Big Pharma
« Previous EntriesDrug prices continue to rise in U.S.: Barclays study
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011According to an analysis by the investment bank Barclays Capital, prices of brand-name drugs continue to skyrocket despite attempts by the federal and state government to contain healthcare costs.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the study analyzed the prices of around 130 brand-name drugs, including insulin for diabetes and injectables for rheumatoid arthritis. It [...]
Brand-Name Drug Prices Surpass Other Medical Costs: GAO Report
Thursday, March 17th, 2011The non-partisan US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has reported that prices for brand-name prescription drugs in the US have risen at a faster rate as compared to other medical goods and services over the last four years.
According to the report, between 2006 and 2010 the average price of 100 commonly used drugs, including 45 [...]
Online Pharmacies, the Obama Administration and Public Health
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010By Gabriel Levitt and Margaret Rode of PharmacyChecker.com
http://pharmacycheckerblog.com/online-pharmacies-the-obama-administration-and-public-health
The Obama administration is taking actions to address the illegal sale of counterfeit prescription drugs online. These efforts can benefit patients who could fall victim to rogue online pharmacies, but may also limit access to safe and affordable medication provided by non-U.S. international online pharmacies, many based in Canada. Millions [...]
Many companies inflated drug prices, Idaho says
Monday, December 6th, 2010Some drugmakers already have settled with Idaho. Others face trials next year. And the Medicaid overcharges may still be going on.
Drug companies face state lawsuits for allegedly inflating prices, which may have caused taxpayers to fork over too much money in Medicaid reimbursements, the attorney general’s office says.
The state accuses 23 drug companies such as [...]
PhRMA quietly spends big in 2010
Monday, November 15th, 2010The drug industry spent at least $25 million protecting its friends in Congress this year, but PhRMA chief John Castellani doesn’t really want to talk about it.
The trade group was instrumental in several close Democratic Senate contests, spending millions to successfully protect embattled Majority Leader Harry Reid and seven figures to help Sen. Patty Murray [...]
Report: Seniors Face Drug Cost Spikes.
Monday, August 30th, 2010Source: DIA Daily
BusinessWeek /HealthDay (8/26) reported, “In 2009, the prices of the most popular brand-name drugs used by American seniors rose 8.3 percent, according to AARP researchers who looked at 217 brand-name drugs. They also noted that the price of those medications increased seven percent in 2008, and that the retail price [...]
Bills would ban drugmaker deals to delay cheap drugs
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010Source: USA Today
Generic-drug makers in the past year have dropped a record number of patent lawsuits against brand-name pharmaceutical companies in exchange for compensation to delay getting money-saving drugs to market.
Legislation that has recently gained momentum in Congress threatens to end such deals.
The House has passed a bill limiting “pay for delay” settlements, and the [...]
Three Drugmakers Post Increases In First-Quarter Sales, Profits.
Friday, April 30th, 2010The AP (4/30, Johnson) reports, “Three top drugmakers on Thursday posted healthy increases in first-quarter sales and profits, with strong sales of key drugs buoying Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., AstraZeneca LP and Sanofi-Aventis SA.” But, the AP adds, “pharmaceutical reports won’t necessarily be as rosy for the next three quarters, due to [...]
Survey Finds Majority Of Patient Groups Deem Drug Companies Untrustworthy.
Friday, March 12th, 2010The majority of patients’ organisations consider pharmaceutical companies untrustworthy, according to a survey conducted by a UK-based consultancy to be released on Friday.
PatientView, which monitors the views of patient groups around the world, says that from 665 organisations assessed, only 37 per cent considered the industry “trustworthy” in 2008, and less than a quarter had [...]
Drug problems: Pharmaceutical companies can go too far
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010Source: Houston Chronicle
With the upset victory of Republican Scott Brown in the Massachusetts special election last month, Democrats lost their 60-40 filibuster-proof Senate majority, which poses major problems for the timely passage of a much-needed health care overhaul. But with or without a final bill, one aspect of health care cries out for swift reform: [...]
