MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'drug prices'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:28:18 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182315&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fshould-us-government-step-in-to-ease.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182315 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:20:00 +0100 5182315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118990&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FwbuuG2ELBEc%2F As Washington looks to shrink overwhelming deficits, the pharmaceutical industry is gearing up to fight any plan to seek more discounts and rebates for Medicare. Having contributed $112 billion to health care reform last year, drugmakers are bolstering their lobbying efforts and are warning that any move to extract more money will cost them a collective $20 billion and jeopardize 260,000 jobs. “We made a contribution to the Affordable Care Act that was substantial and fundamental,” Pfizer ceo Ian Read tells Bloomberg News. “We are only 10 percent of the health-care spend in the United States, and we are the most efficient part of that.” And he adds that Pfizer will “oppose any further changes” to Medicare. The industry is centering on the Medicare Part D drug benefit, ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118990 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:43:43 +0100 5118990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107875&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Fmore_on_cancer_drug_shortages.php I wrote here back in June about the growing problem of shortages of oncology drugs. The blog post I linked to then (at Marginal Revolution) blamed regulatory factors and price controls as two major contributors to the shortages, but pointed out that you can't point your finger at just one factor. A pile of them, taken together, can gum up the system enough to cause trouble. Now Ezekiel Emanuel in the New York Times has weighed in with a good editorial on the situation, and it blames. . .price controls and regulatory factors. For those who thought I was engaging in dangerous FDA-bashing in my last post, here's another factor to consider: Historically, this “buy and bill” system was quite lucrative; drug companies charged Medicare and insurance companies inflated, essentially made-up �... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107875 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:34:33 +0100 5107875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097038&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Fdoes_anyone_want_axanum.php While we're talking about the cost of drugs, is AstraZeneca really going to be able to sell anyone any Axanum? That's a combination pill of Nexium (esomeprazole) and low-dose aspirin. The FDA didn't go for it last year, but the InVivoBlog details the company's attempts to get it on the market across Europe. Seeing as how AZ's drug is staggering off patent protection in Europe, and seeing as how low-dose aspirin is cheaper than the better grades of dirt, I just don't see how they sell any of this stuff. But desperate times, desperate measure and all that, I guess. . . (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097038 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:06:35 +0100 5097038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051200&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F21%2Fdrugs_for_multiple_sclerosis_worth_the_price_or_not.php Now this is an uncomfortable study, if you're in the business of treating multiple sclerosis. An article in Neurology looks at the cost-effectiveness of several disease-modifying therapies: the two interferon-beta-1as (Avonex and Rebif), interferon-beta-1b (Betaseron) Copaxone, Betaseron and the immune modulator Copaxone (glatiramer acetate). The authors tracked ten-year quality of life, including lost time at work, overall time without relapses, and so on, and compared that with the cost of treatment. The final figure is in dollars per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). That's not the most exact calculation in the world, but if you're going to try to rank cost-effectiveness, no measure is going to be without controversy. There's been a lot of debate about this in the UK, where the NICE e... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051200 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:30:03 +0100 5051200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029205&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fm__LsA3oi6M%2F In the latest move by the Republican-dominated legislature in Maine to undo laws that have made the pharmaceutical industry uncomfortable, three bills were repealed this week that required drugmakers to report three things: marketing costs, prices subject to the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and negative findings in clinical trials. The action follows an effort last month to repeal a 2003 law that was created to prevent pharmacy benefit managers from switching patients to more expensive drugs and protect consumers from co-payments when actual drug prices are cheaper (back story). Taken together, Maine Democrats say the various repeals will roll back important patient safety protections. “It’s part of the pro-pharma agenda being pushed in Maine these days,” says Sharon Trea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029205 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:08:47 +0100 5029205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921757&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FC0tblUFA4DY%2F In what some say would be a highly unusual move, the US Federal Trade Commission is considering using its rule-making power to stop pay-to-delay deals between brand-name drugmakers and their generic rivals, after failing to convince Congress or the courts to act, Bloomberg News reports. A rule to block the deals would involve antitrust issues, rather than consumer protection, and could be made on the agency’s own initiative under its basic statutory authority rather than at the direction of Congress, Bert Foer, president of the American Antitrust Institute, tells the news service. “Any potential attempt by the FTC to move forward unilaterally with such a rulemaking would be unprecedented,” Sean Heather, executive director of the global regulatory cooperation project at the US Cha... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921757 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:10:23 +0100 4921757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902696&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbKhZl7DkcDs%2F Hello, everyone, and nice to see you again. We apologize for the delay this morning, but we were having technical difficulties. To cope, we are having downing several cups of stimulation. Now, though, the time has come to tackle those meetings and deadlines. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits, including news from the ASCO meeting. Hope your day goes well and stay in touch… A Contraceptive Pill For Men With No Side Effects? (The Daily Mail) Merck And Ariad Drug Delays Sarcoma In Trial (Reuters) UK Pharma Industry In Crisis (Press TV) Roche Says Avastin And Chemo Cut Ovarian Cancer Growth (Bloomberg News) Bristol Melanoma Drug And Chemo Extended Life In Study (Reuters) Pfizer Divestiture May Hurt Its Credit Rating (Bloomberg News) Chinese Drugmaker Cited For Significant Pollution (East D... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902696 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:47:10 +0100 4902696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883906&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F0AeYJTTYrjk%2F Over the past several years, Congress has regularly considered legislation to restrict direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs, perhaps for the first couple of years after a med has been approved by the FDA. The rationale has been that DTC ads encourage unnecessary use of some meds and lead to usage before risks are fully known. Nothing has passed yet, but the idea lives on. And so the US Congressional Budget Office has issued a brief and found drugmakers would probably expand marketing to docs in order to substitute for any banned ads; the number of prescriptions filled for some drugs would probably decline, but for others, scrips may not change, since there would be other forms of promotion, and any change in prices would depend on changes in demand. Moreover, a moratorium c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883906 Tue, 31 May 2011 13:57:51 +0100 4883906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4848148&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fend-is-nigh-judgment-day-for-low-cost.html Some people think "Judgment Day" will come tomorrow, May 21, 2011, at 2 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time at which time will begin the "rapture" where "all the graves will be opened and all of the dead bodies will come out" and only the true believers will be saved.I don't believe in that particular fantasy, but I do believe the end is near for so-called low cost generic drugs.Several recent signs suggest that the stars are aligned against low cost generic drugs. Here's my summary of these signs.For quite some time we've heard about "Big Pharma’s Record Drug Shortages" (see "The nation is facing an unprecedented drug shortage" and "What’s Behind Big Pharma’s Record Drug Shortages?"). Shortages might be caused by "too many mergers and acquisitions" that have reduced the number of suppliers.T... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4848148 Fri, 20 May 2011 12:27:00 +0100 4848148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841987&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPnFE-Cg3WGw%2F Good morning, everyone, and how are you today? Here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, we are engaged in the off-to-the-school-house hustle. This calls, of course, for a cup or two of stimulation. How else to gear up for those meetings and deadlines? So please feel free to join us. And here is another invitation: our webinar next week on the injectable drug delivery market. Meanwhile, we offer you these tidbits of the world at large. Have a great day and do stay in touch… North Carolina Delays Vote On Preemption Bill (Associated Press) CDC Blog On Zombie Apocalypse Proves Apocalyptic (AdWeek) Takeda To Buy Nycomed For $13.6 Billion (Reuters) Bill Gates Calls For A ‘Decade Of Vaccinations’ (Pharma Times) J&J Failed To Warn Parents Of Motrin Risks: Lawyer (Bloomberg Ne... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841987 Thu, 19 May 2011 11:47:58 +0100 4841987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4821150&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYw_11Z337sQ%2F And so another working week will soon draw to a close. Already, we are daydreaming about weekend plans. Our modest agenda includes mowing the lawn (again), catching up on some reading and taking one of the short people to watch a soccer match. And you? Anything special in the works? Maybe a drive in the country? A mysterious rendezvous? Or perhaps some spring cleaning is in order? Whatever you fancy, have a great time. But, of course, go safely. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. See you… Shire Is A Takeover Target (Bloomberg News) Iperian Fires Top Execs (Xconomy) UK’s NICE Backs Merck And J&J’s Simponi For Rheumatoid Arthritis (InPharm) Prescription Drug Price Increases Cannot Go On Forever (Reuters) Ranbaxy Hopes To Supply Nexium To US By Year’s End (Economic... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4821150 Fri, 13 May 2011 12:01:46 +0100 4821150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775604&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FqGxzJ5UIotM%2F Hello, everyone, and nice to see you again. We hope your weekend was refreshing. Now, of course, the routine of meetings and deadlines has returned. This calls for the mandatory cup of stimulation, an invigorating way to discuss the news about bin Laden, as well. Meanwhile, here are some other tidbits from around the world. Have a good one and stay in touch… Teva To Buy Cephalon For $6.8M, Outbidding Valeant (Associated Press) Drug Shortages Endangering Patients (The Washington Post) India’s Generic Drugmakers May Test Compulsory Licensing In June (Business Standard) Strides CEO Discusses Oncology Plant & Pfizer Deal (MoneyControl) Abbott Cuts Prices Of AIDS Drugs For Government Programs (Chicago Tribune) Pfizer And Its Radical Surgery (Forbes) Actelion Loses Licensing Dis... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775604 Mon, 02 May 2011 11:53:40 +0100 4775604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4744930&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fnew-estimate-of-drug-development-cost.html I have tackled the estimated $800 million drug develop cost gorilla before and garnered a lot of comments from readers, including Dr. Joseph DiMasi, whose team came up with that number way back in 2003. Since then, the number has been adjusted upward to over $1 Billion due to inflation/increased costs. In his comments to me -- see "Tufts Hangs Tough on Opportunity Cost Analysis" -- DiMasi said "You write that [my] study is disputed. That's true, but, as far as I can see, the ultimate sources of that criticism are those with obvious political agendas and who lack appropriate expertise. I have never seen a criticism of the methodology from a bona fide economist."Now comes a NEW estimate from someone who HAS the appropriate expertise, if by "appropriate" DiMasi meant someone who has has a PhD... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4744930 Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:34:00 +0100 4744930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715014&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpYq3k6eZCQ4%2F Four years after the merger between the CVS drugstore chain and the Caremark pharmacy benefits manager, which has spurred numerous investigations and lawsuits over anticompetitive concerns, a handful of consumer groups have written the US Federal Trade Commission to ask the agency to break up the company. Why? The groups charge CVS Caremark limits choice through various programs, the merger has given CVS unfair advantage over other retailers, patients are steered toward CVS and confidential patient information is improperly shared. Such concerns have already prompted investigations by the FTC and attorneys general of 24 states. CVS Caremark has previously said it is cooperating with the probes. “There is strong evidence that the CVS Caremark merger has harmed consumers,” says the lett... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715014 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:18:08 +0100 4715014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715022&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FfKoTWEYTHfw%2F The latest monthly tally for prescription meds shows that prices rose again last month, compared with a year ago. Specifically, there were 14 price increases, up an average 6.7 percent, versus price hikes on 10 drugs in March 2010 that averaged 6.5 percent, according to Barclays Capital analyst Lawrence Marsh, who reviewed data from First DataBank on the top 130 brand-name prescription drugs. Going back in time, there were 19 price increases in March 2009, but the average price hike was 6.0 percent. In March 2008, prices rose on just eight meds at an average increase of 9 percent, while in March 2007, there were price increases on seven drugs at an average of 4.9 percent. And in March 2006, drugmakers boosted prices on seven meds at an average 5.8 percent. Last month, Marsh found price hi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715022 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:43:49 +0100 4715022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684759&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FinwJ4AHbem4%2F And the answer is…. 82 percent. At least according to the latest annual report on prescription drug spending released by Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefits manager. Of course, such a finding is not surprising, given that the cost of generics fell by 10.2 percent compared with a rise in brand-name meds by 9.7 percent. Rising drug prices have caused a stir on several fronts in recent weeks, in fact. The manufacturer of an injectable drug to prevent premature births, KV Pharmaceuticals, last week slashed the price after coming under pressure (see this) and an order of Catholic nuns successfully placed shareholder proposals over rising drug prices (look here). Nonetheless, the overall growth in spending on prescription drugs - including specialty medications, such as biologics, was c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684759 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:29:15 +0100 4684759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664473&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCFkCzxDEPE8%2F File this under praying for relief. Several religious groups - including an order of Catholic nuns and a chain of Catholic hospitals - are pressuring a few big drugmakers to exercise some price restraint and have placed proposals that will be voted on during upcoming annual shareholder meetings. Such efforts are not new, but the latest attempt comes after one Wall Street analyst reported that prices for 130 best-selling brand-name drugs rose 6.9 last year, which was the biggest increase in a decade. For instance, a shareholder proposal in the Pfizer proxy from The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, which is based in New Jersey, states that the cost of medicines has “skyrocketed in this country in recent years” and the “failure to control costs could undermine the goal... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664473 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:37:46 +0100 4664473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658627&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fz32nDiD2ons%2F Good morning, everyone. How are you today? A busy agenda awaits us here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we have a pile of meetings and deadlines to attack. We trust you can relate. To cope, yes, we are downing a cup or two of stimulation. As always, we invite you to join us. And to get you started, here are some tidbits from the world at large. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… Sonova Execs Resign After Insider Trading Probe (Bloomberg News) Gilead And Yale Former Cancer Research Deal (Reuters) Valeant Offers To Buy Cephalon For $5.7 Billion (Bloomberg News) Glaxo’s Lovaza Partner Pronova Settles Patent Row With Apotex (Reuters) UK’s NICE Rejects Bristol-Myers’ Orencia Drug (Dow Jones) Vertex CF Drug Shows Promising Results (Mass High Tech) Merc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658627 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:41:48 +0100 4658627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4606048&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fphrma-slaps-sleazy-self-serving-spin-on.html "We are pleased the GAO appropriately took into account the facts about how the biopharmaceutical marketplace works in its analysis of prescription medicine pricing trends," said PhRMA CEO John J. Castellani in his organization's Statement Regarding GAO Report. "The [GAO] report's key finding shows prices have been increasing at a rate of 2.6% [my emphasis] annually, which is lower than overall medical inflation," said Castellani.Castellani focused exclusively on the GAO analysis of one "basket" (basket #4) of drugs that was "based on the active ingredient rather than drug name...in order to account for the growing national shift in consumer utilization from brand-name to generic versions of drugs." In other words, the basket included generic and brand name drugs. For example, “Zocor/10m... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4606048 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:29:00 +0100 4606048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4606052&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFiK0SOKwv4Q%2F Where, oh where, did your health care budget go? A larger chunk apparently went to pay for brand-name* prescription meds which, on average, rose 6.9 percent last year. The increase nudged past the 6.8 percent average advance registered in 2008, which was the largest annual jump since Barclays Capital began tracking price hikes, The Wall Street Journal reports. Some of the biggest: the Benicar blood pressure pill sold by Daiichi Sankyo rose 29.3 percent; the Gleevec cancer treatment marketed by Novartis jumped 20.9 percent; Johnson & Johnson’s Concerta pill for ADD moved up 19.7 percent; Pfizer’s Lipitor cholesterol blockbuster popped 12.4 percent, and the Plavix bloodthinner sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis rose 13.2 percent. Obviously, drugmakers are &#8220... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4606052 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:15:48 +0100 4606052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570759&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FWSS2nrAw5gE%2F This week, the cost of an injection to prevent a premature birth is roughly $10 to $20. Next week, it will cost $1,500. Why? That is when KV Pharmaceutical starts marketing its newly approved Makena, a form of progesterone that, for many years, was offered by compounding pharmacies. Now, though, KV has an exclusive lock on the market and is threatening compounders who dare to encroach. “I’ve never seen anything as outrageous as this,” Arnold Cohen, an obstetrician at Albert Einstein Medical Center, tells the Associated Press. “That’s a huge increase for something that can’t be costing them that much to make,” says Roger Snow, deputy medical director for Massachusetts Medicaid. And Joanne Armstrong, who heads women’s health at Aetna, says: &#8... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570759 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:52:04 +0100 4570759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570743&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F10%2Fthe_cost_to_develop_a_drug_your_own_numbers.php Bruce Booth over at Atlas Venture (a VC fund here in Cambridge) has been following the Light and Warburton drug-cost estimate with interest. And now he's got a form up on his site for people to enter their own estimates of the costs. Take a look - it's bound to come up with a number that's more in tune with reality! For one thing, he's actually asking people who have, you know, developed drugs. . . (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570743 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:33:16 +0100 4570743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532546&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F01%2Fuse_avastin_dont_use_avastin.php The Genentech/Roche drug Avastin has been in the news a lot lately, mostly about cost/benefit analysis for its uses in oncology. It's nobody's idea of a cheap drug even for those indications where it shows results. But there's one therapeutic area where it's actually the bargain alternative. That's AMD, wet age-related macular degeneration. Stopping the growth of those leaking blood vessels in the eye is the standard therapy for the condition, so a VEGF-targeted therapy is just the thing. Lucentis is the anti-VEGF antibody that's approved for that use; it showed very impressive results in the clinic, and seems to perform just as well in the real world. But Lucentis is expensive. And while it's different from Avastin, it's really not that different. It is, in fact, an opthalmic-delivery-o... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532546 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:38:17 +0100 4532546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482967&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fastrazeneca-to-host-first-ever-pharma.html Back in November, 2010, I asked "Will a Pharma Company Ever 'Host' a Chat on Twitter?" (see here). I just learned that AstraZeneca (US) will be the first pharma company (that I know of) to do so according to this @AstraZeneca Twitter post:AstraZeneca to host Twitter chat on Rx savings. 8p EDT Wednesday. Details here http://ow.ly/3W3G7 #rxsave #socpharmHere are the relevant details:AstraZeneca (@AstraZenecaUS) will host a one-hour chat on Twitter at 8 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, February 16 to raise awareness about helping patients save money through prescription savings programs.The chat will be led by Jennifer McGovern, the director of the AZ&Me prescription savings programs. She will answer questions while offering ideas about how patient assistance needs are evolving and how social media... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482967 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:12:00 +0100 4482967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4446032&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FqZDR45Q5V5o%2F A trade deal being negotiated between Canada and the European Union could cost Canadians another $2.8 billion annually in drug costs - notably, by delaying the availability of lower-cost generics in Canada by about 3.5 years - if certain proposals are cemented, according to a new report commissioned by generic drugmakers. During the talks, the EU has sought various changes in Canadian laws and regulations governing intellectual property concerning brand-name meds. These include extending the term of patent protection by up to five years if drugs are bogged down in the regulatory approval process; lengthening the period of data exclusivity from eight years to 10 years or more; and strengthening notice of compliance regulations by adding an appeals process. The upshot is that Canadian payers... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4446032 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:24:19 +0100 4446032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399824&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FxuyC8afSidI%2F Next time you get concerned about an increase in the cost of a prescription med, perhaps you can watch this video and learn a tip about how to deal with the situation. This fellow is upset about what he says is a 1200 percent price hike for Asacol HD, a recently updated version of a med that treats ulcerative colitis, because his discount program card allegedly stopped working before the April 1, 2011 expiration date (April Fool’s, anyone?) So he says he reached out to the manufacturer, Warner-Chilcott, but got nowhere by dialing the handy 800 number. Instead, he wrote ceo Roger Boissonneault directly at rboissonneault@wcrx.com. He does not claim to have received a reply. “I feel a little bit like this was a heroin deal “first time’s free” kind of thing. Appar... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399824 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:10:31 +0100 4399824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322509&cid=t_103203_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat%25e2%2580%2599s-wrong-it%25e2%2580%2599s-a-generic-drug-rip-off-thats-what%2F2011.01.07 Cute packaging and product placement in the checkout lane at Duane Reade will get you generic Tylenol for a price equivalent to $50 for 100 tabs, as opposed to $6 per 100 count in the usual package. *This blog post was originally published at tbtam* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322509 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:00:26 +0100 4322509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266264&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FSZ-Te091wg0%2F And so another working week draws to a close, which means the time has come to daydream, just a little, about our weekend plans - a brisk walk with the official Pharmalot mascots, spending time with our short people and taking a nap or two. What about you? Will you brave the shopping crowds? Curl up with your favorite e-book reader? Connect with a special person? Whatever you do, we hope you have a pleasant time. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits to jumpstart the day. Stay in touch…. Merck Extends Deadline For Closing Organon Dutch Facilities (Reuters) Your Pharmaceutical Cargo Theft Update (Securing Pharma) Celgene Raises Revlimid Price To $85K A Year (Dow Jones) FDA Considers Generic User Fees (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Sanofi-Aventis And Merck KGgA Sign Cancer Drug Deal (Bloomberg N... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266264 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:44:28 +0100 4266264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214487&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FC3xcP8N8Lb4%2F China is flexing its economic muscle in all sorts of ways. Now, the National Development and Reform Commission, which is China’s top economic planner, intends to cap pricing on essential meds made by foreign-capitalized drugmakers, according to 21st Century Business Herald, writes that the move “can be seen as an end of the super-national treatment afforded to foreign companies.” Until now, meds by overseas drugmakers were often eligible for independent pricing and exempted from previous rounds of price reductions as part of a program established in 2000, the paper continues. According to the China Pharmaceutical Industry Research and Development Association, the average price of nine foreign independently priced drugs is 1,311 percent higher than domestic meds. “Price ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214487 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:29:08 +0100 4214487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179525&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXGVfJpCTsxU%2F Hello, everyone. Another shiny day is unfolding here at the Pharmalot corporate campus where, as usual, we are hustling short people off to the local school house and brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation. A truly busy day, however, lies in store. You know that feeling, yes? So please join us as we prepare for another round of meetings and deadlines. And of course, here are some tidbits to get us going. Have a good one and see you soon… Pfizer And Cipla May Ink Global Supply Deal (The Times of India) Genzyme Sells Diagnostic Unit To Sekisui Chemical (Reuters) India Tightens Clinical Trial Guidelines (Outsourcing Pharma) Israeli Biotechs Flock To Ohio For Funds And Experts (Bloomberg News) FDA Panel Backs Merck’s Gardasil To Thwart Anal Cancer (Associated Press) Montana Gover... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179525 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:55:37 +0100 4179525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077593&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbVC-Yw-XyJ0%2F This should not come as a surprise, but the Great Recession continues to take a toll on prescription fill rates. In the first six months of this year, the so-called abandonment rate has inched up still more - reaching almost 10 percent of all new prescriptions for brand-name meds, according to the latest data provided by Wolters Kluwer, a market research firm. That’s up from slightly higher than 9 percent during the second half of 2009, and significantly higher than the 7.5 percent notched during the second half of 2008, when the recession took off and the stock market plummeted. The current rate is almost double what was seen in 2006. But abandonment rates for generics held steady at about 5 percent, reflecting the lower costs for copycat meds (see the write up for the last six-mont... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077593 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:26:53 +0100 4077593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077595&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F7pZyAG5Y9VM%2F Welcome back, everyone. We hope your weekend was restful and refreshing. Now, of course, the time has come to brace yourself for the usual routine of meetings and deadlines. We are no different. So please join us for the mandatory cup of stimulation as we peruse the news of the world. Meanwhile, we hope today brings you new insights and rewards. Catch you later… Pfizer Pays Up To $350M To License Biocon Diabetes Drugs (Dow Jones) Lilly To Close Singapore Drug Discovery Center (Dow Jones) Roche Seeks To Broaden Actemra Indications (Reuters) Lilly Osteoporosis Drug Regrows Jawbone: Study (Reuters) How An Arizona Town Landed 500 Roche Jobs (Inside Tucson Business) Man Charged With Stealing From Glaxo (Raleigh News & Observer) Wyeth Fined Over Hazardous Waste (Irish Times) Canadians... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077595 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:05:11 +0100 4077595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994337&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Flillypad-launches-specious-rocket.html Eli Lilly, the drug company that increased the price of its antidepressant Cymbalta by 13.6% in 2009, is using its new corporate blog (LillyPad) as a launching site for defending high drug prices (see "Why Price Controls Are Not The Right Answer"). This latest post was in response to a Washington Post article that articulated fears that drug companies would increase drug prices to cover the costs of offering Medicare beneficiaries a 50% drug discount when they find themselves caught within the infamous "doughnut hole" (see "Will Drug Companies Increase Drug Prices to Cover Medicare 'Doughnut Hole' Discounts?").Lilly's response -- written by Amy O’Connor, Notre Dame alumna, who "manages the intersections between the political environment and Lilly’s business portfolio" -- interests me o... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994337 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:13:00 +0100 3994337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907779&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FcM2IWP5I044%2F Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal claims Rite Aid pulled a fast one on consumers when it raised some prices, but then turned around blamed the state. And so he has issued a subpoena seeking information about how Rite Aid decided to charge what it does on numerous meds. To be specific, a new state law requires pharmacies to provide the same discounts to Medicaid and other state programs that are offered to consumers. However, the AG charges Rite Aid instead simply increased prices and made other changes to its Rx Savings discount drug program in the state. And then the pharmacy chain posted signs blaming its higher prices and program changes on the new law. What sorts of changes? Blumenthal cites an increase in the cost a 30-day supply of some generics from $8.99 to $10.99; el... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907779 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:32:26 +0100 3907779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3903130&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ftv9Dj06babs%2F The retail prices for the 217 most widely used brand-name drugs rose an average of 8.3 percent last year, despite a drop in inflation, according to a new survey by AARP. And for the most popular meds, prices rose 41.5 percent, outpacing a 13.3 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index. The results were first reported in The New York Times and here is the complete survey. However, the findings may not match reality for many Americans who take lower-cost generics, according to John Vernon, an assistant professor of health policy at the University of North Carolina who consults for drugmakers. “It can easily be shown that branded prices are higher here than they are in other countries, but we have the lowest and the most competitively priced generic drugs in the world, and the generic share ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3903130 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:16:57 +0100 3903130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3903132&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCrRCUDEW_yE%2F Good morning, everyone. Nice to see you again. After a protracted stretch, we have returned to the Pharmalot corporate campus, where a spot of rain is falling. We are keeping busy, of course, with the usual routine. What about you? Meetings and deadlines beckon, no doubt. Meanwhile, a hearty thanks to the many folks who attended our panel discussion at the American Chemical Society meeting yesterday. And now, as the world turns… India’s Health Minister Worries About Takeovers And Rx Prices (DNA) Drug Combo Helped Kill Cancer In Mice (Reuters) Insulin Users Have Higher Cancer Risk (Bloomberg News) Drugs And Talk Therapy May Ease Adult ADHD (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3903132 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:08:40 +0100 3903132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798824&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fe8k2-mp0Imw%2F Over the past few weeks, Bristol-Myers Squibb was implored to lower the price of its Reyataz AIDS drug, given the funding crisis facing a growing number of state ADAP programs, which provide AIDS and HIV drugs to the public (see here). Among those lobbying the drugmaker is the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which this week banned Bristol reps from its 11,000 or so clinics (back story). At least one California official, it turns out, has also beseeched Bristol, but has so far been ignored. On July 9, state controller John Chiang wrote Bristol ceo Lamberto Andreotti to explain the combination of fewer available state dollars and rising prices is an “unsustainable situation.” He noted that both the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and the California State Teachers... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798824 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:13:17 +0100 3798824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772469&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FjPagjNQJtdw%2F Top of the morning to you. A relatively balmy day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are preparing for some important events. What about you? Are significant meetings on the horizon? And what about those deadlines? As always, a cup of stimulation is brewing. So please join us in surveying a few interesting tidbits. Have a great day and stay in touch… Advil Ad Account Is Shopped Around (AdWeek) WHO May Declare End To Swine Flu Pandemic (Bloomberg News) Reglan Lawsuits, Generics And Preemption (New Orleans City Business) Pfizer Halts Another Tanezumab Study (Associated Press) Ireland Plans Global Pharma Center Of Excellence (Irish Examiner) People Receiving HIV Treatment Rose 30 Percent In 2009 (Bloomberg News) Paxil Lawsuit Over Heart Birth Defect Is Settled (Associated ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772469 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:35:42 +0100 3772469 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750276&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFeKyFOTq8gk%2F In a potential setback to states looking to squeeze more disclosure from pharmacy benefit managers, a federal appeals court late last week struck down provisions of a District of Columbia law that would have designated PBMs as “fiduciaries” of employer sponsored health plans. The law required PBMs to disclose conflicts of interest, limit drug-switching activities and require passing rebates back to clients. The ruling comes amid years of courtroom and legislative wrangling over these issues. A similar law in Maine was upheld by the courts, and Maryland and Vermont have laws that have gone unchallenged, according to the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices, or NLARx. And as of last fall, 14 states enacted some form of PBM regulation, and another 10 states have re... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750276 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:03:39 +0100 3750276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721959&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3SCWQiuzi24%2F Angered by the moves European nations are taking to cut drug prices, one big drugmaker commissioned a study that finds - guess what? - price cuts will severely reduce the number of new meds making it to market. The study was undertaken by the European School of Management and Technology’s Competition Analysis and funded by Novartis. The Berlin-based group claims to have modeled and quantified a “direct link between strict regulation and low innovation.” And the new meds that are likely to be “hit hardest under tough pricing regulation” include drugs for treating heart disease, multiple sclerosis and chronic meningitis, as well as antibiotics. “Our study shows the consequences that pricing and reimbursement regulation can have on pharmaceutical innovation... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721959 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:43:21 +0100 3721959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718698&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fh68KkPeH3gU%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is on the way. This means, of course, that meetings and deadlines beckon. Never mind that a holiday weekend is just around the corner. To cope, we are brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation, and enjoying an unexpectedly cool breeze. So please join us as we peruse the news of the world. Good luck today and catch you soon… AstraZeneca Loses Bid To Overturn Antitrust Fine (Dow Jones) Biogen Names Exelisis’ George Scangos As CEO (Bloomberg News) Recession Hurts Funding For AIDS Drug Program (New York Times) FDA Issues Latest List Of Drug With Possible Risks (Reuters) Quebec To Cut Generic Drug Prices (PharmaTimes) USPTO Denies Request To Re-Examine Plavix Patent (Dow Jones) Michigan Grows CROs (Xconomy) Calistoga Raises $40M To Fund Drug Tria... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718698 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:56:22 +0100 3718698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714446&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFqkAyZSwyTE%2F Is anyone surprised? German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet has approved legislation that will require drugmakers and insurers to negotiate prices of new drugs based on cost-effectiveness, PharmaTimes reports. However, the bill would also allow drugmakers to set unilateral prices if agreement with insurers is not reached after 15 months. The legislation must still be approved by the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, which this month backed proposals to increase rebates paid to manufacturers on patented drugs but also set price limits, PharmaTimes notes, adding that the measures could go into effect by January and save about $2 billion next year. The 5.3 percent rise in drug spending last year by public health insurers - which cover over 70 percent of Germany’s 82 million po... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714446 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:05:08 +0100 3714446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3679914&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FMXgDoWb_u_s%2F A sunny day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are using some spare moments to catch up on our reading. And of course, we are leisurely quaffing a few cups of stimulation. Later, we plan to grab a bite with Mrs. Pharmalot and The Pharmalittles in honor of you-know-what day. Whatever your plans, we hope the day is enjoyable. Meanwhile, here are a few stray items to keep you fresh. And remember to say hi to your dad. Have a great time… Patents on blockbusters are expiring. The human genome is not delivering. And the low-hanging fruit was long ago picked from the orchard of obvious follow-ups. Adrian Ivinson, director of Harvard’s NeuroDiscovery Center, is reminded of the shifts underway in the industry every time he looks out of his Cambridge, Ma., window at the “... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3679914 Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:13:01 +0100 3679914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3662924&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3cRTnX90Se8%2F How does one define the value of a drug? Depends who you ask. Not surprisingly, the answers differ according to a survey of 144 pharma and biotech execs, 129 managed care execs and 1,048 US adults over than 18 years old that was conducted by Quintiles, the contract research organization. As the chart indicates, 73 percent of patients value efficacy and 75 percent also value safety, while 59 percent cited quality of life and 58 percent listed cost. These attributes were much less valuable to the biopharma and managed care crowds. In fact, just 4 percent of biopharma execs listed cost as a way to define value (in other words, the price is always right?), and 19 percent of managed care execs agreed. Just 38 percent of biopharma execs cited safety and 44 percent noted efficacy. As for quality ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3662924 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:20:16 +0100 3662924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3652691&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FtbeaniQzUXk%2F And so another working week is about to draw to a close. What are your plans for the weekend? Ours include promenading with the official Pharmalot mascots, a round of (miniature) golf with the shortest of short people and pulling weeds that are springing up around the corporate campus. Whatever you choose to do, we hope your plans are exciting. Meanwhile, another day beckons. Here are a few items to help you along. Enjoy… Why Patients Don’t Get The Shingles Vaccine (The New York Times) Lilly’s Lechleiter Says US Loses Innovation Edge (Crain’s Detroit Business) Drugmakers To Form Alzheimer’s Data Coalition (The Wall Street Journal) Bristol-Myers To Price Drugs Lower In India (The Hindu Business Line) European Drugmakers Concerned About Market Access (PharmaTime... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3652691 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:56:17 +0100 3652691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3636019&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fh0HyKefJllM%2F In its latest effort to lower the cost of HIV drugs, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is now mailing postcards directly to the homes of Bristol-Myers Squibb employees in the Princeton, NJ, area - where the drugmaker has its main laboratory complex - that feature a picture of ceo Lamberto Andreotti stuffing a $20 bill into his pocket as many more bills fall out of the sky behind him (read the text here). The average wholesale price for Reyataz is $13,046 a year, according to AHF, which adds that other “commonly precribed” first-line AIDS drugs are priced $3,000 to $5,400 less. AHF also accuses the drugmaker of raising the price of Reyataz several times - since it was approved in 2003, the price has increased more than 25 percent. The drug, by the way, must be taken with at least t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3636019 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:58:38 +0100 3636019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573944&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyWRw6FKi8nc%2F Prices for the most widely used brand-name meds jumped 9.7 during the 12-month period ending in March, according to AARP, which called the increase the largest since the organization began tracking this sort of thing in 2002. Specialty drug prices rose 9.2 percent and generics fell by 9.7 percent. AARP notes that general inflation climbed 0.3 percent during the same period. AARP then makes another comparison - the average annual cost for three generic meds declined by $51 during this period, while there was a $706 increase for three brand name drugs. “The life-saving drugs Americans need are out of reach for many because of unjustifiable price hikes,” AARP Executive Vice President John Rother says in a statement. “Consumers desperately need a competitive prescription drug market that... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573944 Tue, 18 May 2010 12:23:54 +0100 3573944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573938&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fequation-proves-that-broadcast-dtca.html In an equation that Einstein would be proud of, researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) supported by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have "proved" that "the expansion in broadcast DTCA may be responsible for about 19 percent of the overall growth in prescription drug expenditures over the [period between 1994 and 2005], with over two-thirds of this impact being driven by an increase in demand as a result of the DTCA expansion and the remainder due to higher prices." The researchers based this on an analysis data supplied by IMS fed into this equation:The equation denotes that the market price (P) is a function of promotion, time until patent expiration and the number of drugs in the therapeutic class. Hey, I'm not going to get into an anal... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573938 Mon, 17 May 2010 18:30:00 +0100 3573938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3564200&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbYkQzsG0o9s%2F Seeking to avoid a financial crisis (see this), Spain is cutting the prices of numerous drugs, including many that have already been patented for up to 10 years, in hopes of reducing what the public health system spends on prescription drugs by as much as 23 percent, Europa Press reports. The savings should amount to roughly 1.3 billion Euros, or about $1.6 billion, although . The effort, which does not extend to drug in the reference pricing system, takes effect on Aug. 1. Not surprisingly, FarmaIndustria, the industry trade group, criticized the move and warned it will cause thousands of job losses and less spending on research and development (see this and this). Meanwhile, the price paid by the government for generics has also been reduced by 25 percent. These “are difficult and ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3564200 Fri, 14 May 2010 12:31:15 +0100 3564200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560499&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUi_0RX4f_qI%2F Top of the morning to you. Another shiny day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus. What will today bring? We can only guess. But with meetings and deadlines on the agenda, we are brewing the required cups of stimulation. Meanwhile, here are a few interesting items to help you prepare. We hope your day is productive and pleasant. And as always, do stay in touch… Walgreen’s Halts Sales Of OTC Gene Tests (Bloomberg News) Merck To Create 150 Jobs In Ireland (RTE Business) Glaxo Halts Platelet Drug Study Due To Clots (Reuters) AstraZeneca Fights SMC Rejection Of Iressa (PharmaTimes) CVS Caremark Taps A New CEO (Associated Press) US Rx DataBase Takes Hold Slowly (Government Technology) Merck & Sanofi Prepare To Shed Animal Assets (Reuters) Australia Won’t Enact New Price... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560499 Thu, 13 May 2010 11:14:16 +0100 3560499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3483118&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFUj98n1k_qo%2F Vladimir Putin is taking a personal interest in the war on high drug prices in Russia. After recently sacking a public health official who criticized the effort (background), he’s now doing his own spot checks of pharmacies. As the photo indicates, there’s Vlad in a pharmacy in Murmansk asking about the price for Arbidol, a Russian-made flu med, which was included on the government’s list of vital drugs. “Are there any complaints from customers? Are you complying with (pricing) requirements on vital drugs?” he reportedly asked a pharmacist at a store owned by the 36.6 chain, which charges 212 rubles, or $7.30, below the maximum price of 267 rubles. Customers assured Vlad that some municipal drugstores offer even lower prices. “If there are prices cheaper... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3483118 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:07:59 +0100 3483118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3425128&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3jjNof52MdU%2F Nice to see you again. Hope your week is going well. As always, there is much to do today, including the usual attempt to hustle one of the not-so-short people off to the schoolhouse. And you? No doubt, meetings and deadlines beckon. To help you along, we have gathered a bushel of interesting items. Grab a cup of stimulation and dig in. Have a great day, everyone… Glaxo And Isis Sign Drug Development Deal (Reuters) Japanese Authorities Search J&J Office Over Contact Lens Ad (Japan Today) IMS Report Warns EU Governments Over Price Cuts (PharmaTimes) Prostate Drug Available OTC In The UK (Reuters) Glaxo And Risks Over Zinc In Poligrip (New York Times) Valeant Board OKs $500M Buyback Program (Los Angeles Business Journal) Depomed Files For Approval Of Pain Drug (Reuters) (Source: P... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3425128 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:50:49 +0100 3425128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3374376&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FEjbcJQRV5rM%2F The Special Committee on Aging wants to know why there are “large discrepancies” between the prices charged for meds in the US and other industrialized countries. So letters were sent to six drugmakers - AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Sanofi-Aventis - to explain why drugs can cost up to four times more in the US (click each name to see the letters). And the hearing, which is called ‘Seniors Feeling the Squeeze,’ starts at 2:30 pm EST today. The letters note that US consumers spend an average of $878 a person on meds, compared with $446 a person in other industrialized countries, and then cite specific examples of differences in price. For instance, AstraZeneca’s Nexium costs $3.91 in the US compared with $1.32 in the UK and 88 cents ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3374376 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:15:17 +0100 3374376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311933&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FZd7KHlOccYY%2F Good morning, everyone. Another snowy day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where drifts are threatening to engulf our laptop. Still, we look ahead to a weekend of hot coffee, unread books and sledding with short people. Meanwhile, though, another day lies ahead. So here are a few items to help you through. What are your weekend plans? Whatever you do, enjoy. See you, soon… Daiichi Sankyo Considers Generics Market In Japan (Reuters) Merck Gets Ready To License Out Drugs (In Vivo) Pfizer Senior VP Bill Ringo To Retire (Associated Press) New Drug Prices In Australia Are Highest In Developed World (PharmaTimes) KV Pays $26M Fine For Adulterated Drugs (Bloomberg News) snowman courtesy of LD on flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311933 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:40:39 +0100 3311933 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3067308&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fq-6dqayLNu4%2F In the wake of reports that drugmakers have boosted prices to compensate for agreed-upon discounts in the health care reform legislation, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health is holding a hearing this morning and you can watch it here, starting at 9:25 am EST (go the lower right corner for the link). If you’re in town, you can stroll over to Room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Last month, the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting a report on recent trends in prescription drug pricing. The letter also requests that GAO submit a proposal to ensure ongoing monitoring of pricing practices (back story). Today’s witnesses include Stephen Schondelmeyer, a pr... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3067308 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:47:17 +0100 3067308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023408&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fdid-state-medicaid-programs-finance.html When the November 15, 2009, AARP Rx Watchdog Report revealed that manufacturer prices for widely used brand name drugs have climbed dramatically over the last year, despite a negative general inflation rate, many people -- including several Congressmen -- suspected “price gouging” in anticipation of future cost containment under new healthcare legislation.But there may be another type of drug "price gouging" going on -- deliberately raising drug prices to cover the cost of Direct-to-Consumer advertising (DTCA)!A new study published in today's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine (“Costs and Consequences of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising for Clopidogrel in Medicaid”; Arch Intern Med. 2009;169[21]:1969-1974) offers evidence that drug price increases are engineered to cover the ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023408 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0100 3023408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3008402&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FigpCGfon0IA%2F In the wake of reports that drugmakers raised prices by as much as 9 percent, on average, this year, the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting a report on recent trends in prescription drug pricing. The letter also requests that GAO submit a proposal to ensure ongoing monitoring of pricing practices (back story). The price hikes came as health care reform legislation was crafted, suggesting drugmakers raised prices in anticipation that a bill would hurt their ability to raise prices in the future. The letter was signed by Charles Rangel, who chairs of the House Ways and Means Committee; Henry Waxman, whos chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee; Pete Stark, who chairs the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee;... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3008402 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:40:42 +0100 3008402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2996028&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FiXXGPbXDiR0%2F Even as drug makers promised to support health care reform by slashing $8 billion annually from drug costs, wholesale prices of prescription drugs rose by about 9 percent - and this can add more than $10 billion to the nation’s drug bill, which could exceed $300 billion this year, The New York Times reports. We noted something similar last month - During this year’s third quarter, eight of the biggest drug makers undertook hefty price increases - the average among this group was 8.7 percent. The analysis was done by CreditSuisse (please see here). Critics say the industry is trying to establish a higher price base before Congress passes legislation that tries to curb drug spending in coming years, the paper writes. “When we have major legislation anticipated, we see a run-up in ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2996028 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:25:06 +0100 2996028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886740&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FsJGLCefFxFY%2F During this year’s third quarter, eight of the biggest drug makers undertook hefty price increases - the average among this group was 8.7 percent, easily outdistancing the core Consumer Price Index of 1.4 percent, according to a recent research report by Credit Suisse analyst Catherine Arnold. Who led the pack? Schering-Plough (soon to be bought by Merck) with a 12.8 percent hike, while Abbott imposed a 4.4 increase (Abbott’s price hikes have, in fact, been declining over the past year, the report notes). What about the others? Merck upped the ante by 9.9 percent; Wyeth (soon to be part of Pfizer) drove prices higher by 9.3 percent; Lilly was at 9.1 percent; Bristol-Myers Squibb prices rose 8.9 percent; Johnson & Johnson increased prices by 7.8 percent, and Pfizer prices r... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886740 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:10:41 +0100 2886740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2758114&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F02%2Flexapro_forest_labs_and_the_hard_sell.php Forest Labs has done very, very well with Lexapro (escitalopram) over the years. They're a comparatively small company, and their collaboration with Lundbeck (also a comparatively small company) in the antidepressant field has been the biggest event in their history. Lexapro is the pure enantiomer of the earlier Lundbeck drug Celexa (citalopram), and it's been a very successful follow-on. (For a nasty spat over generic production of citalopram, see here). I'm generally not too keen on the follow-up-with-the-single-enantiomer strategy, I have to say. In general, I think it's slowly disappearing from the world as regulatory agencies look down on racemic mixtures. (I've never worked on a program myself where we seriously considered taking a racemate to the clinic - we always assumed that we'... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2758114 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:43:52 +0100 2758114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464322&cid=t_103203_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fms-money-matters-medical-bankruptcy%2F Last summer we started an occasional topic here at Life with MS: “MS Money Matters.”  Our blogs on this subject have dealt with drug prices, gas prices, insurance prices etc.   However, what happens when we just can’t pay those bills? Medical bankruptcy is a dilemma more and more Americans are facing every day.  A study titled, “Medical Bankruptcy in the United States, 2007: Results of a National Study” published in the American Journal of Medicine stated, “Based on the current bankruptcy filing rate, medical bankruptcies will total 866,000 and involve 2.346 million Americans this year – about one person every 15 seconds.” In a multi-institution survey published last week, not only was this rate disturbing, but the “who” and “why” of it all made ... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464322 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:23:32 +0100 2464322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406160&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F12%2Fbook_review_department.php For those who are interested, I have a review up at Nature Biotechnology of Reasonable Rx: Solving the Drug Price Crisis, a book that proposes an. . .interesting solution for reworking the drug industry. And as Fate would have it, I also have a review in the latest issue of Nature Chemistry of Drug Truths: Dispelling the Myths About Pharma R & D, from Pfizer's John LaMattina. The only reason these are showing up at the same time is that I took an unconscionably long time to come to grips with Reasonable Rx - it wasn't something that I could just dismiss, but it has (I think) a lot of things wrong with it. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406160 Tue, 12 May 2009 14:18:16 +0100 2406160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260915&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fas-innovation-shifts-to-small-companies.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260915 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:32:00 +0100 2260915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2047638&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F486641887%2F Imposing European-style price controls on meds in the US would yield only modest savings that would be more than offset by shortened life spans as the pace of drug innovation slows, according to a paper in Health Affairs*. Instead, lowering insurance co-payments would more effectively combat rising prrices in the US, which pays more per capita for pharmaceuticals than any other nation. “We found policies that regulate the prices of drugs could result in modest savings for consumers, in the best cases on the order of $5,000 to $10,000 per person over a lifetime,” Darius Lakdawalla of the nonprofit Rand Corporation, who worked on two studies appearing in a special report on drug pricing, tells Reuters. “But in many other cases, those policies resulted in very substantial lo... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2047638 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:20:52 +0100 2047638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1980668&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Finteresting-chart-is-there-one-like.html The following is a chart of gasoline prices since the 1950s and 60s."Oil prices go up, gas prices at the pump go up, everybody goes into a flurry of activity," said President-elect Obama. "And then the prices go back down and suddenly we act like it's not important," he said during a television interview. "As a consequence, we never make any progress."I don't know if there is a similar kind of chart for drug prices. In terms of "inflation adjusted" dollars, are we paying more for drugs today than we did, say, in 1993 when Hillary Clinton first tried to implement universal coverage? Just speculating. Nice chart anyway. (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1980668 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:12:00 +0100 1980668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1969322&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F457170109%2F Twice this year, Cephalon has sharply raised the price of its Provigil narcolepsy drug, which is now 28 percent more expensive than in March and 74 percent more expensive than four years ago, and the drugmaker said recently it plans to continue raising the price, The Wall Street Journal writes. The Provigil price increases - the average wholesale price is now $8.71 a tablet - are an extreme example of a common tactic drugmakers employ in the US to boost profits and steer patients away from cheaper generics, the paper continues. Here’s how it works: Knowing that Provigil will face generic competition in 2012 as its patent nears expiration, Cephalon is planning to launch a longer-acting version of the drug called Nuvigil next year. To convert patients from Provigil to Nuvigil, Cephalon... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1969322 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:26:37 +0100 1969322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833426&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F402870703%2F Ask a human resource exec or benefit managers why drug prices keep rising and you’re likely to hear them blame direct-to-consumer advertising. And why not? The ads are not only ubiquitous, but promote meds that are, generally, expensive. This year, however, a survey of 100 companies with at least 1,000 employees finds that DTC advertising is generating fewer complaints. This year, 33 percent of the managers, vp’s and directors queried blamed ads for the higher prices their employee benefit plans paid for meds. That’s down from 45.5 percent in 2007 and 36 percent in 2006. Instead, the blame is shifting to manufacturer price hikes - 13.4 percent cited this as a problem, compared with 6.9 percent last year, according to Arxcel, a pharmacy benefits consultant that sponsored t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833426 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:06:56 +0100 1833426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1760165&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F03%2Fdirect_to_consumer_ads_wasted_money.php It’s a truism that half of all advertising dollars are wasted, but that no one buying the ads can be sure which half it is. Advertising from the drug companies is ubiquitous: how much of that is doing them no good? A recent study suggests that the widely reviled direct-to-consumer (DTC) campaigns may be in that category. A paper in the British Medical Journal looks at the cross-border effect of US-based advertising on English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians, on the reasonable assumption that the former group is more likely to pay attention. They picked products that had been on the market for at least a year before the ad campaigns started, and looked at the number of prescriptions among both groups once the ads started running. What they found was no effect on the prescriptions ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1760165 Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:00:30 +0100 1760165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1480917&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F301214480%2F The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is urging the drugmaker to change its pricing and access policies in a series of ads, called “Shame on Merck,” that criticize an increase of up to six times the price of its AIDS drug Stocrin in Mexico than in other Latin American countries. “We want to make policy makers and the public-at-largeincluding Merck’s employees and New Jersey neighborsaware of the striking inequity in Merck’s corporate policies regarding its pricing of Stocrin in Mexico,” Michael Weinstein, the organization’s president, in a statement. The foundation argues that AIDS drugs can cost as little as $150 in what are designated less developed countries or low income countries in Africa, can coast as much as $8,000 in Mexico, where per capita inco... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1480917 Fri, 30 May 2008 11:59:00 +0100 1480917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1472699&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F299025132%2F Wisconsin is on track to save a projected $63 million over 17 months, following changes in the way it buys prescription drugs for people in state health programs, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. The changes, which took effect this year, enable the state to buy meds indirectly through a purchasing coop that includes several states that negotiate prices with drugmakers. Previously, the state paid HMOs a set amount each month to cover the cost. “We thought it was definitely a good way to balance the state budget,” Jason Helgerson, who oversees Medicaid and other state health programs, tells the paper. “And so far, so good.” Previously, each HMO had its own list of preferred drugs, but now there is one list for all their patients in the HMOs that contract with t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1472699 Tue, 27 May 2008 11:16:07 +0100 1472699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1307875&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F253106338%2F Well, this is one suggestion, anyway. Two professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology propose separating drug discovery from drug marketing - and then establishing a non-profit company to oversee funding for new meds. “Drug prices in the United States are higher than anywhere else in the world. Right now, the revenues from those drugs finance research and development of new drugs. We propose to reduce prices, not at the expense of innovation, but by changing the way innovation is financed,” says Peter Temin, an economics professor and co-author of “Reasonable Rx: Solving the Drug Price Crisis,” in a statement. “Nationally, if we keep the current structure, in 50 years only hedge fund managers will be able to afford prescription drugs. Drug develo... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1307875 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:00:20 +0100 1307875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1291147&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F249048313%2F Last week, we wrote about an AARP study that concluded drugmakers increased their prices last year by an average of 7.4 percent for brand-name meds most commonly prescribed to the elderly, and the increase was about 2.5 times the overall inflation rate. However, the the study was criticized over methodology and motivation. One reader, for instance, wrote: “The two drugs among the top 25 with the greatest increases (Ambien and Norvasc) are both available generically. Thus, the vast majority patients (more than 90 percent) on either drug experienced a cost decrease of 50 percent to 80 percent. AARP intentionally ignores this so it can grab headlines. Not only do the headlines help AARP to advance its political agenda, it also stands to benefit financially since it has a financial inter... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1291147 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:59:14 +0100 1291147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1279510&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F245741630%2F Drug makers increased their prices last year by an average of 7.4 percent for brand-name meds most commonly prescribed to the elderly, and the increase was about 2.5 times the overall inflation rate, according to AARP, which released the report and has been tracking prices charged to wholesalers since 2002. In discussing the findings, AARP notes the price increases have been slightly greater since the Medicare drug benefit began Jan. 1, 2006, the Associated Press reports. In the four years before the benefit, wholesale prices rose between 5.3 percent and 6.6 percent annually, according to AARP. This is the study. AARP officials say the outcry over high drug prices has diminished since the Part D benefit was created. “Unfortunately, many manufacturers have taken the absence of an outc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1279510 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:59:21 +0100 1279510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1278313&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F245592134%2F A new poll finds Americans greatly value the potential benefits of prescription drugs for their families, but most believe they cost too much money and many struggle to pay for needed meds. A campaign issue, perhaps? Four in 10 Americans (and half of those regularly taking at least one medication) report experiencing at least one of three cost-related concerns in their family: 16 percent say it is a “serious” problem to pay for prescription drugs; 29 percent say they have not filled a prescription in the past two years because of the cost; and 23 percent say they have cut pills in half or skipped doses in order to make a medication last longer. People are most likely to report one of these three issues if they lack drug coverage (52 percent), if they have low incomes (54 percen... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1278313 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:49:36 +0100 1278313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1248010&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F238780740%2F Drugmakers increased wholesale prices for the 50 top-selling branded drugs by an average of 7.82 percent last year, after increases of 6.73 percent and 6.22 percent in the previous two years, according to Delta Marketing Dynamics. The most recent increase is almost double the overall US economy’s 4.1 percent annual inflation rate last year, The Wall Street Journal reports. Some individual drugs had double-digit price increases over three years. Glaxo, for instance, raised the price of its Wellbutrin XL antidepressant by 44.5 percent from 2005 to 2007. Sanofi-Aventis boosted the price of its Ambien sleeping pill by 70.1 percent. Shire hiked the price of its Adderall XR ADD drug by 33.5 percent. And Pfizer increased Lipitor’s price by 16 percent. The Delta Marketing figures repre... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1248010 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:01:23 +0100 1248010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1182985&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F28%2Flaissezfaire.php Reader B.C. noted this on Ezra Klein’s blog over at The American Prospect, talking about Mark Warner’s Senate candidacy in Virginia. He quotes Warner as saying: ” We need to rationalize drug costs. I won't stand up here and bash pharma. But it's not fair that Americans pay for research and development of the whole world, as other countries all have some pricing constraints." And Klein then adds: As readers of this site know, our decision to forgo national bargaining (or even Medicare bargaining) while every other country does use their size to drive down costs has led to a situation in which we pay far more so that Canadians and the French can pay far less. That's what Canadian Drug Reimportation is all about: Buying the same drugs we buy here, but at the prices negotiated by the ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1182985 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:12:41 +0100 1182985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1158440&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F17%2Fthe_eu_suspects_no_one_and_suspects_everyone.php Thanks to a longtime reader in Germany, I have the scoop from the EU and the respected Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. In an article about drug prices and drug approvals, titled “The European Pharmaceutical Industry Under Suspicion”, we find (my translation following): ”Die Kommission betonte, bislang lägen keine konkreten Indizien für wettbewerbswidrige Absprachen zwischen einzelnen Herstellern vor. Es sei aber auffällig, dass die Zahl neu angemeldeter Arzneimittel-Patente von durchschnittlich 40 in den Jahren 1995 bis 1999 auf durchschnittlich 28 im Zeitraum von 2000 bis 2004 zurückgegangen sei. „Wenn innovative Arzneimittel nicht hergestellt werden und kostengünstige Generika zum Teil erst mit Verzögerung auf den Markt gelangen, dann müssen wir nach den Gründ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1158440 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:39:20 +0100 1158440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1133999&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F06%2Fdollar_drugs_and_advertising.php Well, it's the first full working week of the year, so let's dive right into some controversy. There's an article on PloS Medicine on the amount that the drug industry spends on marketing. They at least try to avoid the problem of mixed administrative and marketing expenses, but the authors come up higher than the other estimates that have been arrived at. That's because they take the varying figures from the two major sources and decide to take the larger figure every time the two disagree. The final tally? About $57.5 billion spent in 2004. Most of that is in detailing to physicians and the cost of free samples. Direct-to-consumer ads, although they get a lot of attention and collect a lot of flak, account for only 7% of the total. The authors lose no opportunity to point out that this ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1133999 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:42:53 +0100 1133999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1096283&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F200317042%2F Every so often, we like to try something different on this evolving site. And so this time, we are experimenting with what amounts to a guest column. Why? We like the idea of livening up the usual menu of items with input from a loyal reader, but also one who has experience in the trenches and a refreshing point of view. This piece offers some provocative reforms, for instance. Will we do this again? Maybe. We do not wish to be flooded with requests, but we are open to suggestion. Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy this little contribution… How the States Can Lower the Impact of Increasing Drug Prices and Expenditures By Robert A. Freeman, Ph. D. and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas A & M University Health Science Center, Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy in Kingsville... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1096283 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:35:33 +0100 1096283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1087711&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F198750785%2F Here are some sobering stats about seniors and meds - two-thirds of 1,100 California seniors surveyed had difficulty paying for their drugs, 25 percent stopped or skipped taking a med due to cost, and seven out of 10 want their docs to offer choices, according to research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. (This is the abstract). “It’s clear from this study that most people want” more info, Chien-Wen Tseng, an associate professor of medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and an investigator at the Pacific Health Research Institute, who was the lead author, tells The Honolulu Advertiser. “Physicians need to ask and health plans need to get them (doctors) the cost information.” Other findings of the survey, which was financed ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1087711 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:28:45 +0100 1087711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1068799&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F194950243%2F The Italian Senate last week passed a law changing the way meds are regulated as of next year, but not everyone is thrilled. Branded drugmakers are largely pleased with the forms, which cut taxes and provide more R&D incentives, but generic makers say competition will be undermined, APM News reports (subscription may be required). The most important reforms: - A new pricing system based on the assignment of annual reimbursement budgets for each drug of each company; the amount that the national health service can spend on individual drugs will be calculated according to the price and volumes of the drug in the preceding 12 months; the proportion of the national health service’s budget that can be spent on drugs has been raised from 13 percent to 14 percent; and a further 2.4% of... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1068799 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:48:57 +0100 1068799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1055791&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F191601773%2F A late sign-off this evening. One of the short people required extra attention. We apologize for any inconvenience. Now, though, we return to tidy up and bring you a few tidbits before you drift off or reach for the nightcap…. FDA Says Novartis Organ Rejection Drug Poses Fetal Risks (Yahoo/Reuters) Japan May Cut Drug Prices By At Least 4.5 Percent (Bloomberg News) UK’s NICE Backs Merck/Schering-Plough Cholesterol Drug (Yahoo/Reuters) Abbott’s Xience Stent Is Safe And Effective: FDA Staff (Bloomberg News) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1055791 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:37:52 +0100 1055791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=756858&cid=t_103203_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2007%2F07%2F24%2Fgodzilla_vs_motha_relman_vs_epstein.php Arnold Relman is back. The co-author, with Marcia Angell, of The Truth About The Drug Companies, has a long review in The New Republic of Richard Epstein's new book on the industry, Overdose. Not everything in Epstein's book is right, and not everything in Relman's review of it is wrong. But when Relman misses, he misses big. Take, for example, this: "Indeed, the industry's greatest enemy is itself. Innovation by the major pharmaceutical firms has certainly fallen off sharply in recent years, but there is good evidence that the cause lies with the industry's own policies rather than with government regulation. The drug companies are being driven more by financial ambition and marketing considerations than by scientific or public health objectives, and that is the root of their current pr... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=756858 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:36:54 +0100 756858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=730391&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fwhy-grow-your-own-drugs-when-you-can.html According to a report on Pharmalot, Merck is expanding its move into oncology by striking a deal with Ariad Pharmaceuticals to buy the cancer drug AP23573 mTOR from Aiad Pharmaceuticals."Here's the deal: Ariad will receive an initial payment of $75 million, up to $452 million more in milestone payments based on the successful development in different cancer indications, and up to $200 million more based on sales thresholds. Ariad can also expect at least $200 million in estimated contributions by Merck to global development, and up to $200 million in repayable advances from Merck to cover its share of global-development costs, after Ariad has paid $150 million of those costs. (See "Merck Invests $1B In A Cancer Pill")So this is what the pharma industry means when it says it costs $1 Billio... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=730391 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:20:00 +0100 730391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675621&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fvillanova-scientists-prove-that-dtc.html According to Jim Edwards at BrandweekNRX, "The boffins in the business school at Villanova University are touting a formidable study with this headline: DTC advertising has no effect on the price of drugs" (see post).Here's the elegant proof cited in the report, which you can download here:"where it q is the quantity sold for brand i in time t (in 000s), it p is the price of brand i at time t (in dollars per unit), the lower case advertising variables represent the flow or current period advertising (in $000’s), the upper case advertising variables represent the current stock of advertising up to time t (in $000’s), it Exper is the number of months that drug i was on the market prior to time t , and it cp is a weighted average of competitors’ prices at time t . We take logs of both p... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675621 Thu, 07 Jun 2007 10:29:00 +0100 675621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=623516&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fmyth-1-high-us-drug-prices-guarantee-us.html The drug industry often defends higher drug prices in the U.S. by claiming that it guarantees Americans "first shot" at new drugs.Bob Ehrlich at DTC Perspectives stated as much in his e-mail commentary today:"As far as high pricing goes, here is where it can get quite complex. Drug companies need someone to pay high retail prices, because so many countries have price controls. There is not really a palatable explanation to the American public on why drug prices are higher in the U.S. market. The truth is that someone needs to make drug sales profitable and unfortunately it is the American public that is hit with the tab. The benefit is more drug research and a market inspired guarantee that Americans will get first shot at newer drugs. We certainly will appreciate that when a pandemic hits... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=623516 Fri, 18 May 2007 11:16:00 +0100 623516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479364&cid=t_103203_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fwhos-easier-to-buy-physician-or.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479364 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:48:00 +0100 479364