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 'express scripts'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:49:58 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107892&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fk0gsqWimymU%2F A bill in New York to prohibit health insurers from requiring their customers use mail-order pharmacies was criticized by the Federal Trade Commission as a well-intentioned effort that, nonetheless, could have an anti-competitive outcome, according to a letter written by the agency to one of the sponsors of the legislation. The bill has passed both the state senate and assembly, and awaits a signature from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. In explaining its position, the FTC acknowledged that the bill (which you can read here) was designed to increase consumer choice and limit the ability of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, from penalizing consumers who do not purchase their meds from mail-order pharmacies. You may recall that the largest PBMs, including CVS/Caremark, Express Scripts and ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107892 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:09:09 +0100 5107892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107899&cid=t_132285_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=5051238&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbCFE16uqAmc%2F And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. As you know, this is our welcome signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is modest - a dip in the pool, an evening of soccer with one of the short people and catching up on some reading. What about you? Given the heat, a few indoor activities may be in order. How about an air-conditioned drive in the country or a movie marathon (if you avoid paying for more than one flick, you have a bargain). You could take a trip to the mall and spur the economy. Or you could stay home and turn on the telly for updates on the debt talks. Whatever you do, have a good time and stay cool. See you soon… Bristol-Myers Buys Amira Pharmaceuticals For Up To $475M (Xconomy) Merck And Simcere Pharmaceutical Form Joint Venture (China Daily) Ex... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051238 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:44:20 +0100 5051238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945194&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FR9N3q5e2SFU%2F In a preliminary vote, the Maine legislature yesterday moved to repeal a 2003 law that was created to protect consumers from rising drug prices and prevent fraud by pharmacy benefit managers. The vote was prompted by industry lobbying over charges that transparency requirements had discouraged PBMs from doing business in the state, which was resulting in less competition and higher drug costs. The controversial law, which is called the Unfair Prescription Drug Practices Act, prevents PBMs from switching patients to more expensive drugs while also protecting consumers from co-payments when the actual drug price is cheaper. And PBMs are also required to pay independent pharmacies promptly and negotiate prices in good faith (here is the 2003 law and the bill to repeal the law). Those who foug... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945194 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:37:52 +0100 4945194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684759&cid=t_132285_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=4399826&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FTU6O6Hd_s60%2F Another day, another letter to the FDA commish from a group of bipartisan US senators over the biologics debate. The latest missive comes from health committee chair Tom Harkin, John McCain, Chuck Schumer and Sherrod Brown, who are “extremely concerned about possible misinterpretations” of the biosimilars statute “that could further delay the availability of generic biologic drugs.” They are referring to a provision in the healthcare reform law that says generics can enter the market after a brand-name biologic has had exclusivity for 12 years. But earlier this month, a different group of senators - Orrin Hatch, Kay Hagan, Michael Enzi and John Kerry - wrote FDA commish Margaret Hamburg to urge a different interpretation that would favor brand-name drugmakers and biotechs. At issue... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399826 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:57:23 +0100 4399826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382949&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbWRWTVXZO5M%2F Another nasty lobbying battle has broken out over biosimilars. And the latest involves a group of generic drugmakers, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, which are pushing back against a recent effort by brand-name drugmakers to weaken a part of healthcare reform that is supposed to create competition for expensive biologics. The provision says generics can enter the market after a brand-name biologic has had exclusivity for 12 years. But earlier this month, a bipartisan group of four US Senators - including Orrin Hatch, Kay Hagan, Michael Enzi and John Kerry - wrote FDA commish Margaret Hamburg to urge a different interpretation that would favor brand-name drugmakers and biotechs. Their letter was circulated on and beyond Capitol Hill by, among others, the BIO trade group. At issue is... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382949 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:25:26 +0100 4382949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4220455&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYHuFxo6-LlY%2F One probably does not need to read the latest monthly tally from Challenger Gray & Christmas, the outplacement consultants, to know that pharmaceutical employment remains gloomy. In the past 24 hours, Novartis finally acknowledged plans to lay off 1,400 reps (see this) and Pfizer is saying goodbye to more than 180 employees at a distribution center (read this). And just two weeks ago, Roche announced that 4,800 jobs worldwide will soon disappear (look here). But just how many industry jobs in the US were lost last month? The headcount amounted to 4,905, bringing the annual damage to 50,168, which means the the number of jobs so far this year is closing in on the revised total of 61,109 that were shed last year. Given recent developments - and let’s not forget that Express Script... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4220455 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:31:15 +0100 4220455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4207503&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5MuvAIYMimI%2F Negotiations between Express Scripts and employees at a prescription processing center in the greater Phildelphia are getting a bit nasty. The pharmacy benefits manager, which plans to close one center and eliminate 350 jobs, may close another nearby center where 642 peole work if negotiations fail (see this). Meanwhile, though, three workers were suspended without pay for taking their cause to investors and customers. Apparently, the three employees - Jackie Dixon, Debbie Dronsfield and Ken Smith, who work at the Bensalem, Pa., site that is targeted for closure - approached people who were entering the St. Regis Hotel in New York, where Express Scripts recently held a meeting for investors. Their message: laying off 1,000 workers would delay delivery of prescriptions to patients, since th... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4207503 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:09:29 +0100 4207503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139477&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUdwEEOC_plo%2F Last month, Express Scripts disclosed plans to close a dispensing pharmacy in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, and eliminate 350 jobs on December 16 after a union contract expires. However, the pharmacy benefits manager may also eliminate another 642 jobs from a nearby prescription processing facility - for a total of 992 jobs in the Philadelphia area - if negotations with a union fail. How do we know? Express Scripts has already stated its intent and may shutter both plants, sending all of the workers packing by filing a so-called WARN notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. Federal law requires employers to provide a 60-day notice to employees if there is the possibility of a mass layoff or closure. In other words, the PBM is playing hardball. An Express Scripts spokesma... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139477 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:51:10 +0100 4139477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3359212&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1uEtOjqcfck%2F In his latest attempt to probe the pharmaceutical industry, US Senator Chuck Grassley has written two big pharmacy benefit managers, as well as a trade group, asking them to provide information about their financial relationships with drugmakers. This week, he sent letters to Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (click on name to see letters). In explaining his action, Grassley - who is the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee - wrote that the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended in a report last year that Congress should require drugmakers to report their financial relationships with pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacies, health plans, and others, but not rebates or discounts (look here). And so he asks for det... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3359212 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:05:05 +0100 3359212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2996031&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FsJ4DaAFJfbQ%2F Hello, everyone. In between raking leaves, hanging with the short people and walking our faithful friend, we thought it might be helpful to offer you a few minutes of interesting reading. As always, there is much to track. Just the same, we have some errands to run shortly - what the weekend be without running from store to store? So we’ll leave you with these items for now and resume the usual routine tomorrow. Hope your weekend is going well and you enjoy yourselves…. MIT has a new project called New Drug Development Paradigms that includes drugmakers and federal health agencies, which hope to overcomes the bottlenecks in drug development, according to The New York Times. The hope is to create new ‘prediction models,’ share info about the biology of diseases and e... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2996031 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:21:35 +0100 2996031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390014&cid=t_132285_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FohS0R02MYQ0%2F I’m not sure how many of my readers have heard about the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program being hacked yesterday. The Prescription Monitoring Program is used by pharmacists and others to discover prescription drug abuse. The story gets really interesting since it looks like the hackers encrypted over 8 million patient records and over 35 million prescriptions. Then, the hackers posted the following note on the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program website (according to wikileaks): “I have your [expletive] In *my* possession, right now, are 8,257,378 patient records and a total of 35,548,087 prescriptions. Also, I made an encrypted backup and deleted the original. Unfortunately for Virginia, their backups seem to have gone missing, too. Uhoh :(For $10 million, I will ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390014 Tue, 05 May 2009 20:06:26 +0100 2390014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056351&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F489633863%2F A new study suggests that lowering insurance co-payments, which is a way of providing consumers with a financial incentive, may be not enough to encourage compliance to take a chronic med. A study in the American Journal of Managed Care found that decreasing copay resulted in a 2.5 percentage rise in compliance, an increased described as modest. The study, which was conducted by Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefits manager, looked at the compliance following a decrease in copays and demand for statins after the patent on Merck’s Zocor cholesterol pill expired in 2006 (here it is). Greater response to increases in copays than to decreases is supported by one of the most well-documented principles of behavioral economics: aversion to losses, according to an Express Scripts statement... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056351 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:00:16 +0100 2056351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1943315&cid=t_132285_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Findianapolis.fbi.gov%2Fdojpressrel%2Fpressrel08%2Fextortion100108.pdf The WSJ Health Blogs reports about a potential data breach at Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy benefit management companies in North America. More from Express Scripts on the Facts, FAQs and Other Resources.The potential data breach came to Express Scripts attention after having received an anonymous letter attempting to extort money from the company by threatening the expose millions of patient records. The threat letter included personal information on 75 members, including names, dates of birth, social security numbers and prescription information.The article also mentions a similar extortion related data breach which occurred in March 2006 and involved Medical Excess LLC, a subsidiary of AIG. In that case the FBI investigated and arrested an individual who stole a computer ... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1943315 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:06:06 +0100 1943315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1939683&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F444773321%2F The big pharmacy benefits manager says it received a letter in early October from an unknown person or persons trying to extort money by threatening to expose millions of patients’ records. The letter included personal data - including dates of birth, social security numbers, and in some cases, their prescription info - for 75 of its members, who were notified, along with the FBI. “We have been conducting a thorough investigation since we received this threat and we are taking it very seriously,” George Paz, Express Scripts’ ceo and chairman, in a statement. “We are cooperating with the FBI and are committed to doing what we can to protect our members’ personal information and to track down the person or persons responsible for this criminal act…a ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1939683 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:46:06 +0100 1939683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1561300&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F323984056%2F The deal is expected to accelerate the move toward paperless prescribing, which has so far been embraced by only a fraction of physicians. That’s because one of the networks is operated by big pharmacy benefits managers - Medco Health, CVS Caremark and Express Scripts - and the other by drugstore chains such as Walgreen, Rite Aid and Wal-Mart Stores. Right now, about 35,000, or less than 10 percent of docs, prescribe drugs electronically, and roughly 25 million of the 4 billion prescriptions dispensed annually were sent electronically. The merged network believes the number of e-prescriptions could rise to more than 100 million this year, according to Rick Ratliff, acting ceo of SureScripts, one of the two networks. Health insurers, business groups and the federal government have be... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1561300 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:44:05 +0100 1561300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1472693&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F299338401%2F The big pharmacy benefits manager struck a deal with 28 states over charges that consumers were misled when docs were encouraged to cholesterol drugs under the guise of controlling costs. The agreement resolving a four-year investigation and follows a similar $38.5 million multistate settlement in February with Caremark, and settlement with Medco Health Solutions three years ago. “Today’s settlement completes our effort to clean up the PBM industry,” Vermont’s Attorney General Bill Sorrell says in a statement. “Now that all three of the nation’s largest PBMs are under orders from our office and the court to reform their practices, we expect that the rest of the industry will take notice and follow the requirements we have established.” Through the agreements, the states &... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1472693 Tue, 27 May 2008 21:02:26 +0100 1472693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1379582&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F272308007%2F Although the headlines say many people are paying more for their meds, one pharmacy benefits manager argues last year marked the first time in five years that consumers paid, on average, a lower co-pay. To be specific, the average copay dropped 25 cents to $13.20 even as the average total cost of a scrip rose from $55.01 to $55.93, according to a report issued by Express Scripts, which manages 55 million patients. The PBM attributes the decrease to greater use of generics, which it claims saved consumers an average of $15 per scrip each time they moved from a brand to a generic. Of course, PBMs do make more money on generics, so it may not come as a surprise that Emily Cox, Express Scripts’ senior director of research, says 67 percent of the million scrips that the PBM procceses ever... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1379582 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:24:39 +0100 1379582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1346246&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F262862971%2F The middle of the week can mean only one thing - the need to stretch the legs and clear the head. And what better way to do so then digest a few nuggets? So grab your water bottle, or whatever, and enjoy… Fitch Places Schering-Plough On Watch (Associated Press) Glaxo Adds Warning To Relenza Flu Drug (Associated Press) Pfizer Cancer Setback Weighs On Medarex (Forbes) Express Scripts CEO Received $10M In 2007 Compensation (Associated Press) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1346246 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:37:54 +0100 1346246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1268600&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F243302671%2F The ongoing use slowed the growth of US prescription drug costs last year to its lowest level since 1996, according to Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefits manager which, by the way, pushes generics. Total spending on prescription drugs last year rose 4.7 percent, while the average price of a generic drug fell 3.1 percent. That compared with a 7.4 percent increase in the average price of a brand-name drug, according to data compiled from a random sampling of 3 million of the PBM’s members. Meanwhile, generics amounted to 63.7 percent of prescriptions as of the end of last year, compared with 59.7 percent a year ago. “You hear nothing but bad news about healthcare expenses going up. This is the lowest this has been in 12 years that we’ve tracked this,” said Steve M... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1268600 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:58:40 +0100 1268600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1234810&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F235556311%2F More US adults are taking prescription drugs than ever before, fueling $12 billion in additional spending during 2006. The number of people with at least one prescription increased from 67 percent in 2000 to 74 percent in 2006, and the number of prescriptions per person rose to 14.3 from 10.8 in 2000 - a 32 perent jump, according to a new study by Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefits manager. A few findings… - The percentage of people with at least one scrip for a cholesterol pill more than doubled in all but four states; - The percentage of people with at least one diabetes or blood pressure scrip and the number of scrips per person rose more than 75 percent each; - Although the percentage of people with at least one GI scrip grew at only 20 percent, the number of scrips per perso... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1234810 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:37:32 +0100 1234810 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1010641&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F181094203%2F Yes, America’s tweenies more than doubled their use of type-2 diabetes medications between 2002 and 2005, with girls between 10 and 14 years of age showing a 166 percent increase, according to the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and Express Scripts, which presented the data this morning at the American Public Health Association meeting in Washington DC. The academics and their PBM counterparts speculate that obesity is the reason for the increase, given its connection to Type 2 diabetes. The finding is included in a study of chronic meds used in children between 5 to 19 years old, including treatments for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma and depression medications. “Across every chronic medication class we examined over this four year period of time, children’s... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1010641 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:50:14 +0100 1010641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=976545&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F174509515%2F The clouds continue to hover over the nation’s medicine chest as the day winds down. Even so, a new batch of items has arrived. Take a peek before you go on your way… Amgen Reports Anemia Quarterly Results (TheStreet.com) Express Scripts Profits Rise On Generics (Bloomberg News) AVI BioPharma To Restate Earlier Results (Yahoo/Reuters) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=976545 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:08:33 +0100 976545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=918138&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F163867011%2F After Walgreen reported that fourth-quarter net income fell 3.8 percent, shares in the big pharmacy benefit managers - Medco Health Solutions, CVS Caremark and Express Scripts - took a beating today as investors grew worried over the profits on generic drugs, such as copycat versions of Merck’s Zocor. PBMs, of course, push generics as a salve to high healthcare costs. The big retailer blamed lower generic reimbursement and higher expenses. But one analyst believes Walgreen’s financial shortfall was more of a budgeting problem rather than a generic drugs issue. He noted that the retailer appeared to increase certain discretionary expenditures in anticipation of higher profits from sales of drugs like generic Zocor. “What they’re trying to say is that they had a much ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=918138 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:43:19 +0100 918138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=885517&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F158591675%2F We are motoring along today. The transom is overflowing with interesting news of the world. While we prepare more items for your pleasure, here are a few to keep you occupied in the meantime. And if you haven’t already, please take our poll on whether clinical trial databases should be made available on the Internet. West Virginia Curtails Reporting Prescription Data to Drugmakers (Yahoo/AP) Allergan To Pay $370M For Esprit Pharma And Its Bladder Drug (Yahoo/Reuters) FluMist Approved For Children Two To Five Years Old (Yahoo/Reuters) Express Scripts Unit To Pay $10.5M Fine Over HGH (Yahoo/AP) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=885517 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:41:58 +0100 885517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=845904&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F152948659%2F This may not come as a surprise. After all, CVS is a huge retailer and Caremark, which is a large pharmacy benefits manager, operates a big mail-order operation. But a recent lawsuit confirms that the merger is going to make life tougher for generic drugmakers, as Adam Fein at Drug Channels points out this morning. In July, CVS filed a lawsuit against Prasco, a generic drugmaker that had a contract to supply a copycat version of Allegra to the drugstore chain. The contract, Fein notes, specified that CVS had a “Most Favored Nation” clause to guarantee that CVS paid the lowest price of any customer. But paragraph 21 states “As a result of the merger, CVS learned that, contrary the Agreement, Prasco had not, in fact, charged CVS the lowest price offered to any other customer. Instead, ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=845904 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:35:07 +0100 845904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=737690&cid=t_132285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F134316629%2F Two months ago, we wrote that Pfizer was scrambling to boost Lipitor by signing a deal to have its cholesterol pill placed on the Express Scripts preferred formulary. This was an important move for the drugmaker, of course, because Express Scripts is a big pharmacy benefits manager, and Lipitor hadn’t been on its formulary since 2005. But so far, “definitive proof of its success is lacking,” writes Joe Tooley, an analyst at AG Edwards, in an investor note today. There’s hasn’t been a “significant bump in scripts as absolute total prescription numbers are up only 1 percent since the deal” began. Meanwhile, he notes that the statin cholesterol market is up 4.5 percent over the same period. This is also evident in Lipitor’s share of total prescripti... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=737690 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:53:53 +0100 737690