Pharmalot... Pharmalittle... Good Morning

Hello, everyone, and how are you today? Once again, a shiny sun is hovering over the Pharmalot corporate campus where, surprisingly, things are rather quiet this morning. However, we have a very long to-do list that will keep us busy all day. So to fortify ourselves, yes, we are brewing that mandatory cup of stimulation. But we also plan to take a midday constitutional (otherwise known as a stroll) to recharge. Hope you get to do the same. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits to get you going. Have a successful day and do stay in touch...

FDA May Take More Time To Review Pfizer's Tofacitinib (Dow Jones)

Hospira Resumes Production At Key Plant (Reuters)

Former Teva CEO Was Victim Of 'Medical Negligence' (Israel HaYom)

Icahn Gets Support For Two Forest Board Nominees (Pharma Times)

Price Of Life-Saving Allergy Meds Has Spiked (Reuters)

Bayer Guilty Of Breaching ABPI Codes (InPharma)

Dr. Reddy's Reopens Mexico Plant (InPharma Technologist)

Shire Calms Investor Jitters About Rival ADHD Drugs (Reuters)

Holzyme Stock Sinks After FDA Seeks More Data (Pharma Times)

Natco Fights Bristol-Myers Over Patent In India (Times of India)

Michigan Bill Would Remove Pharma Immunity From Lawsuits (WABC)

Clinical Trial Drug Contributed To Man's Death (New Zealand Herald)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please check this post for updates during the day

tea kettle thx to mirahartford on flickr

7 Comments

Aug 2, 2012 - 9:01am
Mr Ed: The forecast for mid-day in your area is more suited to "accelerated stability studies" than a joyful stroll! HYDRATE - HYDATE - HYDRATE .... But better today than FRI I suppose?
Aug 2, 2012 - 10:01am
Based on the incidence of annual ER admissions for anaphylaxis and percentage of US population testing positive for one or more allergens, there is only a 1/3000 chance of an allergy sufferer ever needing to use the epipen in a given year. Point is that the device will be used rarely if ever. That may be why the price has gone up-more and more patients trying to beat the odds and not buying the epi.
Aug 2, 2012 - 2:58pm
Nice to know that there is occasional press interest in Michigan'a law, but it is inaccurate from the headline down. MI does't give "some" immunity from lawsuits over FDA-approved drugs, it gives total, without exception protection. While the law was written to suggest there might be exceptions, the reality is that there has been no instance in the last 30 years that meet the "exceptions" written into MI's law. They all depend on circumstances that never happen and could never happen. Even DDL and other industry defenders have called Michigan the number one "judicial hellhole" for _plaintiffs_.

In the current political environment, there is essentially zero chance that our law would be rescinded. Some of us who have been involved in the issue for a decade or longer are working on new language that would at least open up a small window for civil justice.

Aug 2, 2012 - 8:21pm
JiM, my remedy? As the old time ad solgan goes "Escape to Wisconsin".
Aug 3, 2012 - 1:33pm
@Justice in MI - or maybe try the Michigan cases in Pakistan...?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistans-supreme-court-strikes-down-law-aimed-at-protecting-premier-from-contempt-charge/2012/08/03/6723cabc-dd5f-11e1-8ad1-909913931f71_story.html

You wrote, "MI does’t give “some” immunity from lawsuits over FDA-approved drugs, it gives total, without exception protection."

This immunity "act" is NOT something that even fits the very definition of law. First, it is merciless. Then it is absolutist.

It's a psychotic "act", not a LAW..

Aug 3, 2012 - 1:52pm
Dz to use your Pakistan analogy why don't we legalize waterboarding in Michigan and save money on trying those evil pharma guys.
Aug 3, 2012 - 5:04pm
@oii - you mean waterboard the pharma guys who waterboard the desperately sick in their time of need and call that "research"?

That might be a little too "fair", ethically speaking....won't happen if it's "fair"...