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 'ims health'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:31:08 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118998&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fg-WZvl9XAuY%2F The new president of the American Medical Association is lashing out at critics who claim the AMA has not done enough to persuade physicians to join its five-year-old Physician Data Restriction Program, InformationWeek reports. So far, less than 28,000 doc have joined the PDRP, which enables them to opt out of prescription data mining used in pharmaceutical marketing campaigns. Last week, a commentary in The New England Journal of Medicine commentary suggested the AMA had sabotaged the PDRP. As part of a discussion about the recent US Supreme Court decision to strike down a Vermont data mining law (read here), the authors pointed out that the AMA makes a great deal of money from selling its physician lists, which data miners combine with prescribing data. “To date, few physicians (... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118998 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:37:32 +0100 5118998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992692&cid=t_141618_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsupreme-court-data-mining-ok-even-when-physician-privacy-is-compromised%2F2011.07.01 The Supreme Court has sided with Big Pharma in their challenge to the Vermont Law limiting the pharmaceutical Industry’s access to physician prescribing information. The nation’s high court handed down a verdict Thursday in the Sorrell v. IMS Health case, striking down by a 6-3 vote a 2007 Vermont law that that bans the practice of data mining — the sale and use of prescriber-identifiable information for marketing or promoting a drug, including drug detailing — unless a physician specifically gives his or her permission to use the information. Apparently, Big Pharma’s right to “free speech” trumps my right to privacy. How getting access to my prescribing information has anything to do with free speech is beyond me.  In the twisted logic of the pro-business, anti-citizen Sup... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992692 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:00:14 +0100 4992692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984691&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fr04LoWLwBgU%2F This is hardly surprising. After the US Supreme Court last week struck down a highly controversial Vermont law that restricts the sale of prescription drug info identifying prescribers and patients for commercial marketing purposes, a similar law in Maine is now being sent back to a federal appeals court for judicial review (see this). In pushing for its legislation, Vermont maintained such laws can protect doctor-patient relationships and consumer privacy, promote patient safety and contain health care costs. But market research firms successfully convinced the Supreme Court that the statute hurt public access to healthcare info and violated commercial speech (back story). Maine and New Hampshire are the only states to have passed similar bills, but these are now coming under pressure. I... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984691 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:38:41 +0100 4984691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975845&cid=t_141618_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FH4gEql8vpE8%2F By Ilya ShapiroIn an important but little-noted First Amendment case decided Thursday, Sorrell v. IMS Health Inc., the Supreme Court correctly invalidated a particular regulation of commercial speech but unfortunately left intact the general doctrine that distinguishes and privileges noncommercial speech.  Justice Kennedy authored the 6-3 decision (joined not just by the “conservatives” but also Justice Sotomayor) that struck down a Vermont law prohibiting the sale of information about doctors’ prescription histories as making viewpoint-based speech restrictions in violation of the First Amendment.  In so ruling, the Court effectively affirmed a Second Circuit decision (involving a similar Connecticut law) I discussed previously.  Cato filed amicus briefs in both the Second Circui... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975845 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:01:36 +0100 4975845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968464&cid=t_141618_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FkY82WaVaaUo%2F By Jim HarperThe Supreme Court’s decision in Sorrell vs. IMS Health is being touted in many quarters as a privacy case, and a concerning one at that. Example: Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) released a statement saying “the Supreme Court has overturned a sensible Vermont law that sought to protect the privacy of the doctor-patient relationship.” That’s a stretch. The Vermont law at issue restricted the sale, disclosure, and use of pharmacy records that revealed the prescribing practices of doctors if that information was to be used in marketing by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Under the law, prescription drug salespeople—”detailers” in industry parlance—could not access information about doctors’ prescribing to use in focusing their effort... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968464 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:37:08 +0100 4968464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968911&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FBc0iyAnR7mo%2F In a 6-to-3 ruling, the US Supreme Court has struck down a highly controversial Vermont law that restricts the sale of prescription drug info identifying prescribers and patients for commercial marketing purposes. The practice is known in the pharma world as data mining and has been growing for the past two decades, ever since data was gathered by market research firms. However, data mining has also sparked heated arguments over free speech, health care costs and information privacy. The decision is a setback for consumer advocates who maintained such laws can protect doctor-patient relationships and consumer privacy, promote patient safety and contain health care costs. Vermont, in fact, passed its law three years ago and then amended it in hopes of staving off court challenges. Similar b... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968911 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:58:18 +0100 4968911 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4759043&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FF7d0dGHppWA%2F Top of the morning to you. Gray skies are hovering over the Pharmalot corporate campus, but our spirits remain sunny. And why not? This inspires us to trot out one of our favorite sayings, courtesy of the morning mayor: ‘Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.’ So while you tug on the ribbon, here are a few items to get you started. Have a great day, everyone, and smile… Merck To Buy Back Up To $5 Billion In Stock (Reuters) Teva Resumes Manufacturing At California Site (Orange County Business Journal) J&J Agrees To Buy Synthes For $21.3 Billion (Bloomberg News) Supreme Court Skeptical About Vermont Data Mining Law (Bellingham Herald) Lupin May Wait To Sell Birth Control Pills In The US (Bloomberg News) Merck And Biogen Expand Facilities In North... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4759043 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:54:02 +0100 4759043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747882&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9c4NOuPTQQ8%2F The US Supreme Court tomorrow will review a highly controversial issue - the constitutionality of a Vermont law that restricts the sale of prescription drug info identifying prescribers and patients for commercial marketing purposes. The practice is known in the pharma world as data mining and has been building for some two decades ever since data was gathered by market research firms, but has since sparked heated arguments over free speech, health care costs and information privacy. The information at issue includes the name of a prescribing physician, patient age and sex, the type and strength of each drug prescribed, and the date and location of prescription. Pharmacies, of course, are required by law to collect and maintain data about each prescription that is filled, and are allowed c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747882 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:16:39 +0100 4747882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429226&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FHxI8Pbg08wY%2F What a difference a day can make. This morning, the latest employment tally issued by Challenger Gray & Christmas indicates the number of layoffs undertaken in January by drugmakers was eclipsed by a few other industries, such as finance, construction, aerospace and retail. For the first time in quite a while, the pharmaceutical industry did not make the top five among employers issuing pink slips. To be specific, the outplacement consultants counted 2,090 jobs cut last month, which is down from the roughly 3,500 positions eliminated in December and 4,900 cut in November, for instance. To some, this downtick may have been viewed as mildly heartening news. But then, of course, we recall the plans announced yesterday by Pfizer, which will elminate up to 3,500 jobs, including 1,100 at f... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429226 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:11:45 +0100 4429226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411721&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fmx56MBMU3R4%2F The behind-the-scenes world of pharma data and related healthcare info can often appear as inside baseball but, as we know, knowledge is power and metrics is king. So it should not come as a surprise that the value and volume of mergers and acquisitions in the pharma and overall healthcare info tech world is on the rise, at least according to a new report from an investment bank. To wit, the total deal value rose 81 percent in 2010, was estimated to be $11.6 billion from $6.4 billion the year before. The total number of deals also jumped - by 13 percent to 224 last year from 199 in 2009, according to Berkery Noyes, which noted there were 53 financially sponsored transactions in 2010, with an aggregate value of $2.8 billion. By comparison, there were 171 strategic deals. The largest transa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411721 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:45:58 +0100 4411721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349694&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FxghWdm5jAQA%2F As with any industry, there are always behind-the-scenes players that occupy an important role and one of them is IMS Health, which is best known as a market research firm because it traffics in an enormous amount of data. And to expand its scope, IMS Health is now buying a rival, SDI Health, according to sources who are familiar with the deal. The move will solidify IMS Health’s position as a provider of key data to the pharmaceutical industry, which means drugmakers will have fewer sources for information on patients and prescriptions. This raises the question of the extent to which this deal will cause antitrust concerns. The next biggest player in this market is Wolters Kluwer. The acquistion comes after IMS Health was taken private last year, but has been under pressure to boos... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349694 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:08:25 +0100 4349694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322690&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUjxdBU3b7R8%2F After several years of courtroom battles, the US Supreme Court has agreed to review whether laws that ban data mining - specifically, the sale of prescription drug info that identifies prescribers and patients for commercial marketing purposes - are unconstitutional (see this). The move, which is not surprising, comes after conflicting rulings issued by different federal appeals courts. Last November, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit shot down a Vermont law after deciding it violated the First Amendment right to free speech (see here). Previously, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld similar statutes passed by Maine and New Hampshire (read this). The challenges to the state laws were made by three healthcare research firms - IMS Health, SDI, Wolters Kluwer hea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322690 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 23:10:01 +0100 4322690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197361&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F56S6t7OGekU%2F A federal appeals court has ruled that a Vermont law restricting data mining - specifically, the sale of prescription drug info that identifies prescribers and patients for commercial marketing purposes - is unconstitutional. The law was challenged by three healthcare research firms - IMS Health, SDI, Wolters Kluwer health - and the PhRMA trade group, which argued the legislation would hurt public access to healthcare info and violated commercial speech. The decision is a setback for consumer advocates who maintained such laws can protect doctor-patient relationships and consumer privacy, promote patient safety and contain health care costs. Vermont, in fact, passed its law three years ago and then amended it in hopes of staving off court challenges (see here). Similar bills have been intr... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197361 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:29:23 +0100 4197361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197030&cid=t_141618_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZmiEwqb5y0s%2F By Ilya ShapiroAs the legal battle against Obamacare continues, we got good constitutional news today in another aspect of health care law.  The Second Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New York City, ruled that statutes restricting commercial speech about prescription drug-related data gathering are unconstitutional.  The court emphasized that the First Amendment protects “[e]ven dry information, devoid of advocacy, political relevance, or artistic expression.” The case, IMS Health v. Sorrell, concerned a Vermont law that sought to constrain various aspects of prescriber-identifiable data gathering, dissemination, and use. The state argued that such information collection and exchange could induce doctors to alter their prescribing practices in ways that impose additional costs on ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197030 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:37:57 +0100 4197030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040791&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXLY3D8Exy8o%2F The value of the global pharmaceutical market is expected to grow anywhere from 5 percent to 7 percent next year, reaching $880 billion, up from the 4 percent to 5 percent that’s expected for this year, according to a new report from IMS Health. Despite the uptick, IMS continues to foresee a somewhat sluggish outlook due to what the market research termed “underlying constraints” on developed markets. Specifically, this refers to the looming patent expirations of numerous big-selling drugs and increased efforts by payers to limit their spending. At the same time, so-called emerging markets are expected to blossom. To underscore the differences, IMS offers these numbers: 17 emerging countries are forecast to grow at a 15 percent to 17 percent rate in 2011, to nearly $180 b... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040791 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:25:52 +0100 4040791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784500&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FlKiFN8hyxGU%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 is something that’s become a regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Spectrum Pharmaceuticals hired George Tidmarsh as senior vice president, chief scientific officer and head of R&D operations. Tidmarsh founded Horizon Pharma and Threshold Pharmaceuticals, and also held various posi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784500 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:06:49 +0100 3784500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3542875&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaEC8QXIOt_M%2F A bill that would have gone into effect in Connecticut on July 1 to strictly limit gifts that drug and device makers could provide physicians and restrict the use of prescriber data died last night (this is the text). The bill hardly had bipartisan support as Democrats backed passage, while Republicans opposed (see here). For the legislation, which has been around while, to become law, the state assembly’s Public Health Committee must reintroduce the legislation during the next session beginning in January. Instead, in a last-minute maneuver, another bill did pass that simply requires adherence to existing codes adopted by PhRMA and AdvaMed. “This gets most people where they wanted to be,” says state senator Jonathan Harris, who chairs the Public Health Committee. “... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3542875 Thu, 06 May 2010 17:59:04 +0100 3542875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3504954&cid=t_141618_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F26%2Ftop-25-psychiatric-drugs-in-2009%2F A few years back, we published the Top 20 Psychiatric Prescriptions for 2005. Four years later and we thought it’s about high time we updated that list with the help of the healthcare intelligence firm IMS Health, which tracks prescription data in the U.S. We published the new list this morning, Top 25 Psychiatric Prescriptions for 2009. There’s a few interesting observations we can make based upon this data and the intervening four year span between the two lists. First, anti-anxiety medications like Xanax, Valium and Ativan remain some of the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications. And it’s no wonder — they are fast-acting and have a short half-life, meaning their effects typically wear off in a few hours. Xanax remains the most commonly prescribed psych... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3504954 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:35:14 +0100 3504954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3483119&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fn8a0zw8SdUY%2F A California assemblyman was forced to shelve a bill that would have limited the sale of patient prescription records for marketing purposes because he couldn’t muster the necessary votes, The Californian reports. Although Assemblyman Bill Monning, a Democrat from Carmel, says he may reintroduce his bill in January if he can generate enough support. “We’re going to use this time frame to build more support and do more outreach,” Monning tells the Californian. He pulled the bill just before it was to go to a vote last week in the Assembly’s Committee on Health after realizing he didn’t have enough votes lined up. “We didn’t have the time to cultivate members’ understandings of the issues. There’s some intricacies.” The bill r... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3483119 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:52:24 +0100 3483119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429448&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrsVT21QODtA%2F US prescription sales rose 5.1 percent last year, to $300.3 billion, a big increase from the 1.8 percent rate in 2008, thanks to manufacturer coupons, rebates, price hikes of 3 percent to 4 percent, and low-cost generics, which accounted for 75 percent of all prescriptions. Nonetheless, demand remained at “historically low levels,” according to IMS Health, which released the data. Overall, the rate at which prescriptions were filled rose 2.1 percent in 2009, to 3.9 billion dispensed, up from 1 percent the previous year. However, another recent report noted that the rate at which scrips were submitted to a pharmacy but never picked up was 6.3 percent, a 24 percent increase over 2008 (see here). Other contributing factors included inventory management by retail pharmacies; greate... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429448 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:08:20 +0100 3429448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3425128&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3jjNof52MdU%2F Nice to see you again. Hope your week is going well. As always, there is much to do today, including the usual attempt to hustle one of the not-so-short people off to the schoolhouse. And you? No doubt, meetings and deadlines beckon. To help you along, we have gathered a bushel of interesting items. Grab a cup of stimulation and dig in. Have a great day, everyone… Glaxo And Isis Sign Drug Development Deal (Reuters) Japanese Authorities Search J&J Office Over Contact Lens Ad (Japan Today) IMS Report Warns EU Governments Over Price Cuts (PharmaTimes) Prostate Drug Available OTC In The UK (Reuters) Glaxo And Risks Over Zinc In Poligrip (New York Times) Valeant Board OKs $500M Buyback Program (Los Angeles Business Journal) Depomed Files For Approval Of Pain Drug (Reuters) (Source: P... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3425128 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:50:49 +0100 3425128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2908891&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUNUwajHMJ1E%2F Rise and shine. It’s that time again. The short people are gradually making their way to the school house and we are percolating another cup of stimulation. That can mean only one thing - the start of the day is officially upon us. So here are a few items that will hopefully help you on your way. Have a nice day, everyone… IMS Health May Be Bought By Private Equity? (Bloomberg) Biogen Profit Beats Expectations (Reuters) Drugmakers To Provide Cheap AIDS Drugs To Rwanda (AFP) Pfizer Profit Jumps on Cost Cutting (Associated Press) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2908891 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:56:19 +0100 2908891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890941&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FiQEWWXzg-tk%2F The groundbreaking legal spat pitting Vermont against drug makers and data providers is being argued in a federal court in New York and, so far, the toughest questions have been directed at Vermont’s Assistant Attorney General, according to The Pink Sheet. You may recall that Vermont passed a law restricting the sale of prescription drug info that identifies prescribers and patients for commercial marketing purposes. The effort is being challenged by IMS Health, Wolters Kluwer Health and SDI, with support from PhRMA, which contend the law hurts public access to healthcare info (back story). During oral arguments, a lawyer for PhRMA contended that Vermont’s law is an “attempt to correct the balance of ideas” and “to shape the message of pharmaceutical companies... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890941 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:45:39 +0100 2890941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1969316&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F457607692%2F In a move that will likely embolden other states, a federal appeals court upheld a first-in-the-nation law that prohibits prescription data identifying patients or prescribers from being used for marketing purposes. Pharma challenged the law, citing a First Amendment right to track prescription records, while state officials argued the law protected doctor-patient relationships, promoted patient safety and contained health care costs. Drugmakers want this data so they can learn which docs are high prescribers and figure out who to target for the hard sell. Two research firms, also known as data miners, IMS Health and Verispan, challenged the law and called it unconstitutional. They received backing not only from industry, but also free-speech advocates. Consumer and patient groups lined up... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1969316 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:35:13 +0100 1969316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1921196&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F435700487%2F The economic crisis may cost drugmakers as much as $10 billion in revenue next year as sales of prescription drugs in the US are expected to increase at their slowest rate on record, according to IMS Health. As a result, patients will turn to more generics, split pills and make fewer trips to the doctor, leading to a puny 1 percent increase in sales next year to $292, Bloomberg News writes. This comes on top of the the pending loss of patent protection on $84 billion worth of products through 2012 and fewer FDA approvals of new drugs, which Bloomberg notes is the lowest level in 24 years. To counter waning US demand, IMS says pharma will have to focus on developing countries, led by India, China and Brazil, for growth. “In many respects, 2009 will reflect the new shape of the global... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1921196 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:38:22 +0100 1921196 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1475420&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F299922906%2F To appease legislators and some doctors who objected to data mining, which is the practice of gathering and selling prescription data, the American Medical Association created the Prescription Data Restriction Plan. But the program remains contentious, according to Adriane Fugh-Berman an associated professor in the physiology and biophysics department at Georgetown University Medical Center, who also heads out PharmedOut, an independent, publicly funded project that examines pharmaceutical promotion practices. As she noted in a recent paper, docs must opt-out, not sign up. So far, though, less than 2 percent of all US docs have registered - and she notes that those who have opted out aren’t the ones targeted for marketing. Moreover, only sales reps and their immediate superviors are ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1475420 Wed, 28 May 2008 15:45:07 +0100 1475420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1325477&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F257688687%2F Late last month, the execs at Millenium Pharmaceuticals were upset over monthly sales data reported by IMS Health, the big gorilla in the behind-the-scenes world of market research. Contrary to their own reports, IMS reported that sales of their Velcade treatment for multiple myeloma were down. This upset investors and, consequently, hurt Millenium stock. So the Millenium execs did something unusual - they fired back by filing a brief statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission that disputes the IMS data. “While the company typically does not comment on IMS sales data, the company believes it is important to remind the public that there have been frequent and significant discrepancies in IMS data relative to actual Velcade sales. The company has noted these discrepancies on... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325477 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:25:46 +0100 1325477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1229429&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F234482263%2F Drugmakers counting a new hot seller for a primary care market ought to think again. New chemical entities aren’t contributing very much these days - the average launch curves for the top 10 new chemical entities shows that 2007 had the weakest result since 2003. “Fewer of these NCEs are top-performing, contributing much less to growth,” said Diana Conmy, IMS Health’s corporate director of market insights, who spokes at conference covered by The In Vivo blog. As the blog notes, last year was the first time that pharma experienced a decline in the number of primary care blockbusters - 29 in 2007 vs. 33 in 2006 - IMS data show. However, there was an increase in specialty care blockbusters - 30 in 2007 vs. 25 in 2006. Small wonder that the primary care market fell during the l... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1229429 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:57:30 +0100 1229429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1191569&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F226564699%2F Wyeth forecast flat revenue and lower earnings for this year due to generic competition for its blockbuster Protonix heartburn med and other generic competition. The forecast hinges on keeping R&D spending flat and trimming other expenses, such as 10 percent of its workforce. The drugmaker reported fourth-quarter earnings rose to $1 billion, or 75 cents, from $855 million, or 63 cents, a year ago, on higher sales of its Enbrel arthritis drug and Prevnar vaccine. Excluding one-time items, profits were 78 cents. Revenue rose 10 percent to $5.8 billion. Read more here and here. Bristol-Myers Squibb narrowed its loss in the fourth quarter thanks to rising sales of its Plavix bloodthinner, which partially offset charges including investments backed by sub-prime securities. Net loss was $89... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1191569 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:17:34 +0100 1191569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1170214&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F221173200%2F Here’s the latest data, which tracks prescriptions as of Jan. 20 and compares to 30-day rolling averages from Jan. 11, according to Credit Suisse analyst Catherine Arnold, who cites IMS Health research. However, she points out something interesting: After an initial drop in scrips for both Vytorin and Zetia following the release of the Enhance study on Jan. 14, the market share for both products seem to have stabilized. Perhaps that can be traced to the statements from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association: Total Prescriptions market share (compared with pre-Enhance levels): Vytorin: 9.9 percent (down from 11 percent); Zetia: 7.2 percent (down from 8 percent); Total Vytorin + Zetia: 17.2 percent (down from 19.1 percent); Lipitor: 32.8 percent (up fro... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1170214 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:31:13 +0100 1170214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1156042&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F217771307%2F Like their neighbors in New Hampshire, Vermont legislators want to restrict the practice in hopes of saving healthcare dollars. But mindful of a court challenge under way to New Hampshire’s law, Vermont’s attorney general has not only delayed implementation, but is drafting changes in hopes of thwarting the same critics, the Associated Press writes. The law was supposed to take effect on Jan. 1, but state attorney general Bill Sorrell decided in September to delay implementation by at least a year, to September 2008. Meanwhile, his office is now deleting a section requiring sales reps to disclose when a competitor might have a cheaper alternative to the medication they are peddling. “We think the proposals we’ve made are consistent with what the legislature was inte... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1156042 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:18:21 +0100 1156042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1137213&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F213460697%2F A hearing will be held tomorrow morning at a federal appeals court in Boston regarding a challenge to what pharma says is a First Amendment right to track prescription records. Last year, a federal court in New Hampshire struck down a first-in-the-nation law prohibiting prescription data identifying patients or prescribers from being accessed for marketing purposes. State officials argued the law protected doctor-patient relationships and the health and safety of patients, while also helping containing health care costs. For those who haven’t followed this, drugmakers want this data so they can learn which docs are high prescribers and figure out who to target for the hard sell. Two research firms, also known as data miners, IMS Health and Verispan, challenged the law and called it uncon... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1137213 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:14:47 +0100 1137213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1131205&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F211189360%2F The big provider of prescription data and pharma consulting services is having a rough time and so several hundred employees will be shown the door. IMS employs about 7,500 people, by the way. To pay for the move, IMS expects to take a pre-tax charge of $86 million and $90 million. Among its restructuring efforts, IMS plans to strengthen account management and business development, streamline consulting areas and redeploy unspecified resources to improve its business process outsourcing. Certain production operations will also be consolidated. By doing so, IMS hopes to save between $55 million and $60 million in annual savings, beginning in 2009. “With these actions, we are positioning ourselves to reflect market realities and are adjusting our cost structure - aiming for greater sim... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1131205 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:39:31 +0100 1131205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1113493&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F204858859%2F A federal judge ruled a law that would make a doctor’s prescription-writing habits confidential actually violates the US Constitution. US District Judge John Woodcock concluded that the law, which was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, would prohibit “the transfer of truthful commercial information” and “violate the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment,” the Associated Press reports. The law had been challenged by three IMS Health, Wolters Kluwer Health and Verispan, which collect, analyze and sell prescription data to drugmakers, government agencies and researchers. The companies argued the law would prevent the health care community from monitoring the safety of new drugs. The bill’s supporters contend it is one of several new laws passed by Main... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1113493 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:40:48 +0100 1113493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1113427&cid=t_141618_134_f&fid=35152&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsstrumello.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Fpart-2-your-rx-buying-history-is-for.html I didn't expect to post anything before next week, but again, my scan of today's news made that impossible!Back in November, I posted a story about how patientprivacyrights.org started a new campaign to call attention to the fact that your prescription drug buying history -- including your name, address, date of birth and drug regimen is FOR SALE. Each day virtually all of the 51,000 pharmacies in the U.S. download, transmit and sell personally identifiable information for every drug they disburse. The primary recipients include companies such as IMS Health of Norwalk, Conn., Wolters Kluwer Health of Conshohocken, Pa., and Verispan of Yardley, Pa., all of whom collect, analyze and sell medical data to drug companies, government agencies and researchers, often at very high prices.Patientpri... Scott's Web Log blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1113427 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 20:45:00 +0100 1113427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=998670&cid=t_141618_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F178267094%2Fims_health_says_us_drug_sales_to_fall_17_percent_in_2008.html Health care research firm IMS Health released a report stating that US pharmaceutical sales will no longer have the 50 percent share they held in 2006 but will experience a drop of a third of global sales in 2008.Losses from patent protection of drugs will reach $20 billion in lost annual sales and will only be partially offset by the boom in drug sales in emerging economies like China, Brazil, Turkey and Mexico. IMS is comparing the 6 to 7% increase in 2006, which netted $695B to $705B, to the projected global sales of 2008 of 5 to 6 percent. The US is expected to experience only a 4 to 5 percent increase.The decrease is caused by the expiration of US patent drugs like Johnson & Johnson's schizophrenia drug, Risperdal and Merck & Co Inc.'s Fosomax as well as new warni... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=998670 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:45:36 +0100 998670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=958987&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F171335243%2F The sky has turned dark, which is a signal that the time has come to tend to other matters, such as helping the short people with homework. Those of you without homework will, hopefully, enjoy the evening. Here are a few items, meanwhile, that you may have missed… Boston Scientific To Cut 2,300 Jobs (Yahoo/Reuters) Glaxo Files A Temporary Injunction Against US Patent Office (IPWatchdog.com) Pfizer Reports Earnings Tomorrow Amid A Gloomy Outlook (Bloomberg News) Arena Pharmaceuticals Reports A Wider Loss (Yahoo/AP) IMS Health Profit Declines In Recent Quarter (Yahoo/Reuters) US Is Dragging Its Heels On Biosimilars: Report (BioPharmaReporter.com) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=958987 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:08:36 +0100 958987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=957418&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F171126750%2F Earlier this month, we wrote how IMS data was wreaking havoc with several drugmakers that relied on the firm to calculate market share and sales rep compensation. Novartis was the most notable example, mostly because the drugmaker created a flap after telling its reps that some would have to return bonus money. But Wyeth and Lilly also had trouble, although they told Pharmalot there were no plans to ask reps to fork over any dollars. Now, Merck can be added to the list. A spokeswoman confirms the difficulties, although the trouble with IMS data is apparently on a regional, not national level. “However, we are working closely with IMS to determine whether sub-national performance reporting corrections will be large enough to impact our various sales compensation plans,” she writ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=957418 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:58:34 +0100 957418 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=935391&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F167087575%2F Last week, we wrote that Novartis was blaming a problem with market share data on IMS Health, the big gorilla among pharma data firms, and the drugmaker was telling its sales reps that some of them may have to return bonuses if a review shows they were overpaid (conversely, some may get bigger payouts, too). Not surprisingly, many Novartis sales reps were annoyed. They claimed the decision is hurting morale and some even skeptically suggested the move is simply a way to urge reps to quit, which would help with a planned cost-cutting effort. IMS wouldn’t comment, but didn’t deny the problem. But a Novartis spokesman insisted the situation is “still under review,” before adding that other drugmakers were also given bad data by IMS and, perhaps, weren’t being &#8... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=935391 Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:50:02 +0100 935391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=916218&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F163678337%2F In recent weeks, the drugmaker began telling many of its reps that some were overpaid bonus money earlier this summer based on faulty IMS market-share data. The move has outraged some reps, who are being asked to return the money, although others apparently will now receive more than they were initially paid. Those crying foul say the decision is ruining morale; others say they don’t believe the reason given and that it may be a way to urge some to quit during a stretch in which cost-cutting is on the table. “It’s one thing if your salary is too high one month and the company seeks the money back. You know, in that case, you were overpaid. On the other hand, we depend on them to give us our commission numbers and it is expected they are correct, especially given that the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=916218 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:55:30 +0100 916218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=814341&cid=t_141618_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F146621119%2F It ain’t easy getting a new med out the door. But some marketing plans work better than others. In the US, for instance, only half of all launches are considered a success. Of course, sales reps are a big factor in the US, because docs wield so much decision-making power about scrips. In any event, IMS Health has analyzed product launches and come up with a list of those deemed to be the most successful. So which ones were they? 1 - Lipitor 2 - Viagra 3 - Avandia 4 - Zyprexa 5 - Fosamax Each succeeded for different reasons, of course. Viagra was unique - the first sexual dysfunction drug and who doesn’t pay attention to sex? By contrast, osteoporosis isn’t sexy at all, but Merck raised patient awareness of the disease and that can certainly generate scrips. And as Jon Le... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=814341 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 19:26:41 +0100 814341