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 'european union'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:27:21 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107899&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FRkVSK5_Bu9Y%2F Good morning, everyone, and nice to see you again. We hope the weekend was invigorating. Now, of course, the time has come to resume the routine of meetings and deadlines, even if it is a slow time of year. To get started, yes, we are brewing that mandatory cup of stimulation, so feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are some tidibts from around the world. Hope your day goes well and stay in touch… Pfizer And UCSD Collaborate On Early Drug Discovery (San Diego Union Tribune) China’s Healthcare Push May Curb Sales For Brand-Name Pharma (Bloomberg News) Nestle Eyes Pfizer Formula Milk Powder Business (Business China) EU Approves Botox For Treating Urinary Incontinence (Reuters) Takeda Pharmaceuticals Faces Rising Number Of Actos Lawsuits (Associated Press) Bayer Is Eyeing Pfizer ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107899 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:50:32 +0100 5107899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008660&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FoGHMXqJ1AYw%2F India has promised not to link a proposed trade deal with the European Union to any limits on making generic AIDS drugs, according to a joint statement from India’s Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The declaration came in response to growing criticism that pharma was pushing provisions in trade talks that would limit the availability of AIDS meds. The EU and India began talks in 2007 on a free-trade agreement that would be worth an estimated $134 billion in commerce. But a report last year in the Journal of the International AIDS Society suggested provisions could raise prices delay access to improved meds, and recommended that “inappropriate” trade deals should not be pursued unless new policies are created (see here). A key poin... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008660 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:20:18 +0100 5008660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008666&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fb0Td2mZIFjs%2F European Union antitrust regulators have ended a four-year probe into charges that Boehringer Ingelheim abused the patent system to thwart rivals from launching versions of the best-selling Spiriva med for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. To settle the investigation, the German drugmaker agreed to make changes in its intellectual property protections. As the EU noted, Boehringer is the market leader in COPD meds thanks to its Spiriva inhalers, which generated nearly $4.3 billion in sales last year. The fracas began, though, in 2003, when Boehringer filed patent applications for new treatments involving combinations of three categories of active substances, including a new active substance that was discovered by Almirall, a Spanish drugmaker. Almirall objected to the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008666 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:15:21 +0100 5008666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911817&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FscuNG8BkIgY%2F To settle a bitter dispute over seizures of generic meds at a Dutch airport, Eli Lilly is about to make an undisclosed payment to several Indian generic drugmakers, The Financial Times writes. Several big drugmakers, in fact, benefited when the lower-cost drugs were impounded, since the move thwarted distribution of the generics throughout the European Union. The seizures in 2008 and 2009 were made in response to claims that the meds violated intellectual property rules protecting patents within the EU. But the move also prompted fierce criticism from health activists and non-governmental organizations that argued the generics were simply being shipped through the EU to developing countries where the patent laws did not apply, the FT notes. The seizures were only the latest struggle in a l... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911817 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:00:39 +0100 4911817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902696&cid=t_96099_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=4872476&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fl6OCIRjRzwE%2F And so another working week is about to come to an end, which means we can daydream about weekend plans. Our modest agenda includes hanging out with the short people and catching up on some reading. What about you? Maybe a dip in the pool? A walk in the park? Perhaps gazing into the future? This side of the pond has a three-day break, of course, so there will be more time to indulge. Whatever you do, have a great time and see you soon… Novartis Found Not Liable For Jaw Disease (Reuters) Medco Loses Blue Cross Blue Shield Contract (Reuters) Trimeris Gets $5M In Roche Settlement (Triangle Business Journal) Pharma Protests UK Pricing Plan (Bloomberg News) AstraZeneca Confirms Endings Payments For Docs To Attend Meetings (Reuters) CMS Proposes Looser E-Prescribing Rules (Internal Medicin... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872476 Fri, 27 May 2011 12:09:07 +0100 4872476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852844&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTwPlOqQeK_0%2F By Doug BandowIn the midst of difficult domestic political battles, Barack Obama begins a lengthy European trip today.  He should encourage the continent to increase its defense capabilities and take on greater regional security responsibilities. Presidential visits typically result in little of substance.  President Obama’s latest trip will be no different if he reinforces the status quo.  His policy mantra once was “change.”  No where is “change” more necessary than in America’s foreign policy, especially towards Europe. Despite obvious differences spanning the Atlantic, the U.S. and European relationship remains extraordinarily important.  The administration should press for increased economic integration, with lower trade barriers and streamlined regulations to encoura... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852844 Mon, 23 May 2011 14:10:00 +0100 4852844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841987&cid=t_96099_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=4813387&cid=t_96099_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F05%2Flooking-for-healthcare-it-entrepreneurs.html Are you an entrepreneur who wants to improve healthcare in India ? I am an angel investor, and am looking for companies which meet the following criteria.At least 3 years old, with a viable product, who need to grow and scale up and needs funds and a strategic investor to do so. I am especially looking for companies which are active in the following areas: Elearning for healthcareTeaching patients about their health in Indian regional languagesDeveloping healthcare apps customised for IndiaIf you are interested, please send me an email ! (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813387 Thu, 12 May 2011 11:35:00 +0100 4813387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762933&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FRHai_my_1TA%2F In the latest move by European antitrust regulators to probe patent settlements, the European Union disclosed this morning that an investigation is under way into whether Teva Pharmaceuticals and Cephalon struck an illegal deal to keep a generic version of the Provigil sleep disorder drug off the market (read the statement). Like the US Federal Trade Commission, the EU has been probing so-called pay-to-delay deals in the belief that they stifle competition and, therefore, delay entry to the marketplace of lower-cost medicines (read about the FTC efforts here). The interest among European antitrust regulators followed a report from the European Union competition commissioner saying that delays in bringing generic drugs to the market had cost consumers and healthcare providers billions. Rece... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762933 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:28:46 +0100 4762933 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4724262&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FeHY6DN5Y0og%2F Hard to believe, yes? But even we take a break now and then. While we have our laptop and Blackberry with us and will, periodically, check on interesting developments, regular posting will not occur this week. We apologize for any inconvenience, but we promised Mrs. Pharmalot and The Short People (that famous, non-existent ’60’s group) that we would focus on their desires. Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy any holidays that you may celebrate. Have a great time, everyone, and see you in a few days… Synthes Confirms Aquisition Talks With Johnson & Johnson (Bloomberg News) Will Amgen Declare A Dividend On Thursday? (Reuters) EU Proceeds With Plan To Cut Patent Costs By 80 Percent (Pharma Times) Merck Scientist Sees Potential HIV Vaccine As Distant Goal (Dow Jones) FDA Warns Patients Ove... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4724262 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:00:40 +0100 4724262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677109&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fr0Fv99YQmK0%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is on the way. And it is a sunny one here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where the short people have left for the local school house and the official Pharmalot mascots are barking at squirrels. You know what this means - it is time for a cup of stimulation. Our flavor today is Southern Pecan. Please join us as we scour the news of the world. Have a great day and do send us those interesting tidbits…. Gilead Raises Prices Of Top-Selling Meds (Dow Jones) J&J Hepatitis C Drug Price Sparks Concern In France (Bloomberg News) Bayer To Consolidate And Add Jobs In New Jersey (The Daily Record) Brand And Generic Makers Clash Over Canada/EU Trade Deal (Pharma Times) Cubist Shares Jump On Teva Patent Deal (Associated Press) Link Sought Between Lab ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677109 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:09:01 +0100 4677109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670095&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FesbVSDUr5i4%2F By George Scoville They passed the bill, and now we're finding out what's in it. We're finding out that the war in Libya could really be about protecting European interests. In Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand described a world in which government both partly produced and partly subsidized goods; we're finding out she wasn't far off the mark. We're finding out that "American exceptionalism" is a cloak for military adventurism. The longer America fights a war on drugs, the more we find out about how detrimental it is to our fiscal outlook: Friday Links is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670095 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:45:22 +0100 4670095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4611004&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F56jJMRBUxuk%2F And so, another work will soon draw to a close. This is, of course, a signal to start daydreaming about weekend plans. Our agenda is modest: spending time with our assorted short people, catching up on some reading and promenading with the official Pharmalot mascots. What about you? Getting a headstart on spring cleaning? Perhaps there is time to take a walk in the park? Or plan the rest of your lives? Whatever you do, we hope you enjoy. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. See you soon, everyone… Pfizer Sells A Chewable Viagra Tablet In Mexico (Reuters) FDA Rejects Lilly Drug For Alzheimer’s Test (Associated Press) Genzyme Warns EU Of Continued Thyrogen Shortage (Reuters) New Evidence That Avandia Is Riskier Than Actos (MedPage Today) Mylan Recalls Pills Over Labeling Mix Up (Ott... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4611004 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:46:59 +0100 4611004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4566342&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FojH331Zf3Vk%2F Good morning one and all. Nice to see you again. ‘Tis the middle of the week, which means we are in the thick of those meetings and deadlines. To cope - yes - we are brewing some cups of stimulation. Two-fisted drinking is possible even while manipulating a laptop. Feel free to join us. And we would also like to invite you to a webinar we are hosting next week on disclosing physician payments. Meanwhile, here are some interesting tidbits. Have a productive day and stay in touch… Novartis COPD Drug Gets Mixed FDA Panel Verdict (Wall Street Journal) J&J Misled South Carolina About Risperdal, Lawyer Says (Bloomberg News) Combo Diet Pills Making A Comeback (MSNBC) Human Genome Lupus Drug Expected To Be Approved (Reuters) Glaxo Withdraws Sports Drink Over Mold Growth (The Groce... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4566342 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:40:08 +0100 4566342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4446032&cid=t_96099_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=4394751&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCvf7cwE0jD4%2F Hello, everyone, and nice to see you again. We hope your weekend was relaxing and refreshing. Now, of course, the time has come to resume the routine as those meetings and deadlines beckon. We know the feeling. To cope, we are brewing our usual cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Pumpkin Spice - and we invite you to join us. Meanwhile, here are some interesting tidbits to help you along. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… Supreme Court Rejects Vanderbilt Bid On Lilly Cialis Patent (Indianapolis Star) Glaxo Stopped Running Levitra Ads In Late 2009 (Dow Jones) EU Price Cuts And US Reform Weigh On Drugmakers (Reuters) Sanofi Extends Genzyme Bid To February 15 (Bloomberg News) China Health Deal To Boost US Pharma Exports (Pharma Times) Families Drop Case Against Epilepsy ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394751 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:57:03 +0100 4394751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361306&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUuhSDJneggs%2F One month after yet again raiding offices of various drugmakers (back story), the European Commission is now taking a more polite approach and telling several companies - including Bayer and Roche - to submit details of their settlements over patent disputes. The EC asked a “selected number of originator and generic companies” to submit a copy of all patent settlement agreements relevant to the 27-member EU region and which were concluded between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2010, according to an EC statement. Like the US Federal Trade Commission, the EC has been probing these pay-to-delay deals in the belief that they stifle competition and, therefore, delay entry to the marketplace of lower-cost medicines (read about the FTC efforts here). This followed a report from the Europe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361306 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:20:42 +0100 4361306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361308&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FGTi6GBLv1fs%2F Hello, everyone, and nice to see you again. We hope your extended weekend - on this side of the pond, that is - was pleasant. Now, of course, the routine resumes with all those meetings and deadlines. So please join us for a cup of stimulation as we dust the snow off the Pharmalot corporate campus, ready the short people for the school house and prowl around for interesting items. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… FDA Staff Questions Lilly Alzheimer’s Drug (Reuters) Teva Will Lay Off 200 California Workers (Orange County Register) Pfizer Sued Over Dilantin Side Effects (Madison-St. Clair Record) Ariad Stock Pops After Sarcoma Drug Meets Study Goal (Bloomberg News) Servier Chief Called To Mediator Court Hearing (The Telegraph) EU Will Ask Sanofi To Write Docs About M... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361308 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:52:21 +0100 4361308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338266&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYyI_ups9eUA%2F Concerned with a slowdown in clinical research in the UK, the Academy of Medical Sciences has issued a report calling for a new independent health agency in hopes of simplifying regulation and speeding the pace at which clinical trials are approved and conducted. In other words, trim the bureaucracy. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency came in for particular criticism, by the way. In discussing its findings, the AMS pointed out that the proportion of UK patients recruited into trials fell to 2 percent of the worldwide total in 2006 from 6 percent just six years earlier. Moreover, the proportion of drugs and devices in European Union clinical trials developed in the UK was 24 percent in 2007, down from 46 percent in 2002. “There is widespread agreement that the reg... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338266 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:56:12 +0100 4338266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309594&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fni34kGjT7tk%2F By Gerald P. O'DriscollThe New Year is likely to bring renewal of financial problems in the European Union. In Greece, the crisis was fiscal in origin and spread to Greek banks and banks in other countries that had lent to Greek banks and the Greek government. In Ireland, the crisis began with problem real-estate loans at Irish banks. That spread to European banks, mainly British, that had lent to Irish banks. In its year-end issue, the Economist reminds us of the 2008 banking crisis in Iceland.  The Icelandic government responded much differently in that crisis than did the Irish government to its banking crisis. Iceland let its banks go under and to some extent stiffed their creditors. It did so out of necessity. Banking assets there were 10 times the country’s GDP, while they ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309594 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:46:26 +0100 4309594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4245603&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FmW_dDStfJV4%2F Hello, everyone. Another sunny - and cold - day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are, as usual, hustling the short people off to this or that school house. To keep warm, we are brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation and searching for some hot news. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest. We hope your days goes well. Do stay in touch… Pfizer Names Simmons As Head Of Emerging Markets (Bloomberg News) Teva’s MS Drug Meets Primary Endpoint (Reuters) Nigeria Denies Blame For Delay In Pfizer Payments (AllAfrica) India Will Not Compromise Local Pharma In EU Pact (LiveMint) Roche Advances Schizophrenia And MS Drugs (Reuters) Daily Aspirin Slashes Cancer Risk: Study (PharmaTimes) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4245603 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 13:00:39 +0100 4245603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233166&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fa_QwBH92uOI%2F By Doug BandowThe U.S. and South Korean governments have agreed to changes in the free trade agreement negotiated by the Bush administration. The president rightly lauded the FTA as a good deal for Americans: “This agreement shows the U.S. is willing to lead and compete in the global economy,” the president told reporters at the White House, calling it a triumph for American workers in fields from farming to aerospace.” Approving the FTA has taken on added urgency after the European Union negotiated a similar accord with the South. Once that agreement takes effect, Europeans would have better access than Americans to the world’s 13th largest economy. Protectionism is always foolish, but especially so when one’s competitors are promoting open markets. The accord also offer... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233166 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:29:51 +0100 4233166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225222&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fi2k8vsZwsD0%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThe fiscal disintegration of Europe is bad news, though I confess to a bit of malicious glee every time I read about welfare states such as Greece and Portugal getting to the point where they no longer have the ability to borrow enough money to finance their bloated public sectors (I have mixed feelings about Ireland since that nation at least has been a good example of low tax corporate tax rates, but I still think they should get punished for over-spending and bailouts). This I-told-you-so attitude is not very mature on my part, but one hopes that American politicians will learn the right lessons and something good will come from this mess. I have not written much about the topic in recent months, in part because I don’t have much to add to my original post a... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225222 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:51:28 +0100 4225222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225256&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffood-safety-meat-and-dairy-from-cloned-cows%2F2010.12.02 The controversy over the human consumption of meat and dairy products from cloned cows continues. The UK Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, after reviewing the evidence, concluded that there was no substantial difference between meat and dairy from cloned cows compared to conventional cows. However, food products from cloned animals and their offspring remain banned in Europe. Use of offspring of cloned cows, sheep and pigs are legal in the U.S., South America, and Asia. Australia is likely to follow suit in a year or two. The European Union (EU) has an effective ban at the moment, but the policy is under review. The UK is also negotiating with the EU regarding the use of clones. There is not much of a theoretical reason to suspect that cloned animals would present a health r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225256 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:00:56 +0100 4225256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023134&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FkGRuStkhCj0%2F The European Parliament has rejected a controversial proposal by the European Commission that would have allowed drugmakers to publish product info in consumer newspapers and magazines. The effort was designed to provide more reliable medical advice at a time when the Internet allows widespread dissemination of questionable info, since drugmakers are prevented from circulating data. However, the proposal, which was first introduced nearly two years ago, was criticized for weakening existing EU restrictions on contacts between drugmakers and patients, including a strict ban on US-style direct-to-consumer advertising. Some critics argued the proposal, which was branded ‘advertising in disguise,’ would encourage the inappropriate use of medicines. A ban on DTC advertising on broad... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023134 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:12:03 +0100 4023134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3968996&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FwcpWDx0iesA%2F By Marian L. TupyThe European Union was meant to create a common market with free movement of goods, services, capital and people. The citizens of the “new” member states, such as the Czech Republic, should have been free to work in the “old” member states, such as Austria, from the date of accession of the “new” members to the EU on May 1, 2004. The Austrian government managed to postpone the horror of having laborers from ex-communist countries offer cheaper services to the Austrian citizenry until 2011. With the 2011 deadline looming, Austrian politicians came up with an ingenious way to make it more difficult for the Czechs and other hoi polloi to enter the Austrian labor market. Beginning next year, it will be “illegal” for Austrian employers to pay less to a foreign l... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3968996 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:08:53 +0100 3968996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730096&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FLnS1R8Akp9w%2F That’s the implication of a new survey released by the European Union, whose antitrust regulators have been raiding drugmakers in several countries seeking evidence they struck anticompetitive deals or used their dominant market positions to squeeze rivals. Last year, EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes issued a report saying delays in bringing generic drugs to market cost consumers and healthcare providers billions (back story here and here). Now, the EU says the number of patent settlements that are “potentially problematic” under EU antitrust rules fell to 9, or 10 percent of 93 such deals between July 2008 and December 2009 compared with 45, or 22 percent of the 207 deals in the period covered in last year’s inquiry, which was January 2000 to June 2008. And... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730096 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:46:31 +0100 3730096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714446&cid=t_96099_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=3592409&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9tRmMfqC4sQ%2F Welcome back, everyone. We hope your weekend was pleasant and restful. Now, of course, the routine returns. As always, we are brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation as we map out the week ahead. With meetings and deadlines looming, here are a few items to keep you abreast of events. Hope the days goes well and do stay in touch… Pfizer Gave Union ‘False Hope’ About Facility (The News-Journal) Pharmacists Want Compensation From Glaxo (Stuff.co.nz) Quintiles Lays Off No. Carolina Employees (Triangle Business Journal) ASCO Briefing Highlights Promising Data (PharmaTimes) Contract Pharmaceutical Closing NY Plant, Axing 260 Jobs (Associated Press) WHO Says EU Drug Seizures Were Improper (The Hindu) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592409 Mon, 24 May 2010 11:53:08 +0100 3592409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538073&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEQCaFPBUZ_A%2F By Ilya ShapiroI recently returned from a short vacation — had to get it in before the Supreme Court begins announcing decisions in this year’s big cases and the president nominates a replacement for Justice Stevens — but it seems that I’m a chump for paying for it myself.  While I was gone, the EU’s commissioner for enterprise and industry, one Antonio Tajani, declared that vacationing is a human right, one that ought to be paid for by the taxpayers: Tajani, who unveiled his plan last week at a ministerial conference in Madrid, believes the days when holidays were a luxury have gone. “Travelling for tourism today is a right. The way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life,” he said. Tajani, who used to be transport commis... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538073 Thu, 06 May 2010 12:58:41 +0100 3538073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3534102&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1zp-ai1enLI%2F The proposed Free Trade Agreement between India and the European Union will stipulate that “there should be no limit on India’s capacity to produce and export life-saving medicines,” an EU official tells PharmaTimes. Moreover, an internal EU customs regulation will be changed to ensure there are no further seizures by EU customs officials of drugs made in India that pass through Europe on their way to Africa and Latin America, according to Daniele Smadja, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to India. “We are committed that what had happened a year and a half ago doesn’t happen again,” the EU official adds, referring to 18 seizures of Indian-made meds at EU ports, which were made based on claims by drugmakers that the meds contravened their EU patents. However, Indian drugmakers... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3534102 Wed, 05 May 2010 12:09:58 +0100 3534102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511778&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FS_rvf1h3hFg%2F Top of the morning to you. Another shiny day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where another cup of stimulation is brewing. What will today bring? Meetings and deadlines, no doubt. To help you cope, here are a few items to jumpstart the process. We hope your day goes and do stay in touch… Icahn Wants To Fix A ‘Broken’ Genzyme (Reuters) EU Legislators Want Internet Drug Sales Regulated (PharmaTimes) Swine Flu Lifts Glaxo Profits (Reuters) Medco Gains On New Clients (Associated Press) Merck KGgA Profit Beats Estimate (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Hopes For New Biotech Drugs (The Wall Street Journal) $$ Coffee pix thx to chichcacha flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511778 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:49:11 +0100 3511778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3408356&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTE1FZr8ft2I%2F By Daniel J. MitchellGreece is in trouble for a combination of reasons. Government spending is far too excessive, diverting resources from more efficient uses. The bureaucracy is too large and paid too much, resulting in a misallocation of labor. And tax rates are too high, further hindering the productive sector of the economy. Europe’s political class wants to bail out Greece’s profligate government. The official reason for a bailout, to protect the euro currency, makes no sense. After all, if Illinois or California default, that would not affect the strength (or lack thereof) of the dollar. To understand what is really happening in Europe, it is always wise to look at what politicians are doing and ignore what they are saying. Political union is the religion of Europe’... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3408356 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:06:32 +0100 3408356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3398891&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FjRIfgHvCGxE%2F By Daniel J. MitchellGreece’s fiscal disarray is a visible manifestation of Europe’s future, but the most appropriate symbol of what’s wrong with the continent comes from Brussels, where there are three “presidents” fighting over the right to represent Europe at international gatherings. The contestants include the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council, and the European Union President (which rotates every six months among different national leaders). While these three personalities fight over who gets to sit where and shake hands first, the real problem is that they all agree that government should be bigger, taxes should be higher, and power should be more centralized as part of the effort to create a superstate in Bruss... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3398891 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:47:22 +0100 3398891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383084&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbE0Kh-Z1OvI%2F And so another working week will soon draw to a close. Although several more hours of deadlines and meetings may lie ahead, the time has come to think dreamy thoughts about what you will do this weekend. We, for instance, will tidy up the Pharmalot corporate campus, take a long walk and happily watch one of our short people in a school performance. While you ponder your own possibilities, here are a few items to help speed things along. Whatever you do, have a great time… Pfizer CEO Kindler Named PhRMA Chairman (press release) Somaxon Wins FDA Approval For Insomnia Drug (Associated Press) Florida Limits Foster Care Reliance On Psychotropics (Tampa Bay Tribune) New Attack On EU Plan For Patient Drug Info (PharmaTimes) photo thx to tipiro on Flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383084 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:58:21 +0100 3383084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283513&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGWP-H_AollQ%2F By Chris Moody A few things you might not know about rail travel: “Automobiles in intercity travel are as energy efficient as Amtrak. Cars are getting more energy efficient, while boosting Amtrak trains to higher speeds will make them less energy efficient.” The list goes on… Quiz Time! Which was the only country in the 27-nation European Union to register economic growth without going through a recession last year? The answer might surprise you. Unionized teachers refuse to work 25 minutes more a day, so Rhode Island town fires all of them. Arnold Kling on Haiti, poverty, and capitalism. Podcast: This is what happens to American jobs when you have one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283513 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:42:29 +0100 3283513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193697&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FX0t9lgDap4g%2F By Daniel J. MitchellAmerica may have dodged the bullet of Obamacare thanks to voters in Massachusetts, but even if the left ultimately succeeds in expanding government’s control of health care, the United States will still have more freedom than Europe. It seems that the European Union’s governing entities, the European Commission and the semi-ceremonial European Parliament, combine the worst features of statism and collectivism from the entire continent. The Euro-crats make lots of noises about subsidiarity and other policies to leave decision making in the hands of national and local governments, but virtually every policy coming from Brussels is a new power grab for unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats. The latest example is possible EU-wide driving laws for the purposes... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193697 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:59:50 +0100 3193697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3189404&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FVsrkCRoIe2s%2F Top of the morning to you. And a sunny one it is here on the Pharmalot corporate campus. Just the same, staring out the window isn’t an option - there is work to be done. And so we have scoured about for a few interesting items to help us all get started. Hope your day goes well and do be in touch… EU Widens Generic Anti-Trust Probe (Financial Times) Alcon Group Calls Novartis Bid Inadequate (TheStreet.com) Nelson Labs Plans To Create 300 Jobs (OutsourcingPharma) Japan Approves Three Novartis Drugs (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3189404 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:08:51 +0100 3189404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3145922&cid=t_96099_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Fnhs-european-office-policy-priorities-2010%2F Title: NHS European Office: policy priorities 2010 The Skinny: Identifies the following priorities for the NHS European Office in monitoring and disseminating information about risks arising from EU regulation in the following areas. Patient mobility Research and Innovation Competition and Public Procurement Employment Quality and Safety of Health Care Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Environment Commercial Transactions Publisher: NHS Confederation Size of Publication: 2p Published: 05/01/2010 Posted in Grey Literature, Legislation, NHS, Public Sector, Quality Tagged: Commercial Transactions, Commissioning, Competition, Drug Therapy, Employment, Environment, European Union, Grey Literature, Health and Safety, Horizon Scanning, Innovation, Legislation, Medical Technology, Patient Mobil... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3145922 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:50:17 +0100 3145922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3075768&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FhLbbtK8CMzs%2F European Union antitrust regulators have raided drug makers in several countries seeking evidence they struck anticompetitive deals or used their dominant market positions to squeeze rivals. No companies were named and the raids were described as a preliminary step in an antitrust investigation (see the statement). Two months ago, the European Commission raided several drugmakers, including Sanofi-Aventis and Novartis, on suspicion they violated antitrust rules by deliberately stalling cheaper generic versions of their own meds after patents had expired. Last July, you may recall, European Union competition commissioner Neelie Kroes issued a report saying that delays in bringing generic drugs to the market had cost consumers and healthcare providers billions. Until now, the EU has only g... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3075768 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:54:03 +0100 3075768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3067023&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpYS4jNbVURM%2F By Chris Moody How the European Union can bring peace to the Middle East. Nat Hentoff on the health care debate: “We do not elect the president and Congress to decide how short our lives will be. That decision is way above their pay grades.” Video: What can autism teach us about economics? Cato’s Malou Innocent debates the troop build up in Afghanistan. Over at Cato Unbound, experts discuss the positive and negative outcomes of modernity. Podcast: Driverless cars? They aren’t as far away as you think. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3067023 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:28:40 +0100 3067023 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3012367&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fa0maiZnSIE0%2F European Union to install its first president. How delayed economic reform in India killed 14.5 million children. More details, here. It always starts with “good intentions:” How urban planners destroyed the small-town atmosphere in Portland, Oregon and made congestion even worse. Lots of talk but little action from the Obama administration on education. Podcast: If the Obama administration was serious about job creation in the stimulus plan, why weren’t dollars targeted at states with higher unemployment? (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3012367 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:22:51 +0100 3012367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3008398&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ft6ZU5VDBXYA%2F European regulators will ask brand-name drugmakers for details of their deals with generic companies as part a crackdown on firms suspected of blocking cheaper treatments, a European Commission official disclosed, according to Reuters. Last July, you may recall, European Union competition commissioner Neelie Kroes issued a report saying that delays in bringing generic drugs to the market had cost consumers and healthcare providers billions. And last month, the European Commission raided several drugmakers on suspicion they had violated rules against restrictive business practices and abuse of a dominant position. “We will ask companies to give a copy of patent settlements between July 2008 to December 2009,” Dominik Schnichels, who heads the commission’s pharma taskforce,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3008398 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:54:42 +0100 3008398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2995721&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fy3R99EEk9EE%2F The clever folks at the Taxpayers Alliance in the United Kingdom have a new video documenting some of the wasteful European Union programs that are imposing a heavy burden on average people. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2995721 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:13:03 +0100 2995721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2943767&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fzl4m-1AWJD0%2F Bastien François, a professor of political science at the Sorbonne, writes that “The French political system is incomprehensible to the rest of the world… In France we call it a republican monarchy. That phrase says it all.” Indeed, according to the press, a £250,000 ($413,000) shower with air conditioning and radio surround sound that was “built to the exact specifications of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy” was paid for by the EU taxpayer during the French Presidency of the European Union in July 2008.  It was “disposed of soon afterwards, unused, together with most of the equipment bought for the £16million ($26 million) conference.” The press also reported “other expenses included £1million ($1.65 million) spent on the opening dinner alone – more... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2943767 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:42:21 +0100 2943767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2924777&cid=t_96099_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F25%2Fprotecting-the-nhs-in-relation-to-patient-mobility-and-cross-border-healthcare-draft-regulations-and-guidance%2F Title: Draft Guidance: Cross Border Healthcare & Patient Mobility Skinny: Case law from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on patient mobility under Article 49 of the EU Treaty means that patients are able to seek any healthcare (including private care) in another European Economic Area (EEA) Member State, and, as long as they are entitled to the treatment in question under their home healthcare system, they are eligible to have their costs reimbursed. For patients travelling from the UK, this reimbursement can be up to the level of the cost for the same treatment provided in the UK under the NHS. Any additional costs must be met by the individual. The draft regulations and draft accompanying guidance is intended to provide greater clarity to the NHS about the application of case law ... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2924777 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:00:43 +0100 2924777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2857396&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fjh7W_QCtAME%2F Bush-era surveillance powers are set to expire at the end of this year. Julian Sanchez explores the efforts to revise the PATRIOT Act. More on the medical professionals who aided in acts of torture. Doug Bandow: Ireland is holding a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty on Friday. If the Irish say yes, the European Union will be stronger. But will anyone notice? How urban planners caused the housing bubble. The aftermath of  “Cash for Clunkers” hits automakers. Looks like it just might have been the “dumbest program ever” after all. Podcast: “Three Felonies a Day“ (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2857396 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:35:11 +0100 2857396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2605949&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FY1Mxw-9cV5w%2F There may be no more vicious epithet from neoconservatives these days than “isolationist.”  One would think the term would mean something like xenophobic no-nothings who want to have nothing to do with the rest of the world.  No trade or immigration.  Little or no cultural exchange and political cooperation.  Autarchy all around. But no.  ”Isolationist” apparently means something quite different.  Never mind your views of the merits of international engagement.  If you don’t want to kill lots of foreigners in lots of foreign wars you are automatically considered to be an isolationist. President Bill Clinton called Republican legislators “isolationists” for not wanting to insert the U.S. military into the middle of a complex but strategic... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2605949 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:58:46 +0100 2605949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561208&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Frk5rlbNLXNk%2F The European Union has helped create a continental European market and knock down protectionist barriers, which is good.  But it also has created another opportunity for meddling bureaucrats to interfere with people’s lives.  Now consumer protests have led to at least one victory for liberty.  Reports London’s Sun newspaper: Now the European Commission has finally scrapped the 20-year ban on 26 types of fruit and veg including asparagus, celery and aubergines. They ruled they can now be sold - as long as they are labelled as “intended for processing”. Sainbury’s spokeswoman Lucy Maclennan said: “We are delighted to have played a part in winning the wonky veg war against these bonkers EU regulations.” Tesco spokesman Adam Fisher said: “It&#... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561208 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:48:02 +0100 2561208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510275&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fjmh4ckoyBwc%2F Alliances often are advanced, as with NATO expansion, as a cheap way of keeping the peace.  After all, it is said, no one would dare challenge America.  But while alliances can deter, deterrence can fail — with catastrophic consequences.  Both World Wars I and II featured failed alliances and security guarantees.  Oops! If deterence fails, the guaranteeing state either has to retreat ignominously or plunge into war, neither of which is likely to be in America’s interest.  Moreover, promising to defend other nations encourages them to be irresponsible:  after all, why not adopt a risky foreign policy if Washington is willing to back you up, nuclear weapons and all?  It’s a form of moral hazard applied to foreign policy. That appears to be the case with the cou... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510275 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:29:55 +0100 2510275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441184&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMZ79FXn6S2M%2F Daniel Hannan, the British Member of the European Parliament who gained fame with his devastating critique of Gordan Brown, has been equally trenchant in criticizing the excesses of the European Union.  On his blog he explains the latest self-serving intricacies of voting in the upcoming election for the European Parliament: How many MEPs will be elected a week on Thursday? Wait! Come back! I’m going somewhere with this! I realise the issue might not sound intrinsically sexy but, believe me, it demonstrates everything that’s wrong with the Brussels system. Bear with me and you will see how flagrant is the EU’s contempt for the ballot box — and for its own rule book. Had the European Constitution Lisbon Treaty been ratified, there would have been 754 MEPs in the nex... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441184 Wed, 27 May 2009 12:42:53 +0100 2441184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375848&cid=t_96099_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FA7KIz5SLS7U%2F World governments should be careful not to play politics with the Mexican swine flu outbreak. The health consequences should of course be rigorously addressed—but without adding economic consequences, which is what several countries appear poised to do. Public health scares have a history of seeping into trade policy without anything resembling sufficient consideration of the evidence. Governments in Russia and East Asia are already banning pork exports from Mexico, even though there is zero evidence that they pose a health hazard. It hearkens back to unfounded bans of U.S. beef in recent years by the European Union and South Korea. If the U.S. government jumps on board, U.S. exports could be targeted for retaliatory trade actions. One quarter of U.S. pork production is exported, as well... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375848 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:04:20 +0100 2375848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349269&cid=t_96099_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FVl2IosUAMQg%2F Proponents of genetically-modified food are fighting an uphill battle in the European Union. Image: sxc.hu Germany has banned a strain of genetically modified corn in the country, citing dangers to the environment as the primary reason. Last month, Luxembourg joined Hungary, France, Austria and Greece in banning Monsanto’s corn strain MON810, even though it is the only strain approved by the European Food Safety Authority. Germany has been using MON810, also known as YieldGuard Corn Borer, for the past five years. But the Agricultural Minister now admits there is reason to believe that MON810 “represents a danger for the environment”. The European Council meets next week and today, Luxembourg announced to vote down a proposal allowing GM rice (Bayer’s LL62) from being made availabl... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349269 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:46:00 +0100 2349269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210289&cid=t_96099_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F24%2Fhealthcare-across-eu-borders-a-safe-framework%2F : Volume I: Report and Volume II: Evidence from the House of Lords European Union Committee comes to the following conclusions following the EU’s publication of  a ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare (COM(2008)414)’ and recommendations: Overall objective and the need for action Ten years of case law on cross-border healthcare have not provided the clarity needed by both patients and healthcare providers. The main rationale for the Directive should be to clarify the application of treaty provisions to health services. Response must strike a proportionate balance between individual choice on the one hand and effective delivery of public health provision, within li... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210289 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:23:14 +0100 2210289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2033594&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F481980464%2F Consider this scenario: An Indian shipment of pharmaceuticals bound for Venezuela makes a pit stop at a Dutch port, where local customs sieze the goods, citing counterfeiting and patent infringement. A trade promotion agency in India cries foul, saying the drugs are perfectly legal in Latin America, LiveMint writes. But the European Commission is non-committal, citing ongoing litigation in national courts. And a patent lawyer points to problematic definitions of counterfeit drugs that could lead to misinterpretation of intellectual property rights violations, according to the news service. Such instances are on the rise, LiveMint continues, as countries and businesses start fighting turf wars over intellectual property rights and use local laws and international guidelines to their advanta... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2033594 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:58:55 +0100 2033594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021731&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F478395552%2F A planned reform of the European Union’s pharmaceutical industry no longer contains a ban on the repackaging of prescription drugs for resale, according to a draft document obtained by Reuters. Parallel traders, who buy and resell prescription drugs to exploit price differences among EU states, had faced a repackaging ban in an earlier version of the reform due for formal adoption this week. EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen faced pressure from parallel traders who argued a ban would have wiped them out, because they would have to repackage drugs so that explanatory leaflets to patients are in the right language. “Instead, a new article…has been added to allow manufacturing authorization holders such as parallel traders to replace safety features under strict co... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021731 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:09:29 +0100 2021731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1996752&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F468333044%2F European Union regulators accused drugmakers of costing consumers in 17 countries as much as $3.8 billion by using patent lawsuits and other alleged anti-competitive tactics to keep cheaper generic medicines off the market. An investigation of several major drugmakers - including Pfizer, Glaxo and Sanofi Aventis - showed they blocked or stalled generics from entering the market to prevent losing revenue on their more profitable drugs, according to the European Commission. Regulators say pharma filed disputes, lawsuits and multiple patent applications for the same drug. In one case, 1,300 applications were involved. Patent litigation lasted on average three years, and generic drugmaker won some 60 percent of the cases, but brand-name drugmakers also struck deals that limited how generics c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1996752 Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:20:26 +0100 1996752 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1991564&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F465229750%2F Several drugmakers were raided today by European Union regulators, who are probing anti-competitive behavior and later this week plan to publish a report on the pharmaceutical industry, The Financial Times reports. Neelie Kroes, EU competition commissioner, will this week release interim findings from an investigation launched in January to examine practices by brand-name and generic drugmakers that she suggested could be slowing the launch of new patented and cheaper generic meds, the FT continues. The 400-page report - a precursor to final findings to be released next spring - is being watched with nervousness for indications that it will spark investigations and calls for broader policy reform. “I’m absolutely certain that in the next few months the commission will launch tw... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1991564 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:14:26 +0100 1991564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907884&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F430655480%2F The European Commission’s widely anticipated “package” of proposed pharmaceutical legislation, which was due to be presented this week, has been delayed, and no date has been given for when it might be released, PharmaTimes writes. An EC spokesman says that “technical changes” were needed before the legislation could be issued, and Guenter Verheugen, the EC vp and Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry who has responsibility for the pharmaceutical sector, stresses the need to “place quality ahead of speed” in delivering the proposals, according to PharmaTimes. The proposed legislation consists of a ‘communication’ on the future of the European Union single market for pharmaceuticals, a proposal for a directive on strengthening and rationalizing E... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907884 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:10:21 +0100 1907884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802623&cid=t_96099_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F09%2F17%2Fgovernment-response-to-the-house-of-lords-european-union-committee-report-on-increasing-the-supply-of-donor-organs-within-the-european-union-17th-report-of-session-2007%25e2%2580%259308%2F recognises that the House of Lords European Union Committee Report on Increasing the supply of donor organs within the European Union, 17th Report of Session 2007–08 provides quality evidence to support work towards a European Directive in the area of organ donation proceeds.  It also provides support for the implementation of Organs for transplants: a report from the Organ Donation Taskforce published in January 2008. (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802623 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:55:07 +0100 1802623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446429&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F290878031%2F European antitrust investigators are expanding the scope of a major inquiry into pharma in a bid to determine whether drugmakers are blocking generic rivals from getting less-expensive meds to market quickly, Reuters reports. Lawyers and European Union officials say that Neelie Kroes, the European Union competition commissioner, is also probing whether efforts to block competitors by extending patents were distracting them from developing new meds, Reuters continues. Investigators, who questioned about 100 companies earlier this year, including Pfizer, Glaxo and Sanofi-Aventis, are now turning to about 80 medical organizations, including associations of doctors, patients and pharmacies, and government agencies that set the prices of prescription drugs in Europe. That could make it the broa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446429 Thu, 15 May 2008 12:08:31 +0100 1446429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1409903&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F280899326%2F New Jersey may be the nation’s medicine chest, but that’s nothing compared with being the pharmacy of the world. But where is that pharmacy located? Right now, many would argue it’s the US. But the European Commission and members of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations today are releasing details of plan to end Europe’s declining international role in medical research, Reuters reports. To be called the Innovative Medicines Initiative, the effort will offers grants to academic institutes and small companies to research ways of beating bottlenecks in the drug development process. Teams of commercial and not-for-profit researchers will be able to seek support on condition that their findings are publicly shared in an effort to stimulate... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1409903 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:43:39 +0100 1409903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1255193&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F240858199%2F Welcome to the working week. We hope you enjoyed the break. And now, it’s back to business. Meetings and deadlines loom. After all, there is always something that needs to be done. To help you cope, we have gathered a few items that should help you catch up and prepare. So grab a cup of something hot or a bottle of water and get acclimated. Hope your day goes well… Darryle Schoepp, a former Lilly scientist who now works at Merck, jumpstarted research into what may be the next generation of drugs for treating schizophrenia, The New York Times writes. His trial results were a major breakthrough in neuroscience, according to Tom Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. “This drug really looks like it’s quite a different animal,” he says. “This is actuall... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1255193 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:38:50 +0100 1255193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=791519&cid=t_96099_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F142592877%2F Thailand has been warned by the European Commission against moves to force drugmakers to drop prices for poor patients or lose sales, adding to US pressure over patent protection, The Financial Times reports. Peter Mandelson, the trade commissioner, has written to Bangkok to protest its use of compulsory licences, allowing it to import cheaper generics of branded meds, the Times adds. Thailand was the first middle-income country to break the patent on a medicine to treat a non-infectious disease and to threaten compulsory licences for an array of other such drugs. Mandelson’s letter, seen by the Financial Times, says Bangkok “may be taking a new approach on access to medicines”. It says the military government has “stated that if drug companies wish to do business in Thailand they ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=791519 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 02:01:54 +0100 791519