MUMBAI (Reuters)—The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has subpoenaed India’s largest drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. seeking information about the pricing and marketing of the generic drugs it sells in the U.S., the company said on Saturday. The DOJ’s antitrust division has also asked Sun Pharma’s U.S. unit for documents related to employee and corporate records…
Roche & Novartis Face Off in Biosimilar Drug Battle
ZURICH (Reuters)—Switzerland’s biggest drugmakers are clashing over cheaper copies of pricey biotech drugs—one reason why Novartis is considering selling its $14 billion stake in cross-town rival Roche. With a copycat of Roche’s blood cancer drug Rituxan (rituximab) pending European approval, Novartis aims to muscle in on a share of sales that last year hit 7…
Drug Company Gifts Linked to Doctors’ Prescribing Habits
(Reuters Health)—Doctors who receive payments or gifts from pharmaceutical companies are more likely to prescribe brand name medications, a new study suggests. Dr. James Yeh, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues write May 9 online in JAMA Internal Medicine that some states require doctors to report what they receive from drug companies….
Inefficient Prescribing Costs Billions of Healthcare Dollars
(Reuters Health)—In the U.S. between 2010 and 2012, nearly $73 billion was spent on brand name medications instead of less expensive alternatives, according to a new study. A large portion of that money was spent by patients, the researchers found. “Prescription drug prescribing during the time of this paper was not efficient and still isn’t…
U.S. Appeals Court Ruling May Clear Barrier to Generic OxyContin
(Reuters)—A federal appeals court ruled Monday that four patents related to Purdue Pharma’s painkiller OxyContin are invalid, potentially bringing Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and others a step closer to introducing generic versions of the drug. Privately owned, Connecticut-based Purdue had sued Teva, Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Epic Pharma after they sought approval from the U.S. Food…
Docs & Patients Should Remember to Use Generics
(Reuters Health)—Prescribing generic medicines instead of brand name drugs whenever possible cuts costs, improves patient adherence and improves health outcomes, according to a new recommendation from the American College of Physicians. “Generic medications are cheaper and patients are more likely to get those prescriptions filled,” says Dr. Amir Qaseem of the American College of Physicians,…
U.S. Drug Benefit Managers Clamp Down on Specialty Pharmacies
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters)—In recent days, the largest U.S. managers of private prescription drug benefits have cut off at least eight pharmacies that work closely with drugmakers, intensifying scrutiny of a system that helps inflate drug prices, officials at the benefit managers told Reuters. The terminations come from payers who together manage drug benefits for…
South Korea Okays First Officially Approved Monoclonal Antibody for RA
11 Products Looking for U.S. Marketing Nod