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Has Pharmaceutical Development Harvested the Low-hanging Fruit?
A recent article in the journal Health Affairs highlights what may be a growing issue in innovative drug development. This study analyzes 315 clinical studies that were published in four of the world’s top medical journals (BMJ, Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet and …
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When Patent Protection Collides with Prescription Drug Affordability
A recent notice of a proposed settlement involving a class-action suit caught our attention. Without admitting any wrongdoing, GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to pay $21.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that alleged the giant pharmaceutical firm filed baseless patent infringement actions against makers of generic …
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Express Scripts Drug Trend Report Update Focuses on Specialty Drug Spending
Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts has just updated its useful Drug Trend Report. One of the key issues covered in the new update is the spending trend forecast for specialty drugs. Specialty drugs present payers and policymakers with both opportunities and challenges. These drugs, which …
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Nanomedicine Could Improve Patient Outcomes and Reduce Healthcare Costs
Nanomaterials have been increasingly recognized as a promising component of the future of biotechnology and biomedicine. These nanoparticles are measured on the molecular scale, and their extra-small (billionths of a meter) size lends itself to better drug delivery methods and more personalized treatment regimens. The …
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Diabetes Patients May See Improved Outcomes with New Weekly Injection
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of our generation, affecting about 25.8 million Americans and 371 million people worldwide. Type 2 diabetes accounts for between 90 and 95% of all diabetes cases. For international as well as domestic healthcare agencies, designing an …
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FDA Blocks U.S. Introduction of Generic OxyContin
This past December, Canada’s Health Ministry approved the manufacture and sale of generic oxycodone in its originally patented non-abuse resistant formulation. This year, it was the FDA’s turn to consider the issue, with Purdue Pharma’s original non-abuse resistant formulation patent of OxyContin expiring April 16th. …
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Pharmaceutical Companies Playing on Safety Rules to Impede Cost-Saving Generics
In a recent post, we talked about how pharmaceutical companies use “evergreen” techniques to work around the expiration of patents and extend profitable exclusivity periods for branded drugs. Now the New York Times has revealed another set of techniques in what pharmaceutical companies euphemistically call …
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New Developments on Improving Health and Reducing Costs through Vaccines
As the Affordable Care Act celebrates its third anniversary, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the extension of preventive services coverage to approximately 105 million Americans, including 34 million Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, the U. S. spends close to 18% of the …
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India’s Supreme Court rules against Novartis in Gleevec case
India, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and exporters of generic drugs, ensured the continued production of generic Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) in the country with a Supreme Court ruling earlier this month. On April 1, the Indian Supreme Court denied a request for patent protection …
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FDA Approves a Record-Breaking 11 “First-in-Class” Drugs
The pharmaceutical industry is experiencing a paradigm shift in its drug research and development goals. Saddled with expiring patents for blockbuster drugs and intensifying competition from generics, drug companies are switching their focus to ‘personalized medicines’ that target smaller and more specific patient populations. Neurology, …
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