Pharmaceutical industry, medical sales & NHS related news for UK pharmaceutical sales, medical sales and healthcare sales professionals. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com www.AllAboutMedicalSales.com en-gb Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:47:54 +0000 Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:47:19 +0000 jt@allaboutmedicalsales.com FeedForAll v1.0 (1.0.2.0) New figures show that the UK boom in medicines research could be under threat, according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/uk_medicines_research_threat_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:47:19 +0000 The World Health Organisation (WHO) is calling for global cooperation, political commitment and creative solutions to counter what it describes as the silent epidemic of counterfeit medicines. At an international conference in Rome the body is aiming to put together a global task force to focus on legislation, law enforcement and innovative technology solutions. Dr Howard Zucker, WHO assistant director general for health technology and pharmaceuticals, said: "People don't die from carrying a fake handbag or wearing a fake t-shirt. They can die from taking a counterfeit medicine. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/WHO_action_counterfeit_drugs_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:46:21 +0000 The German chemical and pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA had its profits rise for the final quarter of last year by 34 per cent to 109.5 million euros. The growth was said to be down to increased demand for liquid crystals for computer displays. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Merck_KGaA_profits_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:45:54 +0000 Fast tracking new drugs could have a negative effect on patients in the longer term, a senior doctor in Britain has claimed. An article published in the British Medical Journal by consultant neurologist Abhijit Chaudhuri discusses the issues surrounding the fast tracking of new drugs. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/drugs_fast_tracking_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:45:29 +0000 GPs are more likely to prescribe headache drugs to middle-aged women than men, a study has claimed. Researchers at King's College London found women aged between 45 and 54 were three times as likely to visit their GP about headaches while men were more likely to be referred to hospital. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/headache_drugs_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:45:05 +0000 Belgian firm Solvay has released its results for 2005 with pharmaceutical sales up 30 per cent to 2.27 billion euros. The company as a whole had profits of 816 million euros for the year. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Solvay_Laboratories_pharma_sales_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:44:35 +0000 AstraZeneca has lodged its appeal over losing the patent for hypertension treatment Toprol XL (metoprolol succinate). In January US court ruled that two patents for the extended release tablet were invalid and unenforceable finding in favour of the defendants KV Pharmaceutical, Andrx Corp and Novartis's Eon Labs. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/AstraZeneca_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:44:12 +0000 Women can safely have DIY abortions at home, a study has concluded. The pilot study, set up by the Department of Health (DoH), found that women less than nine weeks pregnant could safely have the medical abortion outside of hospital. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/DIY_abortions_at_home_17.html Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:43:43 +0000 The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has forced Eli Lilly to withdraw an advice leaflet. The leaflet, providing doctors with advice on treatments for mental health, was written on behalf of Diabetes UK and carried the logo of the charity, reports the Financial Times. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Eli_Lilly_diabetes_advice_leaflet_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:42:53 +0000 Sanofi-Aventis has recalled 30 batches of the anticoagulant Clexane (enoxaparin). The move was made after quality control tests found there was the possibility that there could be an over-concentration of the active ingredient in a limited number of syringes. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Sanofi-Aventis_Clexane_syringes_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:42:22 +0000 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun its review of GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) investigational antibacterial retapamulin. GSK submitted a new drug application (NDA) for retapamulin in November last year and expects to receive approval later this year. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/GlaxoSmithKline_antibiotic_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:41:51 +0000 Eli Lilly is to buy back worldwide marketing rights for Yentreve/AriClaim (duloxetine hydrochloride) from Boehringer Ingelheim. As a stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treatment, along with future related urinary incontinence indications, the drug will continue to be marketed outside the US by Lilly but other treatments using duloxetine will remain under both firms. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Boehringer_Ingelheim_Eli_Lilly_Yentreve_AriClaim_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:41:18 +0000 A woman suffering from early-stage breast cancer has lost a legal battle to force her health authority to treat her with Herceptin. High court judge Mr Justice Bean ruled this morning that that Swindon primary care trust (PCT) in Wiltshire did not need to pay for Ann Marie Rogers, 54, to be treated with the drug, which can cost up to ?20,000 for one year of treatment. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Herceptin_battle_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:40:50 +0000 Botox could be used alongside chemotherapy and radiation to fight cancer, new research has suggested. The cosmetic treatment produced by Allergan, which is normally used to smooth wrinkles, was found to destroy resistant cancer cells in tests on mice. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Allergan_Botox_cancer_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:40:28 +0000 Health secretary Patricia Hewitt yesterday announced details of an allocation of over ?2 billion worth of capital investment in health services over the next financial year. Capital funding is used to acquire and modernise buildings, land and equipment within the NHS and can only be used to fund these aspects. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Cash_boost_NHS_mental_health_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:39:55 +0000 Forest Laboratories has decided to up figures for research and development (R&D) spending. The move comes as a way to include new agreements with US firms Mylan Laboratories and Replidyne. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Forest_Laboratories_research_spending_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:39:26 +0000 Pliva is to buy a Spanish subsidiary from Novartis' generics division Sandoz. The Croatian firm will pay 21.5 million euros for Uso Racional (UR), a well known and established generic brand in Spain with expected sales of 12 million euros for 2006. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Pliva_Pharma_buys_Novartis_subsidiary_16.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:38:48 +0000 Studies of the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) drug Arixtra (fondaparinux sodium) have found it to be effective. Artemis (Arixtra for Thromboembolism prevention in a Medical Indications Study) found the treatment reduced the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) by 46.7 per cent. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/GlaxoSmithKline_Arixtra_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:17:05 +0000 AstraZeneca is to withdraw the anticoagulant Exanta (melagatran/ximelagatran) from the market and end its development. The venous thromboembolism (VTE) treatment has been withdrawn due to new data about the possibility of liver damage. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/AstraZeneca_Exanta_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:16:41 +0000 Cephalon has reported an increase of revenue for 2005 of 19 per cent to $1.2 billion. The firm's total sales hit $1.16 billion, a rise of 18 per cent on 2004 levels, with the biggest seller being the narcolepsy drug Provigil (modafinil) with sales of $512.8 million. However, despite these figures the company made a loss for the year of $175 million, compared with a loss of $74 million in 2004. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Cephalon_posts_losses_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:16:13 +0000 The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has given its approval of Bonviva (ibandronic acid) for the use within NHS Scotland for the treatment of osteoporosis. The body stated that the once a month treatment was found "to significantly reduce the risk of vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women". http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Roche_GlaxoSmithKline_Bonviva_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:15:44 +0000 MPs have voted to extend a smoking ban in public places to all pubs and private clubs in England. The free vote in the House of Commons went 384 to 184 in the government's favour last night to remove the exemption of private members' clubs and establishments that serve food. MPs also voted to ban smoking in workplaces, including 106,000 licensed premises. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/smoking_ban_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:15:15 +0000 Treating as many people as possible with the new polypill would not be cost effective, a study has claimed. Polypill - which combines aspirin, a statin, three blood pressure-lowering agents and folic acid - could slash the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke, but health experts have said giving it to everyone at risk from the diseases would be too much of a drain on resources. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/polypill_heart_pill_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:14:44 +0000 Health boards across Scotland are looking into introducing registers for all medical staff to allow them to declare if they have any links with drug companies. The news comes following fears that some of the world's pharmaceutical giants have too much influence over what drugs some doctors prescribe. NHS Greater Glasgow has told the Herald that following a consultation it hopes to have a register, which would be publicly available, in place by June. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Health_boards_increase_transparency_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:14:19 +0000 The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has found that Napp Pharmaceuticals broke its advertising rules. A complaint was lodged about the firm's advert for the painkiller BuTrans (buprenorphine matrix patch) in the British Medical Journal in November 2005. http://www.allaboutmedicalsales.com/news/0206/Napp_Pharmaceuticals_breach_MHRA_advertising_15.html Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:13:50 +0000