03/01/2010
On Friday, Santa Clara County officials filed a lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline, alleging that the drugmaker falsely advertised the benefits and concealed the risks of its diabetes medication Avandia. A county official says the lawsuit is the first to be filed by a government body over Avandia. GSK officials could not be reached to comment on the suit. San Jose Mercury News.
03/01/2010
A new California Watch investigation found that three officials with the Department of Health Care Services failed to report trips paid for by not-for-profit groups that receive funding from drug industry executives. The Department of Health Care Services plans to correct the omissions for trips that should have been reported as gifts. California Watch/San Francisco Chronicle.
02/23/2010
Internal FDA reports show that GlaxoSmithKline's diabetes medication Avandia was linked to 304 deaths in the third quarter of 2009, making it the leading prescribed drug linked to serious, disabling or fatal problems in that quarter. The release of the reports and a two-year Senate inquiry into the medication have renewed concerns about its safety, GSK's actions regarding the medication and FDA's response to safety concerns. New York Times.
02/18/2010
An effort by Santa Cruz County and several cities to collect and dispose of unused prescription drugs and other medical materials is set to run out of funding next month. The effort has collected more than 15,000 pounds of medical waste since 2007. Santa Cruz Sentinel.
02/12/2010
Billy Tauzin has announced plans to retire from his post as President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the major lobbying arm of the drug industry. Tauzin is credited with helping to forge a deal with the Obama administration to back federal health care reform legislation. Sources say Tauzin chose to resign for personal reasons. Los Angeles Times.
02/11/2010
Although FDA's budget is slated to grow to $4 billion under President Obama's fiscal year 2011 budget proposals, some groups say the agency needs a higher allocation. Advocates say FDA should receive more funding because it plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of drugs, food and other products. Los Angeles Times.
01/28/2010
The Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation is barring Merck sales representatives from its 15 clinics in California and Florida to protest the drugmaker's pricing of the HIV treatment Isentress. The foundation's leader said it spends about $180 million annually on medications. Payers & Providers.
01/22/2010
A unanimous decision from the California Supreme Court invalidated a state law that limited the amount of marijuana state residents could possess under an initiative voters approved in 1996. However, the ruling preserved a section of the law that applied to an identification card program for medical marijuana users. Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee.
01/15/2010
Members of Congress should use health care reform legislation to close a loophole in current law that lets drugmakers pay rivals to delay the introduction of lower-cost generic medications into the market, an editorial states, going on to endorse language from the House bill that "simply bans the practice." Washington Post.
01/13/2010
The recession did not stop California's biotechnology and medical device firms from employing more workers and marketing more products in 2009, according to a new report. The report also advocated state tax policies that would help keep biotech operations in California. San Francisco Chronicle.
01/12/2010
Stanford University yesterday announced plans to use a three-year, $3 million grant from drugmaker Pfizer to establish a new continuing medical education program that will operate separate from drug industry influence. Stanford intends to establish unbiased programs of postgraduate education on campus, instead of using topics selected by the industry that are presented to doctors at hotels and resorts, which has been the case previously. New York Times.
01/12/2010
The sale price on more than 400 brand-name pharmaceutical drug products increased at "extraordinary" rates of 100% or more between 2000 and 2008, according to a study the Government Accountability Office released yesterday. The study found that in 2000, 28 brand-name drugs had price increases of 100% or more, and by 2008, the costs of 71 drugs had risen at a similar rate. AP/Baltimore Sun.
01/12/2010
Independent pharmacies are offering more perks to customers to compete against large chains and mail-order pharmacies, which are coming to dominate the prescription drug market. Nutrition information, home delivery and charge accounts are some of the most popular benefits independent pharmacies are offering. Sacramento Business Journal.
01/08/2010
California and 23 other states have reached a $22.5 million settlement with drugmakers Abbott and Fournier over allegations that the companies illegally worked to block generic competition for their cholesterol treatment Tricor. KPCC's "KPCC News."
01/07/2010
FDA in 2009 approved just as many new medications as it did in 2008, suggesting that new regulations and calls for increased safety have not reduced approval rates, according to new figures by Washington Analysis. AP/Boston Globe.