Premier Inc., the nation’s largest healthcare alliance, gave its 1,700 hospital members access in August to the Roche COBAS(R) Ampliprep/COBAS(R) TaqMan(R) HIV-1 assay — the only real-time PCR test for HIV offered to its members. [click link for full article]
Consumers concerned about the recent withdrawal of certain infant multi-symptom cough and cold over-the-counter (OTC) products can seek guidance from their pharmacist and physician about treatment options. This voluntary product withdrawal by the manufacturers does not reflect product safety concerns but rather concerns with patterns of misuse leading to overdosing, particularly in infants less than two years of age. [click link for full article]
The EU association for bioindustries welcomes the new Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs Ministerial Order (MO) that prevents one biological medicine being automatically substituted for another. The Order demonstrates the Spanish authorities’ recognition that biological medicines are complex and cannot be automatically substituted for administration to patients. [click link for full article]
Prescription drug makers are creating pay-for-performance contracts with European state-run health care systems in an effort to “overcome” the systems’ “increasing stinginess about paying for new drugs,” the Wall Street Journal reports. According to the Journal, a rapid increase in drug prices over the past decade has increased the demand on drug companies to be held accountable for the claims they make. [click link for full article]
A Minnesota law that limits gifts from pharmaceutical companies could lead to similar laws in other states, the New York Times reports. Under the law, Minnesota since 2005 has limited gifts from pharmaceutical companies to physicians to a value of $50 annually, and the “effect on drug makers has been profound,” the Times reports. [click link for full article]
Pfizer on Monday announced an agreement under which physicians employed by the drug maker will be able to communicate with the 31,000 doctors that use Sermo, a medical social networking site, the [click link for full article]
Orexo AB (STO:ORX) and the principal owners of Biolipox AB have reached an agreement under which Orexo will acquire Biolipox, an innovative Swedish research-based pharmaceutical company that develops new therapies for inflammatory diseases, including pain management and respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). [click link for full article]
Summaries of two recent developments related to FDA appear below.BTC classification: FDA next month plans to hold a meeting of stakeholders to consider the possibility of a behind-the-counter classification for medications, CongressDaily reports (Edney, CongressDaily, 10/15). [click link for full article]
Last night’s House of Representatives passage of the “Dextromethorphan Distribution Act of 2007,” H.R. 970, is an important step toward preserving the availability of a safe and effective ingredient in over-the-counter cough and cold products, while preventing the sale and use of dextromethorphan (DXM) as a street drug, according to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). The bill, sponsored by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. [click link for full article]
On Golden Pond on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more… The loons are back again on Golden Pond and so are Norman Thayer, a retired …