Pharmaceuticals

Jerusalem, Israel, July 23, 2008 -- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA) announced today that it has commenced commercial shipment of its generic version of Lamictal® (Lamotrigine) Tablets, 25mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, and 200 mg. Teva's Lamotrigine tablets are the AB-rated generic equivalent of GlaxoSmithKline's Lamictal® Tablets, and are indicated as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial seizures and the generalized seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, for conversion to monotherapy in adults with partial seizures who are taking certain other antiepileptic agents, and for maintenance treatment of Bipolar I Disorder.    » read more »

TYSABRI's Benefits Continue to Drive Product's Growth with More Than 31,800 Patients Receiving Treatment

Cambridge, MA and Dublin, Ireland, July 22, 2008 -- Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) today announced the two-year anniversary of TYSABRI® (natalizumab) as a treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), marking the reintroduction of the product in the United States (US) and the first international approval. The companies estimate that as of the end of June 2008, more than 31,800 patients worldwide are receiving TYSABRI treatment.

Specifically, as of the end of June 2008:

* In the US, more than 17,800 patients are on TYSABRI commercially and more than 3,100 physicians have prescribed the therapy;    » read more »

XIENCE V, Only Drug Eluting Stent to Demonstrate Superiority Over Market-Leading Stent in Clinical Trials, Now Available in United States for Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease

Abbott Park, Illinois, July 2, 2008 -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the XIENCE™ V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System for the treatment of coronary artery disease. XIENCE V is the only drug eluting stent to have demonstrated superiority over Boston Scientific's TAXUS® paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system in two randomized head-to-head clinical trials. XIENCE V will be launched in the United States immediately.    » read more »

06/17/2008 -- BOSTON – Senator John Kerry today urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to explain the long delays in getting new generic prescription drugs out on the market.

People across Massachusetts and throughout the nation are facing rising costs for medications they depend on every day. For some, especially the elderly and low-income families, affordable generic drugs can be the difference between life and death.

The FDA is currently required to review a generic drug application within 180 days. However, the median approval time for a generic drug application now takes longer than 21 months - well beyond the 180 day requirement. These delays create a serious backlog of applications.    » read more »

Expired Milk, Eggs, Medicines, and Baby Formula Found in Scores of CVS and Rite Aid Stores Statewide

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- June 12, 2008 – New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced his office is taking legal action against CVS and Rite Aid pharmacies after a statewide investigation into retail drug stores found the companies sold expired products - including milk, eggs, medicines and baby formula - at stores across New York.    » read more »

May 29, 2008 -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today announced a lawsuit against McKesson Corporation, a pharmaceutical distributor, for artificially inflating drug costs incurred by Connecticut consumers and state-funded health care programs.

Blumenthal sued on behalf of Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Michael P. Starkowski and Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr.

The inflated costs affected several top-brand drugs, including Allegra, Azmacort, Celebrex, Flonase, Lipitor, Neurontin, Nexium, Prevacid and Valium. These drugs are used to treat a variety of ailments such as asthma, allergies, pain, arthritis and cholesterol.    » read more »

Record-Breaking Agreement Requires Company to Submit Ads to FDA Prior to Airing

May 20, 2008 -- Chicago - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced a landmark financial settlement with Merck and Company, Inc., that also requires the pharmaceutical manufacturer to submit television drug advertisements to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for review before their broadcast.    » read more »

Boise – The State of Idaho will receive more than $1.1 million as a result of a consent judgment with Merck and Company, Inc., Attorney General Lawrence Wasden announced today. Wasden’s office filed a consent judgment resolving a three-year investigation by 30 states concerning the company’s deceptive promotion of the drug Vioxx.

The judgment, filed Tuesday in Fourth District Court in Ada County, will largely restrict Merck’s ability to deceptively promote any Merck product.    » read more »

Company was under investigation for marketing of anti-inflammatory drug

May 20, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL - Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today filed a stipulated consent judgment with Merck and Company, Inc. resolving a three-year investigation that targeted the company’s promotion of the prescription drug Vioxx.

Merck Vioxx

The agreement provides $58 million to the 30 participating states, of which Florida’s share will be more than $3.5 million. The judgment, filed today in the Broward County Circuit Court and pending court approval, will largely restrict Merck’s ability to promote any Merck product in a manner that may be deceptive.    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a “groundbreaking settlement” with Merck & Co. which requires the pharmaceutical manufacturer to obtain Federal Drug Administration approval before running any television drug advertisements for new pain medications.

“Merck’s aggressive television advertising convinced hundreds of thousands of consumers to seek Vioxx prescriptions before the drug’s risk were fully understood,” Attorney General Brown said. “Today’s groundbreaking settlement prevents Merck from releasing new television drug advertisements without obtaining federal approval.”    » read more »

April 21, 2008 -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, in formal testimony today, called again for a prohibition against drug company gifts and other benefits provided to doctors that may improperly influence health care decisions.

Pharmaceutical drug companies spend more than $11 billion annually to market prescription drugs - most of it directed at health care providers.

Pills: Photo by e-magic (CC)

Research has repeatedly found that such gifts influence health care provider decisions.    » read more »

Peake: VA Reaches Out to Vets, Families in Need

March 18, 2008 -- WASHINGTON -- To support veterans and their families during major emergencies, especially natural disasters, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun to deploy mobile pharmacies that will provide vital medicine when patients are unable to fill their prescriptions. VA will also open up the facilities to help communities during major disasters and other emergencies.

“The mobile pharmacies give VA the ability to provide critical medications to veterans when disaster strikes,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “VA is committed to ensuring our veterans receive their care and prescriptions as soon as possible during an emergency.”    » read more »

President mentions tragic death of Californian Ryan Haight in weekly radio address

March 3, 2008 -- Washington, DC – Following President Bush’s weekly radio address in which he spoke about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today urged Congress to pass legislation that would stop rogue online pharmacies and protect consumers who fill legitimate prescriptions online.    » read more »

January 29, 2008 -- Oklahoma City -- As the costs of prescription drugs continue to rise, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry is proposing an initiative this legislative session aimed at giving consumers information about where to find the most affordable prices for pharmaceuticals.    » read more »

Launches Investigation of Vytorin Makers

NEW YORK, NY -- January 26, 2008 -‑ New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced the service of wide-ranging subpoenas on Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK), Schering-Plough Corp. (NYSE: SGP), and Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals seeking information about Vytorin, advertised as a highly-effective, cholesterol-lowering drug. In a two-pronged investigation, Cuomo is seeking to determine whether the companies deliberately concealed the negative results of a research trial about the efficacy of Vytorin.    » read more »