India’s Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has proposed an incentive scheme worth around 10,000 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) aiming to strengthen the domestic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) facilites to boost domestic manufacturing in India to compensate for dwindling Chinese supply because of the coronavirus outbreak. 26 March 2020
The Russian government has approved a package of measures aimed at ensuring regular supplies of drugs and avoiding their shortages in the domestic market this year, according to recent statements by an official spokesman of state press-service and some local media, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 24 March 2020
The UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) has welcomed revised proposals put forward by the government to ensure that genuine biotech companies are not penalised by a cap on R&D tax credits. 20 March 2020
The US Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act introduced by Senators Charles Grassley (Republican, Iowa) and Ron Wyden (Democrat, Oregon) could generate over $94 billion in savings over the next decade if enacted, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. 19 March 2020
New money from the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care will ensure “anyone who is at a high risk of contracting HIV will receive PrEP from their local sexual health clinic,” the British Government announced on Sunday. 16 March 2020
Medicines for Europe, the generics trade association, has made three requests as it attempts to ensure continued drug supply apply across the continent amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. 13 March 2020
Presenting his first Budget today, Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced that research and development investment will be increased by £22 billion ($28.6 billion), making it the fastest and biggest R&D ever R&D spend. 11 March 2020
Leading Russian drugmakers and foreign companies operating in the local market have called on the Russian government to change the existing rules for public procurements of drugs in Russia. 10 March 2020
In response to a sharp price increase in the domestic market caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Russian government and the national Parliament (State Duma) are considering introducing state regulation over prices for drugs and medical devices in the domestic market 10 March 2020
The UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) has called for entrepreneurs and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be supported in the upcoming Budget. 9 March 2020
The US House of Representatives and Senate on Wednesday and Thursday passed an $8.3 billion emergency funding package, which dwarfs the $2.5 billion request by the White House, and it was signed off by President Donald Trump on Friday morning. 6 March 2020
As India looks to avert a potential drug shortage crisis in the wake of escalating COVID-19 cases in the country, a standing committee set up by the Department of Pharmaceuticals and government think-tank Niti Aayog has proposed a $409 million scheme to boost the bulk drug industry. 6 March 2020
As US President Donald Trump mentioned on Tuesday, Ireland has made a good fist of attracting overseas investment into its biopharmaceutical sector. 5 March 2020
UK Bioindustry Association (BIA) chief executive Steve Bates has given a lukewarm reaction to the government’s stance towards trade negotiations with the European Union and the USA. 4 March 2020
Nathalie Moll, director general of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), has expressed “deep concern” at a long-term trend of research and development activity moving to other regions. 2 March 2020
The US subsidiary of French pharma major Sanofi says it has reached an $11.85 million settlement agreement with the federal government to resolve an investigation relating to certain financial donations made in 2015 and 2016 to an independent charity patient assistance foundation that aided patients living with multiple sclerosis. 29 February 2020
In the UK, a group of lawmakers from different parties have come together to form a committee for raising political awareness of issues affecting the life sciences industry. 28 February 2020
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) says it has submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the US Department of Justice (DoJ) Antitrust Division addressing the impact vertical mergers are having on the pharmacy supply chain, medication pricing and patient access and choice. 28 February 2020
Global efforts to stop the spread of the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, have been stepped up in recent days, with the combined situation in South Korea, Italy and Iran as well as the tens of thousands of people infected in China, causing the BBC to call the outbreak “the early stages of pandemic”. 25 February 2020
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released final guidance for the second cycle of Medicare drug price negotiations. 3 October 2024
The Russian government has finalized the rules for granting preference to domestic drugs in public procurements, which will come into force in 2025. 1 October 2024
The Danish government is to remove the rules that currently prohibit the purchase of medicines from countries outside the European Union (EU) in a move that has not been welcomed by pharma. 30 September 2024
India is set to complete 50 new greenfield pharma manufacturing plants in the next two years under its Production-linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for pharma and medical devices. 30 September 2024
Global leaders have approved a political declaration at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). 30 September 2024
The generics and biosimilars trade group, Medicines for Europe, has put out a strong message amid ongoing discussions on a European Union (EU) Critical Medicines Act. 26 September 2024
US biotech Emergent BioSolutions revealed it has secured approximately $400 million in orders in 2024 and 2025 associated with its vaccinia, smallpox and mpox product portfolio. 26 September 2024
The UK government has released a position paper outlining its vision for Framework Programme 10 (FP10), a successor to Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research collaboration program. 26 September 2024
President Biden has said the USA will commit at least $500 million to support African countries in battling the ongoing mpox outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa. 25 September 2024
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is continuing its legal challenge against the US government’s drug pricing reforms. 24 September 2024
The Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research and Greek pharma trade group the Hellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies have presented two studies reflecting the industry’s importance. 23 September 2024
Basilea Pharmaceutica announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has awarded Basilea an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), under OTA number 75A50124C00033. 20 September 2024
Novo Nordisk is under increasing pressure over the cost of its blockbuster drugs in the USA, as chief executive Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen prepares to testify before a powerful Senate committee. 18 September 2024
The research based pharmaceutical industry has welcomed Mario Draghi’s report, published by the European Commission, outlining proposals on how Europe can regain its competitive edge and the critical role of innovative industries in achieving this. 11 September 2024
Even as emerging signs of a thaw in the broader Indian start-up funding landscape were evident, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has tightened its exemption list under new combination rules. 11 September 2024
The US House of Representatives has passed the BIOSECURE Act, gaining bipartisan support with a vote of 306–81. Nearly all of the votes against the bill came from Democrats. 10 September 2024
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) has highlighted what it regards as the UK's potential to lead the global cell and gene therapy sector. 5 September 2024
The budget on October 30 is an opportunity to end short-termism, cut waste, and attract long-term investment to the country’s economy with a sector-targeted R&D tax relief policy, according to the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA). 3 September 2024
The Danish Pharmaceutical Industry Association, Lif, has given its verdict on the government financial bill setting out new priorities in health in 2025. 2 September 2024
Marseille-based ImCheck Therapeutics has received 20.2 million euros ($22.4 million) in non-dilutive funding as part of the i-Démo call for projects under the France 2030 Plan operated by Bpifrance on behalf of the French government. 29 August 2024