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Generics
'Patents as element of exclusion and limit to the health of the town,' was the subject of a lecture in Venezuela, which saw the head of different institutions united, according to a posting on the IP Tango web site. Last week, the Venezuelan Minister of Commerce, Eduardo Saman, the Servicio Autonomo de la Propiedad Intelectual (SAPI)'s director Arlen Pinate and the Camara de Medicamentos y Afines' (CANAMEGA) president Jorge Rivas, declared their views regarding pharmaceutical patents. 3 December 2009
Generics
Counterfeit drugs in Sub-Saharan Africa are a significant problem, which ranges between 15% and 25% of all medicines, Mazi Sam Ohuanbuwa, president of the West African Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association, told a recent meeting reported by All Africa. 3 December 2009
Pharmaceutical
The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) was not surprised by the move of responsibility for the pharmaceutical sector from Enterprise and Industry to the Health and Consumer (DG Sanco) portfolio at the European Commission, and it is not unwelcome, a spokesman told The Pharma Letter, following our report yesterday implying otherwise. 2 December 2009
Pharmaceutical
To minimize disruption on patients and pharmacies due to a new policy being implemented by the USA's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA), National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), and National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) have written a letter to CMS Acting Administrator Charlene Frizzera, outlining their concerns and offering potential remedies, urging the agency to continue its outreach to stakeholders. 2 December 2009
Pharmaceutical
Spain's drug industry body Farmaindustria says it has been worried about the violation of the right to prescription freedom that can result from the order that the Government of Aragon put out at end-October that establishes the creation of a unique pharmacotherapeutic guide and of forced fulfilment for all hospitals. 2 December 2009
Biotechnology
European Commission and biopharma industry cooperate to improve business environment for sector SMEs
EBE, the European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises and the European Commission's Enterprise and Industry Directorate General yesterday jointly presented at a workshop on access to finance for small and medium-sized (SME) biopharmaceutical companies in the European Union. 2 December 2009
Pharmaceutical
Provincial spending on health care in Canada continues to grow faster than provincial revenues, with six out of 10 provinces projected to be spending half of all available revenue on health care by 2034, according to a new report from the Fraser Institute, one of Canada's leading economic think-tanks. 2 December 2009
Biotechnology
Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, has announced the portfolios responsibilities for the next Commission, among which he has decided to follow recommendations from the public health community in terms of transfer of pharmaceutical policy from the portfolio of the Entreprise and Industry Commissioner to that of the Health and Consumer, DG Sanco. 1 December 2009
Biotechnology
The global financial crisis, government pressure, changing market dynamics for an industry experiencing significant change, and rapidly evolving health care reforms are likely to drive up the effective tax rate for the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry, according to a report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers entitled Pharma 2020: Taxing times ahead - Which path will you take? The industry's response to these trends, including diminishing reliance on the 'blockbuster drug model,' will make tax planning more complicated and challenging for tax executives working for pharmaceutical and life sciences companies. 1 December 2009
Pharmaceutical
The Reproductive Health Bill which has been put forward in The Philippines is up for second reading at the House of Representatives and is expected to be one of the top agenda as Congress resumes its session on December 7, noted The Manila Times local newspaper this week. It aims to grant public funding to family planning methods using artificial contraceptives and sex education for students. It also gives access to reproductive health information to avoid unwanted and untimely pregnancies and maternal deaths to limit the country's population. 1 December 2009
Pharmaceutical
UK's Health Ministry debuts 'Innovation Pass' to help patients get access to drugs for rare diseases
A pilot to help patients get innovative new drugs not currently available on the UK's National Health Service was launched for consultation on November 27 by Health Minister Mike O'Brien and Science and Innovation Minister Lord Paul Drayson. 30 November 2009
Generics
Venezuela's Minister of Trade, Eduardo Saman, announced that the Latin American country's government has invalidated two registered pharmaceutical patents for the antibiotic moxifloxacin produced by Germany-based drug major Bayer, according to IP Tango, a Latin American blog site. 30 November 2009
Biotechnology
Europe's Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) officially launched its second Call for proposals. The public-private partnership between the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) is inviting research consortia to submit proposals for nine scientific topics. 30 November 2009
Generics
In Japan, where generic drugs still have a small market share versus brand-name products compared to other developed countries, the market share of originator medicines has not decreased much, despite large falls in their prices, according to a study from the Korosho, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare 25 November 2009
Pharmaceutical
The cost of first line malaria drug in Tanzania, Allu, will be lowered to 400 shillings ($0.30) per dose, the nation's government has announced. This is after the decision to allow private sector players to import the drug, reports the local newspaper The Citizen. 25 November 2009
Generics
Pharmaceutical sales in Venezuela reached 7.5billlion bolivar $3.57bn) in 2008, according to a new study added to the offering of Research and Markets. By 2013, it forecasts the Venezuelan pharmaceutical market will be worth 26.0 billion bolivar, increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.23%. 25 November 2009
Generics
In a joint statement, the UK Department of Health and London-based DDSA Pharmaceuticals said they had agreed an out of court settlement relating to the claims brought against DDSA for an alleged anti-competitive cartel conduct in connection with the supply to the National Health Service of generic drugs. 24 November 2009
Pharmaceutical
Cannabis Science, an emerging US pharmaceutical cannabis company, is hailing the call by the American Medical Association's House of Delegates for 'marijuana's status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical R&D of cannabinoid-based medicines."
Richard Cowan, Cannabis Science chief financial 24 November 2009
Generics
In a narrow vote, US Senate Democrats voted on Saturday night (November 21) to begin the official debate and amendment process for a health care reform bill sponsored by Senate leader Harry Reid (Democrat, Nevada), to overhaul the country's health care system. The vote split entirely on party lines with 60 Democrats voting to break the Republican filibuster supported by 39 party members in the Senate. 23 November 2009
Biotechnology
Adding its comments on the US Senate Health Care Reform proposal introduced a day earlier (The Pharma Letter November 19), Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) president and chief executive Kathleen Jaeger has strongly criticized its provisions with respect to copy versions of biological medicines, or biogenerics, referred to as biosimilars in Europe, where legislation for their approval is already in place. 20 November 2009
Pharmaceutical
The nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr — known as RFK Jr — for the role of US Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) President-elect Donald Trump sent shares in vaccine companies sharply downwards. 22 November 2024
article
The UK government has reappointed BioIndustry Association (BIA) chairman Daniel Mahony as its Life Sciences Investment Envoy. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
The Danish government’s newly-unveiled health reform has been praised for tackling chronic disease care and health inequalities while driving health innovation. 18 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
New research published by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) provides in-depth analysis of the economic footprint of the pharmaceutical industry in Europe, across member states and compares Europe to other regions of the world. 18 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Johnson & Johnson has taken legal action to defend a contentious rebate initiative, filing a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. 15 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
The share prices of Pfizer, GSK, Novavax and other vaccine companies were all markedly lower on Friday. This was not due to the publication of disappointing research results in the sphere, or an ominous stance taken by a major regulator on a key filing, but rather a political development that could spell trouble for the vaccines field as a whole. 15 November 2024
Biotechnology
BeiGene has announced plans to rebrand as BeOne Medicines, a move the cancer specialist says reflects its commitment to fighting cancer through collaboration. 15 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Danish patients are being offered fewer innovative treatments than Norwegians and Swedes, a new estimate from the Danish Medicines Council shows. 11 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
According to the Swedish pharma trade group Lif, it is positive that, in the updated life science strategy, the government expresses an ambition for Sweden to become more attractive for research investments. 11 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Li Li, Commissioner of China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), and Mette Aaboe Hansen, interim director general of Danish Medicines Agency, have signed a letter of intent to promote bilateral cooperation in regulation of drugs and medical devices. 11 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Following the news that Donald Trump is the winner of the 2024 US Presidential Election, Morningstar Equity analyst Julie Utterback has published a new note about the impact of this on the managed-care industry. 7 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
UK pharma major AstraZeneca, which has invested heavily in China, hosted a sell-side analyst call on Wednesday (November 6) to discuss the recent media reports about ongoing investigations in China. 7 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Some of the UK’s leading academics and industry professionals have welcomed Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £520 million ($669 million) pledge to develop the country’s medicine manufacturing capabilities. 6 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
European regulators will decide by December 6 whether Novo Holdings, the controlling shareholder of Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk, can finalize its $16.5 billion acquisition of contract drug manufacturer Catalent. 5 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
The Danish government is rolling out the red carpet and welcomes several pharmaceutical companies. 4 November 2024
Generics
Medicines for Europe has launched a study of market barriers faced by European generics and biosimilar pharmaceutical companies operating in 11 key third-country markets. 31 October 2024
Pharmaceutical
Following the first Labour budget for 14 years, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) welcomes Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ measures to improve UK life sciences competitiveness. 30 October 2024
Pharmaceutical
HOPO Therapeutics has been awarded a contract valued at up to $226 million from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). 29 October 2024
Pharmaceutical
The Danish government has presented part of the plan for a future life science strategy, which has been welcomed by the industry. 28 October 2024
Biotechnology
Legend Biotech has removed Genscript Biotech as its majority shareholder, in a move coinciding with rising US concerns over Chinese ties within the biotech sector. 24 October 2024
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