setting aside the Commissioner’s decision to extend the term of the AU565856 patent. The patent in question describes and…

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is a collective name for progressive degenerative brain syndromes which affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. Symptoms may include: loss of memory difficulty in finding the right words or understanding what people are saying difficulty in performing previously routine tasks personality and mood changes Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. It knows no social, economic, ethnic or geographical boundaries. Although each person will experience dementia in their own way, eventually those affected are unable to care for themselves and need help with all aspects of daily life. There is currently no cure, but treatments, advice, and suppor…

This months feature focus from PharmiWeb.com covers the difference between a common cold and flu, the various symptoms and recent preventions.
The common cold and flu are both contagious viral infections of the respiratory tract. Although the symptoms can be similar, flu is much worse. A cold may drag you down a bit, but the flu can make you shudder at the very thought of getting out of bed. Congestion, sore throat, and sneezing are common with colds. Both cold and flu bring coughing, headache, and chest discomfort. With the flu, though, you are likely to run a high fever for several days and have headache, fatigue, and weakness. Usually, complications from colds are relatively minor, but a severe case of flu can lead to a life-threatening illness such as pneumonia. More than 100 types o…

- Examination of the UK, US and European regional markets for prescription pharmaceuticals 2008 -
 The importance of the Wholesale & Distribution sector of the pharmaceutical industry is often overlooked, but with the EU alone boasting some 3,000 pharmaceutical manufacturers producing some 50,000 products for 130,000 retail outlets, the supporting network provided by the wholesale distributor is essential to the healthcare industry. Visiongain believes that this sector of the industry is facing crisis, with the increasing use of the internet for direct sales, government imposed pricing controls in Europe and the proposed change in US re-importation law, the industry has been forced to re-assess many standard operational procedures. Visiongain further finds that The Wholesale an…

Frankly speaking, stop the guesswork and open heartedly accept that it's Google's turn now, as the next decade clearly belongs to Google, best not to resist and go with the flow.
As a company, it’s amazing how it started and what it’s done and where it’s now headed. There have been a lot of such great success stories in the past, from Coca-Cola to General Motors, and from IBM to Microsoft, but this one had its phenomenal speed with extraordinary accuracy and extremely high profitability. When all this is combined it has clearly cut a different path over the rest. So what’s all this grumbling about its super power and domination? As a media company, it is in the final throws to become the number one media information company in the world. After all, when the early print based society was…

With Google now being 10 years old, a leading medical protection organisation is highlighting the increasing trend towards patient using the search engine for online self-diagnosis.
"incorrect self-diagnosis and misplaced patient expectations" Dr Stephanie Bown,director of policy and communications at the Medical Protection Society (MPS) said: “a vast spectrum of information available online has given patients a greater opportunity to explore the possibility of self-diagnosis. The downside is that difficulties can arise from lay interpretation of potentially complex medical information and terminology, and the variable quality of the information available. These factors can contribute to both incorrect self-diagnosis and misplaced patient expectations.” “GPs are faced with the additional…