Hours before the expiration of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, the Senate approved legislation renewing the program and giving the FDA new powers to police drug safety, thus averting imminent FDA layoffs.

A task force convened by New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram was scheduled to meet yesterday to explore the issue of pharma gift-giving to physicians.

New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg have filed a joint lawsuit against Merck, alleging the drugmaker misrepresented the cardiovascular risks associated with its Vioxx painkiller.

Sanofi-Aventis agreed to pay $182.8 million plus interest to resolve lawsuits under the federal Claims Act relating to Anzemet and involving predecessor company Aventis Pharmaceuticals.

A doctor who leaked confidential information about Eli Lillys antipsychotic medication Zyprexa has agreed to terms of a financial settlement with the drugmaker, The New York Times reports.

Merck scored a major legal victory yesterday when New Jerseys Supreme Court rejected a class action lawsuit against the company over its withdrawn pain medication Vioxx.

A US judge has ruled that Novartis Pharmaceuticals will have to defend itself against sex-discrimination claims brought by a group of female sales reps in a $100 million class-action lawsuit.

Three firms are challenging Maine and Vermont over new state laws that restrict the collection and disclosure of physician prescribing information.

Pfizer will look to re-submit corrections to its US Lipitor patent after the US Patent and Trademark Office rebuffed an initial attempt.

As the FDA keeps up the pressure on marketers for making unsubstantiated claims in their professional promotions, a Pfizer legal expert says companies may be able to avoid such notices by supporting all advertising claims with substantial evidence.