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 'forest laboratories'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:50:12 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125969&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FP452Yvu9Hlk%2F And so yet another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment to soon, yes? This is, of course, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our own agenda includes taking one of the short people to a soccer match, catching up on some reading and tidying up around the Pharmalot corporate campus. In other words, a few small pleasures. And what about you? How about a day at the beach or a ride in the country? Maybe curl up with an e-book? Or a shopping trip to stimulate what is left of the economy? Whatever you do, have a grand time, and be safe. See you soon… US Ambassador Tells Czechs Not To Auction Meds Online (Prague Daily Monitor) Icahn Wants To Narrow Forest’s Research Focus (Bloomberg News) MannKind Claims To Have Clear Path Forward On Afrezza (Pharma Ti... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125969 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:09:49 +0100 5125969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103514&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FHhaDzWm8_2c%2F After months of mystery, the US Department of Health & Human Services has decided not to exclude Forest Laboratories ceo Howard Solomon from doing business with federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. The move came four months after the HHS Office of Inspector General shocked the drugmaker with its plan to ban the 83-year-old executive. “Based on a review of the information in our file and consideration of the information that your attorneys provided to us, both in writing and during an in-person meeting, we have decided to close this case. We anticipate no further action related to this matter,” Peter Clark, the OIG exclusions director wrote in a letter to Solomon this afternoon (here is the letter). Last September, Forest made a $313 million payment that incl... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103514 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 22:32:59 +0100 5103514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103515&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQz_vdwe68UQ%2F In its quest to exclude Forest Laboratories ceo Howard Solomon from doing business with federal healthcare programs, the US Department of Health & Human Services had also considered banning seven other Forest executives, but ultimately decided not to do so as negotiations were held last fall to settle charges of illegal marketing (back story), according to court documents that were released today. The disclosure prompted another round of criticism from investor Carl Icahn (see pic), who is waging a proxy fight to win four of 10 board seats at the August 18 annual shareholder meeting (see this). “That means nearly one year ago, Forest was faced with a threat to the continuity of its management team and today still has not disclosed a viable, or even any, succession plan,” a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103515 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:28:04 +0100 5103515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5078031&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFHoLk-8rWDc%2F With the annual Forest Laboratories shareholder meeting just three weeks away, the AFL-CIO is urging shareholders to vote ceo and president Howard Solomon right off the board. The move is in response to the recent disclosure that Solomon faces being excluded from participating in federal healthcare programs by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. The feds took that step not long after a subsidiary, Forest Pharmaceuticals, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, distributing an unapproved drug and illegally promoting two other meds. As part of its deal, Forest made a $313 million payment that included $164 million in criminal penalties, and signed a corporate integrity agreement (see here). Forest argues that Solomon was not involved and, therefo... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5078031 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:21:58 +0100 5078031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051233&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F_Ne7ygGc-0w%2F Faced with being banned from doing business with such federal healthcare programs as Medicare and Medicaid, Forest Laboratories ceo and president Howard Solomon recently retained former US Senator John Breaux as a lobbyist. The Louisiana pol is now a senior counsel with the Patton Boggs law firm, which has a large healthcare practice (see here). His lobbying registration form was filed on June 14, two months after the Office of Inspector General of the US Department of Health & Human Services notified the drugmaker that its 83-year-old executive was facing exclusion (read this). The Hill first reported Forest hired Breaux. Last year, Forest pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and made a $313 million payment that included $164 million in criminal penalties, and signed a corporate ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051233 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:48:51 +0100 5051233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984689&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FEygW_voyKzU%2F Rise and shine. Another glorious day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are moving along like a cool breeze. Of course, there is much to be done - phone calls, meetings, reading documents. You name it. And we know you can related. So grab that cup of stimulation - no excuses, please - and pick up your to-do list. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits from around your world. Have a good one… US Court Orders Seizure Of Cipla Pet Drug For Patent Violation (Dow Jones) Lilly Plans 10 Drug In Final-Stage Trials By End Of 2011 (Bloomberg News) Niaspan Prescriptions Fall After Negative Study Results (Dow Jones) Pfizer Signs Deal With Russian Venture Capital Firm For R&D (Associated Press) Forest Files COPD Drug For FDA Approval (Pharma Times) ‘Neurontin Kille... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984689 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:53:38 +0100 4984689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4976204&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F2jyWx_FI6TU%2F Now that Carl Icahn has scooped up nearly 7 percent of Forest Laboratories stock and wants to place four of his minions on the board (back story), Wall Street is eyeing the drugmaker as takeover bait. The premise is helped along by the fact that Forest has five newer products, including three that will be launched by September, and another four in the pipeline that, when taken together, could add up to an attractive package. To wit, these nine drugs have the potential to dramatically boost earnings over the next five years, according to an investor note from Credit Suisse analyst Catherine Arnold. In her view, a mere 5 percent rise in 2016 sales implies a 24 percent earnings gain. This is particularly important since the Lexapro antidepressant, which generated 53 percent of 2011 sales, los... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4976204 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:57:12 +0100 4976204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803526&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F523l9y18j4A%2F The legal problems are piling up at Forest Laboratories. The drugmaker has just disclosed that a subpoena arrived from the US Attorney in Boston seeking documents relating to the marketing of the Benicar, Benicar HCT and Azor high blood pressure meds. Forest and Daiichi Sankyo, which developed the drugs, jointly promoted the pills from 2002 to 2008, according to a Forest statement. The subpoena was dated April 20, just about the same time, as it so happens, that Forest ceo and president Howard Solomon was unexpectedly informed by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General that he faces being excluded from participating in federal healthcare programs (back story). That move came six months after the drugmaker pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, dist... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803526 Mon, 09 May 2011 20:24:42 +0100 4803526 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532570&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F8IsrwzAqM_A%2F Top of the morning to you. A sunny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are, once again, hustling short people off to this or that school house. Nonetheless, we are also reaching for our mandatory cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Cinnamon Cream Swirl - and looking about for interesting items. Please let us know if you spot something yourself. Meanwhile, have a great day… Daiichi To Buy Plexxicon For Up To $935M (Bloomberg News) Pharma Job Outlook Bleak In Europe As Sites Are Closed (Reuters) Forest And Nycomed Win FDA Approval For COPD Drug (Associated Press) Elan Pleads Guilty In Zonegran Marketing (Boston Business Journal) Feds Award $215M For Flu Vaccine Development (Associated Press) UK’s NICE Wants More Data On Roche Cancer Drug (Dow Jo... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532570 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:02:23 +0100 4532570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4220458&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F7L5bE1wLCDc%2F Maybe GlaxoSmithKline sales reps deserve a bonus. A new survey of more than 1,800 primary care physicians ranked the drugmaker’s field force as the best, even as sales calls to these docs - which include general practitioners, family med physicians and doctors of osteopathy - fell 12 percent in the 12 months ending September 2010, compared with the previous 12-month period. On a score of 1 to 7, Glaxo’s average quality score was 5.71, up from 5.54 in 2009, according to SDI Health, a market research firm that conducted the survey. The showing catapulted Glaxo from third place last year, when the drugmaker followed Pfizer and Merck, both of which moved down a notch from the No. 1 and No. 2 slots, respectively. On a related note, in both years, 97 percent of the docs indicated they w... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4220458 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:01:57 +0100 4220458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4106063&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FKtFErbiCVU8%2F There have been numerous headlines lately about healthcare fraud and whistleblowers whose lawsuits eventually prompted huge settlements with the federal government. The latest tally, however, shows that the US Department of Justice recovered over $3.1 billion in fraudulent claims in the 2010 fiscal year that can be traced to lawsuits filed under the federal False Claims Act. Specifically, there were 145 FCA cases settled in the 2010 fiscal year and the 10 largest settlements involved health care fraud, with eight involving drugmakers, according to Taxpayers Against Fraud, a non-profit that supports whistleblower lawsuits. The 10 largest cases accounted for $2.7 billion recovered. Although fiscal year 2009 actually recovered a larger pot of money - $5.6 billion. It also worth that health ca... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4106063 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:32:03 +0100 4106063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018441&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaK3IEXLaIa8%2F Another week, another drugmaker agrees to settle off-label marketing charges brought by the federal government. This time, Novartis will pay $422.5 million for illegally promoting its Trileptal epilepsy med for unapproved uses, such as bipolar disorder and neuropathic pain, along with five other drugs - Diovan, Zelnorm, Sandostatin, Exforge and Tekturna. The fine includes roughly $237 million to settle four lawsuits brought by whistleblowers, while $185 million goes toward criminal penalties. One of the lawsuits was filed by Jeremy Garrity, a former cardiovascular sales rep, who worked for Novartis between 2002 and 2008 before being fired (you can read it here, and you can read the settlement here. Oh, and this is the guilty plea). This is the latest in a stream of settlements involving bi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018441 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:26:16 +0100 4018441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003434&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpYWhwlZl3PU%2F Earlier this year, a former Pfizer exec amended his whistleblower lawsuit accusing the drugmaker of illegally scheming to boost Lipitor sales by misrepresenting product labeling and federal cholesterol guidelines; using misleading educational programs for doctors, and unlawful sampling kickback schemes that resulted in off-label marketing that allegedly defrauded Medicaid and Medicare. Jesse Polansky, who was director of outcomes management from April 2001 until July 2003, claims “thousands of physicians have prescribed Lipitor to millions of patients for whom drug therapy is not recommended, and for whom the medication could be dangerous. Millions of those improper prescriptions were ultimately paid for by various government healthcare plans, the suit charges. And in a newly filed brie... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003434 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:28:45 +0100 4003434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973109&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fcg69u3pOB2o%2F Another week, another guilty plea by a drugmaker charged with illegal promotion. This time around, Forest Labs has pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, distributing an unapproved drug and illegally promoting two other meds (see the plea agreement). The drugs in quetion were Levothroid, an oral med for thyroid conditions, and two antidepressants - Celexa and Lexapro. The $313 million payment includes $164 million in criminal penalties. Forest was charged with distributing Levothroid in the early 1990s without obtaining FDA approval. This particular tale is complicated - this type of drug was around for decades, but in 1997, the FDA declared these were now considered new meds (look here). This meant approval was required, but since these are medically necessary, an extension was granted... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973109 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:14:54 +0100 3973109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965697&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCSt3qKYXFWs%2F Top of the morning to you. We are scurrying about in hopes of depositing one of the short people at the local schoolhouse. As always, this requires fortitude and a cup of stimulation. Meanwhile, we would like to remind you that we will host a webinar today (see this) with former US Attorney Mike Loucks about brand promotion compliance. And now, let the day begin. Have a good one, everyone… Forest Labs Responds To FDA For COPD Drug (Pharma Times) Pfizer Sees A Turnaround For Its Labs (Reuters) Sanofi May Boost Genzyme Bid As Lab Unit Is Sold (Bloomberg News) Counterfeit Drug Tally Is Hard To Swallow (Wall Street Journal) Gilead Quad Pills Supresses HIV At 48 Weeks (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965697 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:49:31 +0100 3965697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784501&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIc5cj0KKC-k%2F And so another work week soons draw to a close. A respite, of course, is always welcome. Already, we look forward to spending time with our oh-so-busy short people, catching up on reading and promenading with the official Pharmalot mascots. And you? How will you keep cool? We trust you have some ideas in mind. While you ponder, here are the latest tidbits. Whatever you do, have a great time and see you soon… Gene Curtails Alzheimer’s In Mice (The Wall Street Journal) Pittsburgh Doctors And Pharma Money (Pittsburgh Business Times) EU Needs More Time To Review Avandia (PharmaTimes) GAO Finds Consumer Gene Tests Are Misleading (Reuters) Lilly Pushes Into Men’s Health Drug (The Indianapolis Star) Negative Clinical Studies Could Avoid Costly Treatments (The Washington Post) Fe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784501 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:52:38 +0100 3784501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718695&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FRnVigrnX3FU%2F Since the passage of the False Claims Act in 1986, the federal government has recovered about $22 billion through qui tam, or whistleblower lawsuits and a fair number of these have emanated from the pharmaceutical industry. An untold number of such lawsuits are always in the wings, as people who work with or for drugmakers attempt to expose alleged wrongdoing. There have been accusations that some whistleblowers are only in it for the money (see this), but life as a whistleblower has its challenges (see here). And so concerned that the pharmaceutical industry may not be doing enough to educate employees about whistleblowing protection, US Senator Chuck Grassley has written 16 big drugmakers to provide information about their programs. The letters went to Abbott Labs, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Br... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718695 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:34:30 +0100 3718695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3564199&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPSiRUKFcokE%2F Besides simply selling pills at a profit, Forest Labs appears to engage in what’s known as transfer pricing - a highly complicated way of avoiding taxes by creating overseas subsidiaries that, in Forest’s case, are used to hold patents and facilitate transactions out of reach of the US Treasury. To illustrate the complexities, Bloomberg News attempted to follow the mysterious trail of dollars generated by Lexapro, Forest’s wildly popular antidepressant, an effort that involved visiting not only a manufacturing plant in Ireland, where tax rates are lower, but also revealed subsidiaries in Bermuda and The Netherlands that appear to function merely as convenient shells. By playing the avoidance game, Forest cut its US tax bill by more than one-third last year and various in... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3564199 Fri, 14 May 2010 13:11:26 +0100 3564199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3433164&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fc_0pliKPa0w%2F The Federal Aviation Administration has dropped a decades-old ban on four antidepressants and so, as of April 5, as many as 10,000 pilots - some of whom were grounded - will be allowed to take to the air while on Prozac, Pfizer’s Zoloft or Forest Lab’s Celexa and Lexapro, Bloomberg News reports. In reaching its decision, the FAA says that drowsiness, which is associated the pills, doesn’t pose a safety threat. “We have a better understanding of the drugs,” FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt tells the news service. “We know more about the illness, we know more about how to treat it. We really need to remove the stigma, if you will, of being treated for an illness.” FAA policy bans pilots from flying if depressed because the condition can be distracting in the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3433164 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:20:39 +0100 3433164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3194020&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FVZLb8OwMT6s%2F Which one? Public Citizen says the agency should yank Savella immediately because its dangers outweigh its benefits, according to a petition the consumer group sent the agency. In its missive, Public Citizen notes the European Medicines Agency rejected the drug for fibromyalgia last July, citing marginal benefits that failed to outweigh risks. The FDA approved the drug in January 2009. In two randomized clinical trials, Savella, which is made by Forest Labs and Cypress Bioscience, was found to increase blood pressure, heart rate and suicidal thoughts, according to the petition. Among patients who had normal blood pressure at the beginning of the study, 19.5 percent of those given Savella developed hypertension, compared to 7.2 percent of those on a placebo. Based on the extent of increas... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3194020 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:47:05 +0100 3194020 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3164046&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FipITQPUrxU8%2F Morning, everyone. Nice to see you again. A busy week, yes? But that’s to be expected in January, when conferences and earnings are omnipresent. With so much to do, we hope you have time to stop for a cup of something stimulating now and then, and of course, to catch up on events. Here are a few items to help you along… Dendreon Sees Full Provenge Capacity By Mid-2011 (Reuters) EU Steps Up Antitrust Probe (Bloomberg News) FDA Rejects Wider Use Of Forest Drug (Associated Press) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3164046 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:47:19 +0100 3164046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977572&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FwkVkB9o9ZEw%2F The drugmaker reached a tentative settlement with the US Attorney in Boston and the US Department of Justice’s, which charged that its antidepressants and a thyroid drug were marketed improperly. However, a criminal probe continues, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (see page 15). As it turns, an agreement in principle was reached in May concerning the civil investigation being conducted by federal and state authorities. The penalties are covered by a $170 million reserve Forest created in April. But the arrangement “does not resolve the government’s ongoing investigation into potential criminal law violations” related to the Celexa and Lexapro antidepressants, as well as the Levothroid thyroid drug. In February, the U.S. Justice Dep... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977572 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:10 +0100 2977572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786002&cid=t_141625_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fforests-promotional-objective-use-cme.html We have known for some time that the actual purpose of industry-sponsored CME (continuing medical education) is to increase prescriptions of the supporter's product. But few will admit it. The ACCME says that it accredits only CME that is unbiased and objective, even though half of it is paid for by the pharmaceutical industry. Leading medical societies appear to be willing to fight to maintain their God-given right to industry funding of CME until the world ends. Finally, a major drug company--Forest Laboratories--has confirmed that CME is, in fact, advertising. In today's New York Times, Gardiner Harris describes a smoking gun document that outlines in stark fashion how Forest has created CME programs for physicians in order to increase market share for Lexapro. The document, entitled "F... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786002 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:50:00 +0100 2786002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287238&cid=t_141625_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F19%2Fwhat-was-jama-and-catherine-deangelis-thinking%2F While I was down in Austin at SXSW this past week, there was a rare glimpse into the big egos that run the journal business in the world. As you may know, publishing research articles is a business, and because it involves prestigious reputations — both on the journal and academia side — there is a lot of ego involved. Lots. So imagine if you’re sitting at the head of one of the world’s most prestigious and respected journals, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and an academic — not from Harvard or Yale, but from Lincoln Memorial University — calls you on the carpet for failing to conduct a very good peer-review on a peer-reviewed paper appearing in JAMA: Jonathan Leo, a professor of neuroanatomy at Lincoln Memorial University, wrot... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287238 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:58:03 +0100 2287238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222495&cid=t_141625_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F26%2Flexapro-maker-accused-of-fraud%2F Yet another story about a drug maker getting into trouble for its off-label marketing practices for a psychiatric medication, this time to children and teens. The drugs? Lexapro and its older sibling, Celexa. The manufacturer of them? Forest Laboratories. The New York Times has the story: In a civil complaint filed by the United States attorney’s office in Boston, federal prosecutors alleged that former top executives at Forest concealed for several years a clinical study that showed that the drugs were not effective in children and might even pose risks to them, including causing some to become suicidal. From 2001 to 2004, Forest heavily promoted results from another clinical trial it had financed that showed that the drugs were effective, without disclosing the negative study to those... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222495 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:00:36 +0100 2222495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1915072&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F433487216%2F Although initially rejected as ethically questionable, industry funding was eventually sought and used by researchers developing a list of preferred psychiatric drugs for children in state care, according to documents reviewed by The Dallas Morning News. And a spot on the program could have meant millions to drugmakers. The documents released to The News were collected by the Texas attorney general’s office, which is suing Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceutica for allegedly trying to influence researchers on a similar adult drug plan, Texas Medication Algorithm Project, or TMAP. Citing the pending lawsuit over TMAP, officials in two state health agencies declined to comment on the Children’s Medication Algorithm Project, or CMAP – which was put on indefinite h... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1915072 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:36:52 +0100 1915072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1834810&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F403718711%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here’s a new approach we hope to make a regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Symphony Metreo, which specializes in pricing and operations management programs and systems, has hired Bob Merold, a former IMS Health veteran and one time exec at Procter & Gamble and Bristol-Myers Squib... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1834810 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:06:32 +0100 1834810 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1782899&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F387607769%2F The FDA sent a warning letter last month to the drugmaker for promoting its Bystolic high blood pressure med to docs without properly noting the medication’s risk. An 8-page ad, which ran in various medical journals, also implied the drug is better than rival meds even though there is no substantial evidence to prove such claims. “Although the journal ad does include important safety information on its second page, it omits and minimizes certain risks,” wrote Thomas Abrams, head of the FDA’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications in the August 28 letter, which noted the ad specifically left off a warning about the drug’s use in patients with congestive heart failure. The FDA also noted the ad claimed that the beta-blocker works better for p... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1782899 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:19:00 +0100 1782899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764222&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F382560553%2F Every so often, we like to bring you a few tidbits that are worth noting, if only briefly. This is especially true at lunch hour or during the time of day when a cat nap beckons. Rather than doze off, staying informed is a much better use of time, yes? So, here you go… Hershey Adds Former Pfizer CFO Shedlarz To Its Board (Yahoo/AP) Forest Labs Stock Sinks On Trial Results (Yahoo/AP) ImClone Seeks FDA Ok To Market Erbitux For Head, Neck Cancers (Yahoo/Reuters) OraSure AIDS Test Has High Error Rate (Bloomberg News) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764222 Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:44:06 +0100 1764222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1319575&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F255470864%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs being announced each month. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? Sygnis Pharma hired Frank Rathgeb as chief medical officer; Catalyst named Pat Kenny director of corporate clinical compliance; Maxygen promoted Grant Yonehiro to chief business officer; Zimmer Holdings added Bob Hagemann, a Quest sr vp and cfo to its board; Zimmer Holdings also added Cecil Pickett, Biogen Idec’s R&D chief, to its board... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1319575 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:35:24 +0100 1319575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1149834&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F216412438%2F Is fibromyalgia an example of disease mongering? A new TV ad campaign for Pfizer’s Lyrica, the first med approved to treat the pain condition, argues the affliction is real. But some docs are questioning whether fibromyalgia even exists, The New York Times writes. For patient advocacy groups and doctors who specialize in fibromyalgia, the Lyrica approval is a milestone. They say they hope Lyrica and two other drugs that may be approved this year will legitimize fibromyalgia, just as Prozac brought depression into the mainstream. “What’s going to happen with fibromyalgia is going to be the exact thing that happened to depression with Prozac,” Dan Clauw, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, who has consulted with Pfizer and two other drugmakers hoping to market... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1149834 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:50:56 +0100 1149834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146763&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F214955028%2F We are easing back into our routine and, like many of you, look forward to the end of the work week. There is, however, much to track. Grab a cup of something hot and dig in….. Genentech Likely To Report Slowed Growth (The Wall Street Journal) Forest Sues Generic Makers Over Alzheimer’s Drug (Yahoo/Reuters) Gilead, Gladstone Institute Strike Research Deal (bizjournals.com) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146763 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:31:34 +0100 1146763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1101721&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F202153890%2F Another cold morning in the nation’s medicine chest. We keep warm by finding exciting news. Here are a few examples we can share. Grab a cup of something hot and enjoy… Japan May Lower Drug Prices By 5.2 Percent (Bloomberg News) FDA OKs Hypertension Drug From Mylan & Forest (Yahoo/Reuters) Bristol & Gilead HIV Drug OKed By EU (MarketWatch) Schering-Plough Touts Schizophrenia Drug Study (Yahoo/Reuters) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1101721 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:15:54 +0100 1101721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=954382&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F170664745%2F The sun is shining this morning on the nation’s medicine chest. Why not grab of cup of coffee or tea and catch up as you prepare to dive back into work? Boston Scientic To Cut Up To 3,400 Jobs (The Boston Globe) Forest Labs Reports Lower Second-Quarter Profits (Yahoo/AP) Medtronic Sued By Patients Over Heart Device Problems (Bloomberg News) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=954382 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:59:19 +0100 954382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=878191&cid=t_141625_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F157687974%2F As the day winds on, we thought you may like to see a few of the latest items moving over the transom. Hope these help you enjoy your break still more… Forest Labs Partners With Microbia (Yahoo/AP) Depomed Cutting Jobs After Nerve Drug Fails (Bloomberg News) Angiotech Settles Patent Dispute With J&J Unit (Yahoo/AP) FDA And Gene Logic To Set Genomic Standards (DrugResearcher.com) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=878191 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:39:03 +0100 878191