pharma
Heart disease controls often skipped in diabetes care
While patients well understand high blood glucose can lead to ugly complications like blindness and kidney failure, few recognize that keeping cholesterol and blood pressure low are equally critical... Read more...
L.A. groups plan for emergency pharma distribution
A set of pharma trade groups have set up a coalition that will help areas like New Orleans be better prepared to distribute medications in the event of an emergency. The effort involves setting up a... Read more...
Johnson & Johnson sues Red Cross over logo
Pharma heavyweight Johnson & Johnson has sued the American Red Cross for the non-profit's decision to license its distinctive logo to for-profit companies that sell medical equipment. JNJ has had... Read more...
Law would make pharmas reveal MD payments
The brouhaha over pharmaceutical companies' payments to doctors is making some big waves in... Read more...
SPOTLIGHT: 10 ways to reform drug advertising
Sure, pharma advertising has a score of critics. But what should pharmaceutical companies do, realistically, to respond to the criticism? Here are 10 suggestions from BrandweekRX blogger Jim... Read more...
Time to take on the drug samples problem
Time to take on the drug samples problem
So yet another institution probably will lower the boom …
U of Pitt Med Center plans drug, device gift ban
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is poised to implement a new policy banning physicians and other employees from accepting virtually any type of pharma or device-maker freebies. If it moves ahead, UPMC would join a growing list of academic medical centers and other facilities that have instituted tight controls on such gifts. Employees and physicians who break the rules could face written reprimands and even loss of hospital privileges.
To address concerns raised …
Congress debates pharma gift disclosure
While state efforts to require disclosure of pharma gifts to doctors have proven a bit, well, wobbly, federal legislation is still on the table.
Yesterday, members of Congress were discussing just such a measure--a national registry that would publicize the value of gifts and payments to physicians. The hearing, before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, was tagged "Paid to Prescribe?"
At the hearing, chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wisc) cited a study published by The New …
... Read more...Psychiatrists getting largest pharma gifts
It looks like psychiatrists are getting the most love from pharmaceutical companies, a relationship which critics say could be behind the increasing use of costly atypical antipsychotic drugs for children.
As states begin to track pharma gifts to doctors, psychiatrists are increasingly coming up as top beneficiaries for pharma payments. In Vermont, for example, pharma payments to psychiatrists more than doubled last year, hitting $45,692 per individual, up from $20,835 in 2005. …
... Read more...NY bill would require pharmas to report MD gifts
Momentum seems to be building for a New York state bill which would require drug makers to report when they give doctors gifts valued at over $75. This week, a wide range of physician and consumer groups expressed support for the measure, including the AARP, National Physicians Alliance, Center for Medical Consumers and Consumer Reports publisher Consumers Union. The bill targets the $7 billion per year pharmas spend in physician gifts, which includes everything from meals, trips and …
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