According to reports, the axe is coming down all over the pharma world on research and development projects that are not yielding immediate results.
AstraZeneca(Atacand, Crestor), GlaxoSmithKline (Advair, Boniva) and Pfizer (Benadryl, Lipitor) have all already begun to scrap projects, while others like Sanofi-Aventis (Allegra, Plavix) are about to pick up the trend and start [...]

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Are you one of millions of people battling some type of hair loss? More than half of males experience some degree of male pattern baldness by age 50, but even women and children can experience unwanted hair loss. There are more options than ever before to treat hair loss — such as herbal treatments, scalp [...]

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A diagnosis of high cholesterol can be intimidating, but there is a lot you can do to control this condition. In addition to modifying your diet and upping your exercise, the addition of a HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor — a class of drugs commonly called “statins” — can safely and effectively lower your cholesterol. (HMG-CoA Reductase [...]

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Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, will pay a record $2.3bn (£1.4bn) civil and criminal penalty over unlawful prescription drug promotions, the US Justice Department announced today.
The department said the $2.3bn settlement included a $1.2bn criminal fine, the largest criminal fine in US history. The agreement also included a criminal forfeiture of $105m.
Hat Tip to [...]

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It’s no secret that Americans pay far more for prescription drugs than consumers in any other country in the developed world. Most European countries impose price controls on Big Pharma that keep their prescription drug prices to less than two-thirds of what Americans pay.
Obviously, Big Pharma doesn’t want that happening here — which may [...]

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The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), last week issued a fascinating survey of teens. Two results stood out to me:
1. Teens (aged 12 to 17) indicated, for the first time, that it is easier to acquire “prescription drugs such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin or Ritalin, without a prescription” [...]

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For about a year and half now, Dr. Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart, has been a paid endorser for the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor. Pfizer keeps using Jarvik despite his being branded a “fop” who goes over like a lead balloon by the all-powerful John Mack. He’s also been called “Gollum-y” by [...]

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Sermo, the online physician community, announced it will be collaborating with Pfizer to
Discover, with physicians, how best to transform the way medical information is exchanged in the fast-moving social media environment
Create an open and transparent discussion with physicians through the innovative channel offered by online exchange
Engage with the FDA to define [...]

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Pfizer CEO Jeff Kindler has finally thrown out the Exubera baby with the bong water, saying, “We made an important decision regarding Exubera, a product for which we initially had high expectations. Despite our best efforts, Exubera has failed to gain the acceptance of patients and physicians. We have therefore concluded that further investment [...]

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Lord knows there are tons of Star Wars fans out there who would give their collector lightsabers and Darth Vader helmets to have a close encounter with a Wookiee — but it turns out all you need is a fungal infection and a prescription for Pfizer’s Vfend.
From CNBC:
At a scientific conference in Chicago this [...]

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