Merck may have to wait until 2013 before the FDA reconsiders approval of its cholesterol drug known as Cordaptive (MK-0524A).

A proposal by the American Medical Association's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) calling for the elimination of commercial sponsorship of medical education was referred back to the council, effectively tabling it for the year.

Harvard researchers failed to report pharmaceutical company incomes, a possible violation of university rules and federal law. The story was first reported on Sunday, in the New York Times.

GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) experimental drug Promacta (eltrombopag) failed to significantly lower bleeding in patients with the rare blood disorder it was designed to treat, the FDA said.

Merck has agreed to submit all TV ads to the FDA before running them and to adhere to agency recommendations on them as part of a Vioxx-related settlement.

New York Gov. David Paterson is proposing legislation that would impose a ban on gifts to doctors and require physicians making presentations at CME events to disclose any financial relationships with drug companies.

Sens. Grassley (R-IA) and Kohl (D-WI) released a somewhat softer version of their Physician Payments Sunshine Act while praising Eli Lilly & Co. for endorsing the legislation.

Pfizer followed Eli Lilly's lead in posting a list of $10 million in grants and charitable contributions the company made to US medical, scientific and patient organizations during the first quarter of 2008 as "part of an ongoing drive throughout the company to increase transparency."

Merck said today that the FDA has granted priority review status to the company's supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Gardasil (human papillomavirus quadrivalent) for use in women aged 27 through 45.

FDA deputy commissioner Janet Woodcock will return to the role of permanent director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research following a "national search" to fill the slot.