| |
![Roche Prepares to Launch COVID-19 Antibody Test System]() ROCHE PREPARES TO LAUNCH COVID-19 ANTIBODY TEST SYSTEM article Apr 17, 2020 Swiss pharma giant Roche is joining the race to develop a test for COVID-19 antibodies in people who have been exposed to the disease. This morning, Roche announced the development and upcoming launch of its Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serology test to detect antibodies in people who have been exposed t... Read More |
![Coronavirus Pandemic Brings Hundreds Of U.S. Clinical Trials To A Halt]() CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BRINGS HUNDREDS OF U.S. CLINICAL TRIALS TO A HALT article Apr 11, 2020 Rene Roach fired off a quick email in late March for an update on a colorectal cancer clinical trial for which she hoped to qualify. Worried about the coronavirus, she asked, almost as an afterthought, whether the study had been put on hold because of the pandemic.The answer crushed her: It had been... Read More |
![How pharma can continue engaging HCPs in a world gripped by COVID-19]() HOW PHARMA CAN CONTINUE ENGAGING HCPS IN A WORLD GRIPPED BY COVID-19 article Apr 10, 2020 Medscape is the leading source of clinical news, health information, and point-of-care tools for healthcare professionals. Medscape offers specialists, primary care physicians, and other health professionals the most robust and integrated medical information and educational tools. Medscape Education... Read More |
| |
| |
![A safer ride: the latest innovation in targeted cancer treatment]() A SAFER RIDE: THE LATEST INNOVATION IN TARGETED CANCER TREATMENT article Nov 28, 2019 One downside of the antibody-drug conjugates used in oncology today is that the drug-carrying antibodies can shed much of their toxic cargo on the way to the tumour site. Now, German researchers have published their method for attaching drugs to antibodies with greater stability, potentially making ... Read More |
![Searching Chemical Spaces to Boost Drug Development]() SEARCHING CHEMICAL SPACES TO BOOST DRUG DEVELOPMENT article Nov 20, 2019 In drug discoverers’ jargon, large collections of molecules are known as chemical spaces. Whereas chemical spaces only contained a few million molecules some years ago, they now hold tens of billions of molecules. In addition, previously “virtual” molecules can now be purchased and... Read More |
![What lower prices would mean for drug companies?]() WHAT LOWER PRICES WOULD MEAN FOR DRUG COMPANIES? article Nov 15, 2019 Drug pricing regulations would not decimate the pharmaceutical industry, according to an analysis from health policy researchers at West Health and Johns Hopkins. This throws some cold water on Big Pharma's claims that new drug research and investments would evaporate if the federal government l... Read More |
![Mistakes to Be Avoided When Preparing a Drug Launch]() MISTAKES TO BE AVOIDED WHEN PREPARING A DRUG LAUNCH article Nov 05, 2019 The launch of a new product can be a daunting task. The main reason this happens is that no matter how many times your company has managed to enter new products on the market, chances are that not one initiative entirely resembled another. For better or for worse, there is not a single recipe for su... Read More |
![Drug Helps Plants Resist Drought: Study]() DRUG HELPS PLANTS RESIST DROUGHT: STUDY article Oct 24, 2019 An engineered small molecule called opabactin that targets the receptor for the hormone abscisic acid (ABA), which plants release in stressful conditions, limited water loss in Arabidopsis, tomato, and wheat, and improved wheat’s tolerance of drought-like conditions in the lab, according to a ... Read More |
![Mulesoft: how can API tools speed up drug development?]() MULESOFT: HOW CAN API TOOLS SPEED UP DRUG DEVELOPMENT? article Oct 24, 2019 At its Connect conference in London in early October, MuleSoft brought together its customers and clients across all sectors to discuss how enterprise software, and particularly APIs, can drive efficiencies and contribute to digital transformation. Mulesoft’s David Chao and AstraZeneca’s... Read More |
![Drug Delivery]() DRUG DELIVERY article Oct 23, 2019 A drug’s efficacy can be impacted significantly by the way in which it is delivered. By developing a variety of drug delivery systems (DDSs) it is now possible to better control the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicity, immunogenicity and efficacy of drugs. By finding the best-suited d... Read More |
![IoT and Drug Adherence: Different Approaches to Connected Solutions]() IOT AND DRUG ADHERENCE: DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO CONNECTED SOLUTIONS article Oct 11, 2019 Sometimes it’s the really small things that make a huge difference to a person’s health. Skipping dosages of prescription medication, for example, has been linked to an array of negative effects. About half of us are guilty of not taking medication correctly, according to figures shared ... Read More |
![DRUG PRICES KILLING OR DISEASES?]() DRUG PRICES KILLING OR DISEASES? article Oct 10, 2019 The United States is a huge economy and the economies look up to it for inspiration on how to manage the country to yield maximum output from the economy. But the medicines and drugs in the country are something that has always been on the controversial aspects of the country. Read More |
![Demonstrating drug potency early in cell therapy development]() DEMONSTRATING DRUG POTENCY EARLY IN CELL THERAPY DEVELOPMENT article Oct 07, 2019 With traditional drug development, the FDA typically focuses the majority of its attention on clinical aspects of a drug. With advanced cell and gene therapies, the agency places far more focus on chemistry manufacturing and controls (CMC) much earlier in development. Due in part to the fact that th... Read More |
![Shortage of drugs having a serious impact on primary care]() SHORTAGE OF DRUGS HAVING A SERIOUS IMPACT ON PRIMARY CARE article Oct 07, 2019 According to information gleaned from a drug tracker, more than 100 drugs regularly prescribed by GPs are now out of stock, and this is forcing patients to ‘chop and change’ between medicines. The tracker showed that a total of 106 products were unavailable earlier this month, while a fu... Read More |
![The 10 latest FDA Orphan Drug Designations for cancer treatments]() THE 10 LATEST FDA ORPHAN DRUG DESIGNATIONS FOR CANCER TREATMENTS article Sep 25, 2019 The FDA grants Orphan Drug Designation to treatments for rare diseases in R&D; here are the 10 most recent for oncologic conditions. The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) denotes medications that are potential promising treatments for rare diseases in th... Read More |
![How does a drug for colorectal cancer work?]() HOW DOES A DRUG FOR COLORECTAL CANCER WORK? article Sep 25, 2019 Colorectal cancer is a fatal and common disease, and treatment decisions are often based on what genes have been mutated in the development of the cancer. This means that certain patients with colorectal cancer may benefit from the chemotherapeutic ‘cetuximab’ while other patients may be... Read More |
![Could smart pill bottles dispense a solution to drug non-adherence?]() COULD SMART PILL BOTTLES DISPENSE A SOLUTION TO DRUG NON-ADHERENCE? article Sep 25, 2019 To tackle the challenge of medication adherence, particularly in the clinical trial space, UK health tech company Elucid has created a smart pill bottle and mobile app called Pill Connect. Currently in the trial stage, Pharma Tech Focus talks to Elucid’s CEO Dr James Burnstone about how the sy... Read More |
![Reviving a Discontinued Drug]() REVIVING A DISCONTINUED DRUG article Sep 24, 2019 Most of the drugs that are taken off the market are removed for reasons other than safety. However, sometimes drug makers choose to remove drugs from the market even if there is no problem with their safety profile. In fact, from 1994 through 2015, 215 drugs were withdrawn from sale, and only 5.1 pe... Read More |
![AI and Drug Discovery, Protecting the Value of Data in Collaborations]() AI AND DRUG DISCOVERY, PROTECTING THE VALUE OF DATA IN COLLABORATIONS article Sep 23, 2019 AI and Pharma update, Melloddy project—a ground-breaking collaboration between pharmaceutical companies, technology companies, and academic institutions to accelerate drug discovery by sharing pharmaceutical industry data. As we explained, the Melloddy project uses federated learning and block... Read More |
| |
![Zolgensma – more than just the world’s most expensive drug]() ZOLGENSMA – MORE THAN JUST THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE DRUG article Sep 19, 2019 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Zolgensma, Novartis’ one-dose gene therapy for the treatment of paediatric patients (less than two years of age) suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare but life-threatening disease. Zolgensma was acquired by Novartis as ... Read More |
![US finds contaminant in popular heartburn drug]() US FINDS CONTAMINANT IN POPULAR HEARTBURN DRUG article Sep 13, 2019 U.S. health officials are investigating low levels of a potentially dangerous contaminant in the popular heartburn medication Zantac and related drugs. FDA officials said the amount of the contaminant barely exceeds levels found in common foods. But the same chemical has been linked to dozens of rec... Read More |
![It’s Time For Congress To Go All In On Drug Pricing Reform]() IT’S TIME FOR CONGRESS TO GO ALL IN ON DRUG PRICING REFORM article Sep 06, 2019 The partisan stars are appear to be aligned in Washington on passing federal drug pricing reform, but not without its share of political fits and starts. The latest proposal to suffer a setback has been Trump’s rebate rule, a clear signal that the Administration has pushed about as far as it c... Read More |
![The promise and pitfalls of serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography]() THE PROMISE AND PITFALLS OF SERIAL FEMTOSECOND X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHY article Sep 04, 2019 A report from scientists at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology highlights the advantages and disadvantages of serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography. This article investigates the review, focusing on its role in drug development. The article delves into the reasons behind the researche... Read More |
![A Field Manual For The Battle Over HIV Prevention Drug Pricing]() A FIELD MANUAL FOR THE BATTLE OVER HIV PREVENTION DRUG PRICING article Aug 29, 2019 Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) an HIV prevention intervention consisting of a daily drug cocktail, quarterly HIV/sexually transmitted disease screening, and laboratory monitoring—has repeatedly been shown to be safe, effective, and cost-effective. Although US guidelines have recommended PrEP ... Read More |
![Prescription 2020: Democratic Candidates And Drug Pricing]() PRESCRIPTION 2020: DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND DRUG PRICING article Aug 29, 2019 Prescription drug pricing appears poised to be an important issue in the 2020 presidential election. Identified as Americans’ top health care priority for the new Congress in 2019, the rising cost of prescription drugs has occupied an increasingly prominent place in national discourse. Perhaps... Read More |
![Why It’s So Difficult to Reduce Drug Prices]() WHY IT’S SO DIFFICULT TO REDUCE DRUG PRICES article Aug 28, 2019 Partly because it’s an election year and partly because, well, drugs can be expensive, the topic of drug pricing is a hot-button issue. Earlier this year, in February, seven pharmaceutical executives were grilled by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee over drug pricing. The tone was set by U.S. ... Read More |
| |
![Marijuana is getting more popular in America while cocaine declines]() MARIJUANA IS GETTING MORE POPULAR IN AMERICA WHILE COCAINE DECLINES article Aug 23, 2019 Illicit drug use lurks in the shadows one reason its difficult to study. But public health researchers pull together numbers from surveys, overdose records and other sources to look for trends in how much people spend on drugs, numbers of users and frequency of use that can help policy makers fight ... Read More |
![Random Drug and Alcohol Testing With Precede]() RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING WITH PRECEDE article Aug 22, 2019 Random Drug and Alcohol Testing can effectively detect substance abuse in the workplace, ultimately helping keep employees safe and healthy in the workplace. More and more companies are using Random Testing as a method of reducing workplace incidents, and as an extra precaution if experiencing an in... Read More |
![Can CBD be Used to Treat Drug Addiction?]() CAN CBD BE USED TO TREAT DRUG ADDICTION? article Aug 22, 2019 There is a growing debate over the statutory medical use of marijuana and cannabinoids. Whilst there have been documented successful uses of cannabis and its derivatives in a medical context, concerns remain about its short-term and long-term side-effects including potential drug dependency and the ... Read More |
![Alzheimers drug reverses brain damage due to underage drinking]() ALZHEIMERS DRUG REVERSES BRAIN DAMAGE DUE TO UNDERAGE DRINKING article Aug 20, 2019 Duke researchers show that alcohol induced brain damage in adolescents can be reversed using a drug prescribed for Alzheimers. A drug used to slow cognitive decline in Alzheimers disease could reverse alcohol induced brain damage. Brain inflammation and neuron damage in rats exposed to alcohol durin... Read More |
![Morally corrupt drug pricing policy hurts black LGBTQ community the most]() MORALLY CORRUPT DRUG PRICING POLICY HURTS BLACK LGBTQ COMMUNITY THE MOST article Aug 19, 2019 Lowering prescription drug prices was a rallying cry for politicians in last years midterm election, and people came out in droves to support candidates who promised action on this front. Drug pricing, as well as the broader issue of crippling health care costs, cuts across lines that divide liberal... Read More |
| |
![Drug Testing in the Workplace]() DRUG TESTING IN THE WORKPLACE article Aug 12, 2019 Drug testing can be quite a difficult and time-consuming policy to establish. Remember, an organisation must have consent from its employees to test them for drugs. This consent is usually included in the individual’s contract. The law imposes various requirements on employers who wish to unde... Read More |
![The Warning Signs of Alcohol Addiction]() THE WARNING SIGNS OF ALCOHOL ADDICTION article Aug 12, 2019 The prevalence of alcohol-related driving fatalities is also well-documented. The NSDUH reported almost 10,000 such deaths in 2014, accounting for 31 Percent of all driving fatalities that year. And traffic deaths are just one of the potential life-threatening outcomes of alcohol overconsumption. Ac... Read More |
![Party Drug vs. Medical Success]() PARTY DRUG VS. MEDICAL SUCCESS article Aug 09, 2019 For one, the price. Having been around for decades, Ketamine wasnt expensive. Second, Ketamines effect was unique, unlike the highs-lows of previous party drugs, Ketamine created a physical and psychological dissociation from self. Given its low price and unique effect, Ketamine instantaneously beca... Read More |
| |
![Innovations in Drug Delivery System – Injectables]() INNOVATIONS IN DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM – INJECTABLES article Jul 29, 2019 The biologics drug development has stimulated innovations in novel injectable drug delivery systems. The conventional intravenous I.V. formulation is not suitable for biologics delivery due to its high viscosity, higher dosage volume, higher molecule size, protein stability issues and the need for t... Read More |
![The Latest on Drug Patent Scams]() THE LATEST ON DRUG PATENT SCAMS article Jul 19, 2019 HOW BIG PHARMA’S ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES DRIVE UP COSTS FOR EVERYBODY, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME STIFLING THE R & D THAT HIGH DRUG PRICES ARE SUPPOSED TO FUND. By now, most Americans understand that generic drugs and other biosimilars are not only safe, but tried-and-true. About three-quar... Read More |
![Ruling Reversed on Prescription Drug Rebate]() RULING REVERSED ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG REBATE article Jul 16, 2019 The White House has reversed its ruling from earlier this year that would have amended the safe harbor regulations eliminating traditional rebates and requiring discounts be moved to the point-of-sale. The ruling was designed to decrease the overall cost of drugs and lower the out-of-pocket cost bur... Read More |
![Trump Administration Withdraws Harmful Drug Rebate Safe Harbor Rule]() TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WITHDRAWS HARMFUL DRUG REBATE SAFE HARBOR RULE article Jul 15, 2019 On July 10, the Trump Administration announced that it would withdraw a proposed rule to eliminate the safe harbor in the federal anti-kickback law for rebates negotiated by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) on behalf of Medicaid managed care plans and Medicare Part D plans. This is a highly welcome ... Read More |
![New drug promises to end migraine pain in two hours]() NEW DRUG PROMISES TO END MIGRAINE PAIN IN TWO HOURS article Jul 11, 2019 There are patients who do not respond to the available migraine medications. The drugs also have other limiters: the possibility of strong side effects and the prohibition of prescription for individuals with cardiovascular disease, since they constrict the blood vessels. Researchers at the Albert E... Read More |
![PhRMA-backed Study Shows Hospitals Significantly Hike Drug Prices]() PHRMA-BACKED STUDY SHOWS HOSPITALS SIGNIFICANTLY HIKE DRUG PRICES article Jul 09, 2019 A study commissioned by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) revealed that hospitals across the United States typically charge five times more for medications than their costs. This results in an increase in cost-sharing and premiums for patients, the study found. The latest ... Read More |
| |
![FOR AI-ENABLED DRUG DISCOVERIES, WHO OWNS THE SCIENCE?]() FOR AI-ENABLED DRUG DISCOVERIES, WHO OWNS THE SCIENCE? article Jul 08, 2019 Dealing with intellectual property issues presents a challenge, of sorts, for drug developers. The last in our series. There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is greatly influencing the field of drug discovery. For the past several days we’ve heard from a number of scientists, from the ... Read More |
![EU Approves Two-Drug Pill as First-Line Treatment for HIV]() EU APPROVES TWO-DRUG PILL AS FIRST-LINE TREATMENT FOR HIV article Jul 03, 2019 The two-drug pill Dovato, developed by the UK company ViiV Healthcare, has been approved as a first-line treatment for HIV, potentially causing fewer long-term side effects than current three-drug antiretroviral regimens. HIV patients currently need to take three or more antiretroviral drugs per day... Read More |
![FDA Gives Nod To 1st Sinusitis Drug That Includes Nasal Polyps]() FDA GIVES NOD TO 1ST SINUSITIS DRUG THAT INCLUDES NASAL POLYPS article Jul 03, 2019 In what specialists have termed to a pivotal point, the FDA approved a chronic sinusitis drug, a disease which causes polyps in the sinuses. Names Dupixent, the injection is administered every 2 weeks. Those with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps will be treated with this drug. FDA stated that... Read More |
![Gut Bacteria, Pitching In]() GUT BACTERIA, PITCHING IN article Jul 02, 2019 When a patient takes an oral dose of a drug, you can picture it as being a little like one of the those Japanese pachinko machines, where a ball drops into a maze of complicated bouncing paths on its way to the bottom. There are a lot of things that happen once a pill hits the gut, the broad feature... Read More |
| |
![Is a diabetes drug the key to aggressive breast cancer?]() IS A DIABETES DRUG THE KEY TO AGGRESSIVE BREAST CANCER? article Jun 28, 2019 New research finds that the diabetes drug metformin changes stem cancer cells in a way that makes them easier to target with a new form of treatment. The findings could help treat triple-negative breast cancer, which is particularly aggressive. Read More |
![A Streamlined Pathway to Drug Approval]() A STREAMLINED PATHWAY TO DRUG APPROVAL article Jun 26, 2019 Randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials have long been the gold standard for drug approval. Patients are assigned to either drug or placebo and the comparison between the two groups can provide meaningful data to allow the Food and Drug Association (FDA), pharmaceutical companies, physicians,... Read More |
![Insulin: why the price of a 100-year-old drug has tripled in a decade]() INSULIN: WHY THE PRICE OF A 100-YEAR-OLD DRUG HAS TRIPLED IN A DECADE article Jun 26, 2019 Insulin prices have skyrocketed to the point where many people with diabetes live in insulin poverty, with one in four rationing their insulin and an even larger proportion trading off other life necessities (food, rent, clothing) to afford their insulin supply. The rise in insulin prices has nothin... Read More |
![High Drug Prices Stoke Congress’ Ire]() HIGH DRUG PRICES STOKE CONGRESS’ IRE article Jun 25, 2019 Democrats and Republicans in Congress have found common ground when it comes to the issue of exorbitant prescription drug prices. Both agree some measure of market-based reform is needed to alleviate the burden on individual patients and on hospitals from rising drug prices, shortages of critical me... Read More |
| |
![ASCO 2019: The future of Keytruda plus chemo combination therapy]() ASCO 2019: THE FUTURE OF KEYTRUDA PLUS CHEMO COMBINATION THERAPY article Jun 24, 2019 As the 40,000 attendees of this year’s ASCO conference relinquish their hold of the windy city, oncology experts worldwide begin contemplating the wealth of new or expanded data which was presented, and how it might affect their everyday practice. While ASCO 2019 was noticeably focused on prel... Read More |
![Drug testing helps secure safer workplace]() DRUG TESTING HELPS SECURE SAFER WORKPLACE article Jun 24, 2019 Employers committed to safety are continuing to follow best practices for maintaining a drug-free workplace, despite recent changes in employee drug testing laws. Surveys show drug abuse in the U.S. population has expanded in recent years, and it’s not something that impacts people only on the... Read More |
![6 Ways to Maximize Product Value as Loss of Exclusivity Approaches]() 6 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE PRODUCT VALUE AS LOSS OF EXCLUSIVITY APPROACHES article Jun 24, 2019 Loss of exclusivity does not mean the complete loss of an income stream as drug patent expiration approaches. Steps taken two years before loss of exclusivity can maximize brand value in the meantime. But the arrival of competitors means something different with pharmaceuticals than it does with oth... Read More |
![Can Drug Companies Bribe the FDA?]() CAN DRUG COMPANIES BRIBE THE FDA? article Jun 23, 2019 With drugs such as Lipitor achieving lifetime sales well over $100 billion, the motivation to use any means available to ensure drug approval is clear. Bribery of FDA officials has occurred in the past, but is unlikely to occur again for the reasons described below. The overall objective of the drug... Read More |
| |
![No Surprise – Drug Pricing Legislation Picking up Steam]() NO SURPRISE – DRUG PRICING LEGISLATION PICKING UP STEAM article Jun 20, 2019 Legislation that addresses the cost of prescription drugs is inching closer to moving out of Congress. On Yesterday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on the bipartisan Lower Health Care Costs Act (LHCCA) discussion draft. Today, the Committee released ... Read More |
![Top Drug Companies, Corporation Reputations and Marketing Budgets]() TOP DRUG COMPANIES, CORPORATION REPUTATIONS AND MARKETING BUDGETS article Jun 20, 2019 The public’s perception of the drug industry can be confusing. For example, a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) on public opinion on prescription drugs and their prices between 2015 and 2018, found that 80% of the public said the cost of prescription drugs was unreasonable. ... Read More |
![Drug Boosts Growth In Youngsters With Most Common Form Of Dwarfism]() DRUG BOOSTS GROWTH IN YOUNGSTERS WITH MOST COMMON FORM OF DWARFISM article Jun 19, 2019 A ground breaking drug that helps regulate bone development has boosted growth rates in children with achondroplasia – the most common type of dwarfism – in a global trial led by Melbourne’s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Results of the Phase 2 trial in children aged ... Read More |
![Immunotherapy Drug Shows Potential To Cure Advanced Lung Cancer]() IMMUNOTHERAPY DRUG SHOWS POTENTIAL TO CURE ADVANCED LUNG CANCER article Jun 18, 2019 In a new study including Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital researchers, the cancer immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda), increased survival for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a disease once considered an aggressive, and uniformly fatal cancer. The findi... Read More |
![Athletes and Drug Abuse: A Disturbing Trend in Modern Sports]() ATHLETES AND DRUG ABUSE: A DISTURBING TREND IN MODERN SPORTS article Jun 15, 2019 Drug abuse is a common occurrence across all types of sports, at all competitive levels. Besides just performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids and stimulants, many athletes feel compelled to abuse drugs and alcohol for a variety of other reasons. The intense pressure to perform, coupled with a p... Read More |
| |
| |
![JAMA Reports Higher U.S. Brand Drug Prices]() JAMA REPORTS HIGHER U.S. BRAND DRUG PRICES article Jun 06, 2019 I’ve recently been exercising bragging rights about our new and improved drug price comparisons. Americans seeking medicine from Canada and other countries are finding better deals on generics right here at home. But the crisis of high drug prices in the U.S. persists when it comes to brand me... Read More |
![‘Bottle of Lies’ Author Katherine Eban: Dispense as Written]() ‘BOTTLE OF LIES’ AUTHOR KATHERINE EBAN: DISPENSE AS WRITTEN article May 31, 2019 “Dispense as Written” are the words found on prescriptions in the U.S. when the prescriber wants the patient to take the brand drug, not the generic. Many who read Katherine Eban’s new book – Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom – will conclude that... Read More |
![The Opioid Crisis in America Course from Harvard University]() THE OPIOID CRISIS IN AMERICA COURSE FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY article May 17, 2019 Over 700,000 people died in the U.S. from a drug overdose between 1999 to 2017. That’s about 130 American deaths daily. At PharmacyChecker, we are dedicated to helping fight this epidemic by learning more about the crisis and spreading awareness. I recently obtained certification for The Opioi... Read More |
| |
![Drug-Patent Rules, Alleged Abuses Under Senate Panel’s Scrutiny]() DRUG-PATENT RULES, ALLEGED ABUSES UNDER SENATE PANEL’S SCRUTINY article May 07, 2019 Federal patent rules and the debate over whether they make prescription drugs more expensive are set to take center stage at a Senate hearing today. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is leading a push to see if pharmaceutical companies are abusing federal laws to extend the life of their patents and fend o... Read More |
| |
![Can a blood pressure drug protect the brain from Parkinson]() CAN A BLOOD PRESSURE DRUG PROTECT THE BRAIN FROM PARKINSON'S? article Apr 23, 2019 A prescription drug already in use for the treatment of high blood pressure could be effective against conditions such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's, in which toxic proteins build up in brain cells. Scientists at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and the G... Read More |
| |
![Florida’s House Drug Importation Bill – HB 19 – Easily Passes]() FLORIDA’S HOUSE DRUG IMPORTATION BILL – HB 19 – EASILY PASSES article Apr 12, 2019 If HB 19 becomes law, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will create processes that meet the safety protocols called for in the bill, which include inspections and testing of drugs, to allow registered wholesale pharmacies to import from Florida-registered Canadian wholesalers.... Read More |
| |
![Five Reasons to Embrace Data-Driven Drug Development]() FIVE REASONS TO EMBRACE DATA-DRIVEN DRUG DEVELOPMENT article Mar 08, 2019 The growth of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry depends on successful clinical trials. The cost of developing a new drug that gets approval is estimated at around $2-3 billion. The longer the trial lasts and the more patients it has involved, the larger the loss. The researchers at Johns... Read More |
![Researcher uses HPV vaccine to treat patients with skin cancer]() RESEARCHER USES HPV VACCINE TO TREAT PATIENTS WITH SKIN CANCER article Jul 03, 2018 Squamous cell carcinoma is the second-most-common form of skin cancer. Evidence suggests the human papilloma virus plays a role in the development of some types of this skin cancer. Two years ago, a 97-year-old woman whose right leg was covered with squamous cell tumors went to see dermatologist Ann... Read More |
![New Regulations And Safety Complicate Drug Labeling]() NEW REGULATIONS AND SAFETY COMPLICATE DRUG LABELING article Jul 02, 2018 Multinational pharmaceutical companies have for decades manufactured drugs for global distribution. Nevertheless, the task of labeling is becoming increasingly difficult and time-consuming. With new labeling requirements that can vary by country and region, drug companies are forced to either develo... Read More |
| |
![New Study Shows Drug War Sends Users to Dark Web]() NEW STUDY SHOWS DRUG WAR SENDS USERS TO DARK WEB article Jun 19, 2018 A new study published in the British journal BMJ says restricting the supply of illegal drugs forces users into black markets, where the drugs get more dangerous and more addictive. The authors of the study looked at the effect of the DEA's rescheduling of hydrocodone in 2014 from a schedule III... Read More |
![How Correctional Facilities Could Lower Drug Prices]() HOW CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES COULD LOWER DRUG PRICES article Jun 14, 2018 State and local correctional facilities, including prisons and jails, are required to provide health care to incarcerated adults.1 Drug spending has an outsize impact on correctional health care budgets: Of the states that report drug spending, the majority spend more than 15 percent of their health... Read More |
| |
![Study finds rare gain for tough-to-treat pancreatic cancer]() STUDY FINDS RARE GAIN FOR TOUGH-TO-TREAT PANCREATIC CANCER article Jun 04, 2018 Patients with pancreatic cancer that hadn’t spread lived substantially longer on a four-drug combo than on a single standard cancer drug, a rare advance for a tough-to-treat disease, researchers reported Monday. The results indicate the powerful chemotherapy treatment known as folfirinox will ... Read More |
![Trump Drug Pricing Plan Outlines Rule Changes Pharma Can Live With]() TRUMP DRUG PRICING PLAN OUTLINES RULE CHANGES PHARMA CAN LIVE WITH article May 14, 2018 After months of expectations and repeated delays, President Donald Trump formally announced his strategy for making prescription medicines more affordable and accessible in the U.S. Trump promised to take on the “tangled web of special interests” that drive up drug prices, noting the hig... Read More |
![Jeff Sessions decision to re-up in the drug war won]() JEFF SESSIONS DECISION TO RE-UP IN THE DRUG WAR WON'T WORK article May 14, 2018 Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ newly issued sentencing directive to federal prosecutors, revoking the Obama-era Smart on Crime Initiative, is a devastating revival of the War on Drugs. The repercussions of this move will undoubtedly reverse the decline in the federal prison population of rece... Read More |
![Trump Speaks About Proposal to Lower U.S. Drug Prices]() TRUMP SPEAKS ABOUT PROPOSAL TO LOWER U.S. DRUG PRICES article May 11, 2018 President Donald Trump is expected to unveil a proposal today to bring down U.S. drug prices. The blueprint, called American Patients First, is meant to increase pharmaceutical competition and lower patients’ out-of-pocket costs. Trump is scheduled to speak about the plan's details at 2 p.... Read More |
![President set to outline drug pricing plan: how far will it go?]() PRESIDENT SET TO OUTLINE DRUG PRICING PLAN: HOW FAR WILL IT GO? article May 10, 2018 Tomorrow at 2 p.m., EST, the President is scheduled to deliver a long-awaited drug pricing strategy speech to put “America’s patients first.” While details of the speech have been closely held, it is anticipated that it will discuss a “comprehensive strategy” for combat... Read More |
![Drug Take Back Day Sets State Record]() DRUG TAKE BACK DAY SETS STATE RECORD article May 04, 2018 The Manchester Police Department collected 33 pounds of medication for disposal at the Drug Take Back Day Saturday at Brehme Drug. Residents of the state disposed of 12,333 pounds of old or unused prescription drugs during Saturday’s event. According to the Governor’s Office of Drug Cont... Read More |
| |
![Amazon vs. Walmart: Can Corporate America Lower Drug Prices?]() AMAZON VS. WALMART: CAN CORPORATE AMERICA LOWER DRUG PRICES? article Apr 10, 2018 The former statement comes as no surprise. Americans spend $450 billion on medications annually, a figure projected to reach as much as $610 billion by 2021.(www.cnbc.com) Every family physician knows patients who have cut their meds in half, skipped doses or simply forgone medications because they ... Read More |
| |
![Yet More Good News for GW Pharma’s Cannabinoid Drug Against Epilepsy]() YET MORE GOOD NEWS FOR GW PHARMA’S CANNABINOID DRUG AGAINST EPILEPSY article Jan 25, 2018 GW Pharmaceuticals has achieved encouraging Phase III results for Epidiolex, which have been published in leading scientific journal, The Lancet. The company’s lead candidate is being developed for the treatment of epilepsy – a condition characterized by the abnormal firing of neurons in... Read More |
![Drug Synthesis In Printed Reactors]() DRUG SYNTHESIS IN PRINTED REACTORS article Jan 23, 2018 I’m still trying to get my bearings with this new paper from the Cronin group at Glasgow. What it proposes is a new style of API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) production. Instead of being done in bench- or process-scale lab glassware or in production-plant reactors, these syntheses take p... Read More |
![Drug Pricing Dominates Senate Hearing on HHS Nominee Azar]() DRUG PRICING DOMINATES SENATE HEARING ON HHS NOMINEE AZAR article Jan 10, 2018 If confirmed as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Alex Azar says that a top priority is to make drugs more affordable. He agreed with members of the Senate Finance Committee at his confirmation hearing January 9 that “drug prices are too high,” but ... Read More |
![Cancer Drug Raises Risk of Cardiovascular Toxicity]() CANCER DRUG RAISES RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR TOXICITY article Jan 01, 2018 A drug approved by the FDA in 2012 to treat a type of cancer called multiple myeloma has dangerous side effects that involve the heart. The drug is called carfilzomib, and it is a proteasome inhibitor now linked to an increased risk of dangerous heart events. High blood pressure, heart failure, hear... Read More |
![Design, formulation and manufacture of film-coated drug products]() DESIGN, FORMULATION AND MANUFACTURE OF FILM-COATED DRUG PRODUCTS article Oct 25, 2017 Film coating is a common step in tablet manufacture that can be used to improve product appearance, organoleptic properties, or to facilitate swallowing. Functional film coats can also be used as a part of the product’s stabilisation strategy and to modify or delay drug release. Read More |
![Shining the light on drug-drug interactions (DDI)]() SHINING THE LIGHT ON DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS (DDI) article Oct 04, 2017 Advancements in vitro technologies and analytical instrumentation over the past decade allow scientists to apply a variety of in vitro based assays designed to rapidly assess risk-liability, such as drug-drug interactions (DDI), one of the factors contributing to both current high attrition rates an... Read More |
| |
![Revolutionizing Drug Development—d3 Medicine Joins the Certara Family]() REVOLUTIONIZING DRUG DEVELOPMENT—D3 MEDICINE JOINS THE CERTARA FAMILY article Nov 11, 2016 The d3 Medicine staff join Certara’s Strategic Consulting (CSC) division, which was formed in July 2015 through the merger of Quantitative Solutions and Pharsight Consulting Services. We are now the largest and most transformational consultancy of its kind, with more than 100 scientists, most ... Read More |
![Drug makers kept many clinical trial results a secret: study]() DRUG MAKERS KEPT MANY CLINICAL TRIAL RESULTS A SECRET: STUDY article When it comes to disclosing clinical trial data, some drug makers are still keeping secrets, according to a new study. Thirty-five percent of all trial results for 15 drugs that were approved in 2012 by the Food and Drug Administration were not publicly disclosed. And nearly 30 percent of the trials... Read More |
![Drug makers beat diabetes lawsuits with an unusual ruling]() DRUG MAKERS BEAT DIABETES LAWSUITS WITH AN UNUSUAL RULING article Several drug makers were handed an unexpected victory this week when a federal judge ruled they weren’t required to update product labels to warn about risks of pancreatic cancer with their diabetes medicines. In a 35-page ruling, US District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia explained the labelin... Read More |