Pharmaceutical Commerce - January/February 2009

Closing The Circle On Patient Adherence

May 05, 2009

Manufacturers have a growing number of service offerings to reach patients with adherence advice

3PLs Rise in Forward-Thinking Supply Chain Models

March 29, 2009

Moving boxes is becoming just one of a growing slate of services from third-party logistics (3PL) providers

A Pitched Battle in Cardiovascular Drug Marketing

March 29, 2009

Mature product franchises and mixed clinical outcomes have not dissuaded pharma companies from expending marketing resources for cardiovascular disease treatment

Merck Is the Best-Regarded Manufacturer Among Managed-Care Execs; Genentech Among Oncology KOLs

March 29, 2009

Surveys from SDI and Market Strategies International score companies on their promotional practices and business relationships

Wyeth Loses Supreme Court Case Over 'Implied' Pre-Emption

March 29, 2009

Expect a flood of product-liability suits in the aftermath of Wyeth vs. Levine

Syringe Design Gets a Makeover

March 29, 2009

Two prefilled-syringe projects emphasize user friendliness

Refinements in Cold Chain Secondary Packaging

March 29, 2009

Optimized dimensionality is the goal of new products from MTS and Cold Chain Technologies

Inmar Rebrands Reverse-Logistics and Related Business Units

March 29, 2009

Unified corporate image emphasizes supply chain services

The Packaging Contribution to Patient Adherence

March 29, 2009

Contract packagers are multiplying their product offerings to meet marketing and patient-safety concerns

People on the Move-March

March 29, 2009

BIOPHARMA INDUSTRY

Healthcare Information Technology Gets A Boost From Obama Reinvestment Law

March 29, 2009

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocates $18 billion for HIT

Here We Go Again on 'Re-Importation'

March 28, 2009

Bipartisan group of senators sponsor a revived drug-importation bill

Stem Cell Therapy: Business Models Begin to Take Shape

March 28, 2009

Although human trials in the U.S. are still a novelty, developers are identifying both sources and protocols for conducting therapy

Organizing Your Commercial Compliance Programs

March 28, 2009

Regulatory attention has intensified over commercial activities. Here’s what to do to minimize risks and raise compliance levels

A New Business Model for Pharma Innovation

March 26, 2009

The studio model: how film industry practices can boost pharmaceutical creativity

Wyeth loses Supreme Court case over 'implied' pre-emption

March 05, 2009

Expect a flood of product-liability suits in the aftermath of Wyeth vs. Levine

Industry, regulators hit reset button on product serialization

March 04, 2009

While California’s e-pedigree initiative sits on a shelf, actions in Washington and Brussels point to renewed efforts for track-and-trace of pharmaceuticals

Independent Pharmacies Promote the Value of Their Patient Contact to the Pharma Industry

February 27, 2009

Although beset by less-than-friendly federal reimbursement policies, independent pharmacies are maintaining their viability for pharmaceutical delivery

Building an Alternative Distribution Model for Ultra-Orphan Diseases

February 27, 2009

Biopharmaceutical manufacturers turn to a direct-distribution model to leverage opportunities for cost-effective drug delivery and personalized health management services

CVS Caremark settles with FTC and HHS over patient-privacy issues

February 27, 2009

Alleged mishandling of discarded patient records call the giant retailer’s privacy safeguards into question

Now 50 years old, Research Triangle Park looks forward

February 27, 2009

The high-tech mecca plans to maintain its status as an economic driver for North Carolina

Children's hospital underway in Florida

February 26, 2009

Nemours plans campus for pediatric treatment and research

Entering the Brazilian Pharmaceutical Market

February 22, 2009

Stable economics and growing healthcare concerns make Brazil one of the top emerging markets, with a current growth rate >20%

The end or just the beginning? Exploring federal preemption of state marketing and distribution laws

February 22, 2009

Multiplying state laws on marketing and distribution disclosures might be pre-empted by new federal legislation

The Shape of the Electronic Medical Record Market

February 22, 2009

McKesson is a heavy hitter in the category, says Kalorama Information

Long-Term Drug Approval Trends Highlight the Industry's Productivity Dilemma

February 22, 2009

Higher complexity—and expense—are the reality for most drug research, says Tufts

Novartis Managed Care Report Finds Higher Barriers to Drug Access

February 22, 2009

Higher co-pays, ‘NDC block policies’ and multiple tiers add to drug benefit complexity

Wolters Kluwer Scores Prescription-Sales Data Contract From BMS

February 22, 2009

Dataset has ‘exclusive’ source, the ArcLight consortium

Walgreens Builds out its Healthcare Offerings to Employers With 'Complete Care and Well-Being'

February 22, 2009

Program combines retail pharmacy, in-store and onsite clinics for employer health plans

Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research Renews Its Board

February 22, 2009

HDMA’s educational arm has new chair, vice chair

A REMS Will Be Part of the Expected Launch of Anti-Epilepsy Drug From Ovation Pharmaceuticals

February 22, 2009

FDA specifies a patient registry and follow-up studies

Overlapping, Imprecise Regulations Cause a Hiccup In Temperature-Sensitive Pharma Shipping

February 22, 2009

Delta Air backs away from prohibiting battery-powered temperature sensors in temperature-controlled pharma shipping

UPS strikes pioneering supply-chain deal with Merck

February 20, 2009

Big Brown will take over existing Merck distribution centers, absorbing them into its international healthcare logistics unit; Merck is also selling a lab to PPD

Marching up the channel management curve

February 20, 2009

Financial and business changes are driving an evolution in channel management strategies

Examining the ROI of personalized medicine

February 20, 2009

New Deloitte study finds “profound” positive and negative ROIs for combined therapies and diagnostics based on genetics

West adds to its syringe-development capabilities with designer partnership

February 20, 2009

Collaboration has multiple designs for prefilled and other syringes in the works

No surprise here: FDA drug oversight is now a 'high risk' government operation

February 19, 2009

FDA’s management of drug and device safety enters GAO’s biennial watch list

New online portal makes bid for industry-physician communications

February 18, 2009

iMedicor offers physician education, EMR file transfers and community services

Leading in Challenging Times

February 18, 2009

It has been said that one should never miss an opportunity to make the most of a crisis. The steady stream of headlines announcing staff cuts, delays in drug approvals and a narrowing of R&D focus for pharmaceutical and biotech companies indicate there will be no shortage of opportunities in 2009.

Specialty Pharmaceuticals and the Emergence of Sub-Specialty Pharmacy

February 18, 2009

‘Ultra-orphan’ diseases will alter the specialty distribution process

Developing a comprehensive pre-launch trade and distribution strategy for specialty products

February 18, 2009

Establishing appropriate trade channels is crucial to the launch success of specialty pharmaceuticals

Functional labels enhance patient safety and boost market access

February 18, 2009

Functional (“peel-off”) labels, common in Europe for injectables, represent a significant packaging improvement for safer and more efficient drug administration

Rethinking Sample Distribution

February 18, 2009

As the number of specific services associated with sample distribution has grown, so has the number of service providers a manufacturer might use. It’s time to think about consolidating these services

Limits on physician access for reps continue to tighten

February 16, 2009

Latest SK&A survey finds more requirements for appointments, and more ‘no-see’ offices

New cold-storage capacity for pharmaceuticals in Indiana

February 16, 2009

15,000-sq-ft facility adds to MD Logistics’ GMP capabilities

HealthBridge bulks up operations and compliance staff

February 16, 2009

Express Scripts subsidiary adds to pharma rep-sales support

FDA to require REMS of opioid-based drugs

February 16, 2009

Goal of risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) will be to reduce abuse and accidental overdosing; researchers devise an ‘abuse quotient’ for such drugs

Online social networks pose unique marketing opportunity

February 13, 2009

Drugmaker participation in physician communities requires a light touch

Check your luggage, then check your prescription at Philly airport

February 11, 2009

Opening marks the second of clinics planned for airports nationwide

ERP vendor adds lot-tracking to its supply-chain software

February 09, 2009

Meanwhile, GS1 UK touts the success of a recent track-and-trace pilot

Chapter closes on trial of Georgia distributor of knockoff branded products

February 05, 2009

Company imported knockoffs from Belize and sold them over the Internet

SAP Launches Business Suite 7.0 with a Modular Emphasis

February 05, 2009

Company foresees a ‘challenging’ 2009 business environment after reporting 19% revenue growth for 2008

Canada Strives for Commercial-free Drug Messaging

February 05, 2009

Province-wide pilot program to launch in spring

A REMS will be part of the expected launch of anti-epilepsy drug from Ovation Pharmaceutical

February 03, 2009

FDA specifies a patient registry and follow-up studies

Generics acceptance among consumers has zoomed, says Harris Poll

February 02, 2009

Beneficiaries include mass-market discount stores; chains and independents are suffering

The Rising Tide of Personalized Medicine

January 28, 2009

Targeted treatments for patients may yield economic benefit for payors as well as drug and diagnostics makers

Start-up Injects Automation into Sales Effort

January 28, 2009

CRM and analytics implementation to drive marketing consistency

Walgreens builds out its healthcare offerings to employers with 'Complete Care and Well-Being'

January 23, 2009

Program combines retail pharmacy, in-store and onsite clinics for employer health plans

Cell Phones and EDC Aid in Patient Outcome Reporting

January 19, 2009

Researchers find comparable effectiveness of self-reported outcomes via cell phones and paper questionnaires among osteoarthritis sufferers.

FDA proposes 'serialized NDC' codes for item-level pharmaceutical packaging

January 16, 2009

Agency follows through on steps toward a national standard for anticounterfeiting and product tracking

Eli Lilly and Cephalon Feel Qui Tam Sting

January 16, 2009

Price Tag Grows for Off-label Marketing

UPS strikes pioneering supply-chain deal with Merck

January 14, 2009

Big Brown will take over existing Merck distribution centers, absorbing them into its international healthcare logistics unit; Merck is also selling a lab to PPD

McKesson Launches RxOwnership.com to Assist Business and Career Planning for Independent Pharmacists

January 14, 2009

Online service adds to a range of support tools that McKesson offers

DHL opens first North American 'Life Science Competency Center' in Puerto Rico

January 14, 2009

Carolina, PR, site joins nine others in DHL’s global network

FDA Launches the

January 14, 2009

100 applicants are sought to join voluntary effort in promoting drug safety

Prescription Drug Sales Decline Foretells Shifting Regulatory/R&D Balance

January 10, 2009

But dark clouds for some have silver linings for others

Market Research Tool Predicts the Impacts of Multiple Product Launches

January 10, 2009

Modeling technique analyzes how order of entry and time to market affect sales

Winter Spawns Free Antibiotic Programs

January 08, 2009

Grocery stores fight big-box retailers by giving away generics

Key Account Management: A Win-Win Proposition for Pharmaceutical Companies and Their Major Customers

January 05, 2009

Reorganizing a sales force into key account teams requires more planning and coordination. Access to real-time account information enhances the team effort.

Cegedim Dendrite Tailors Software for Medical Science Liaisons

January 05, 2009

The key opinion leader/MSL relationship is the target