Business briefs: GSK, UCB, AZ, Biogen Idec, CVS, Roche, Forest
July 23, 2013
5:23 pm
China’s industry investigation widens beyond GlaxoSmithKline; PhRMA’s European equivalent rallies patient groups to fight transparency; Biogen Idec says a patient’s death is not linked to Tecfidera; parents swap walk-in clinics for office visit; Roche continues its CEO hunt; and Forest logs 6% sales growth.
Company news: PhRMA, Amgen
January 17, 2013
7:35 pm
PhRMA talks up industry pipeline, Amgen’s Aranesp fails to hit trial goals.
Congressional Republicans — and even a few Democrats — are pressing the attack on the Independent Payment Advisory Board for Medicare, a part of the Affordable Care Act opposed by both PhRMA and the AMA.
President’s budget would deal a wallop to biopharma wallets
President Obama’s proposed 2013 budget would mandate an estimated $156 billion in new rebates to low-income seniors through Medicare over the next decade – discounts that would come out of the pockets of drug companies and could cost tens of thousands of jobs, according to PhRMA.
To dial down DTC, let companies collaborate on ads, says ex-Merck exec
A former Merck exec says it’s time to wind down the DTC arms race by letting companies with brands in competitive categories collaborate on disease awareness advertising.
Business Roundtable chief to replace Tauzin at PhRMA
PhRMA named Business Roundtable chief John Castellani as its president and CEO, tapping a longtime trade association hand to replace former Congressional kingpin Billy Tauzin.
Billy Tauzin is stepping down as head of PhRMA amid speculation that the derailment of healthcare reform has empowered an anti-reform faction within the group. Tauzin, who has moved the group toward the Democrats and negotiated with the White House over the legislation, will leave PhRMA at the end of June.
The top Republican in the House of Representatives accused PhRMA of “appeasing” the Obama administration, which he cast as a bully who “asks for your lunch money.” PhRMA responded that its pro-reform campaign is “absolutely consistent with our core principles.”
The first execution in PhRMA’s promised pro-health reform campaign — a $12 million TV spot aimed at communicating how the legislation will impact individuals — airs today