Pharmaceutical Commerce - January/February 2009

Dataset has ‘exclusive’ source, the ArcLight consortium

Program combines retail pharmacy, in-store and onsite clinics for employer health plans

HDMA’s educational arm has new chair, vice chair

FDA specifies a patient registry and follow-up studies

Delta Air backs away from prohibiting battery-powered temperature sensors in temperature-controlled pharma shipping

Big Brown will take over existing Merck distribution centers, absorbing them into its international healthcare logistics unit; Merck is also selling a lab to PPD

Financial and business changes are driving an evolution in channel management strategies

New Deloitte study finds “profound” positive and negative ROIs for combined therapies and diagnostics based on genetics

Collaboration has multiple designs for prefilled and other syringes in the works

FDA’s management of drug and device safety enters GAO’s biennial watch list

iMedicor offers physician education, EMR file transfers and community services

It has been said that one should never miss an opportunity to make the most of a crisis. The steady stream of headlines announcing staff cuts, delays in drug approvals and a narrowing of R&D focus for pharmaceutical and biotech companies indicate there will be no shortage of opportunities in 2009.

‘Ultra-orphan’ diseases will alter the specialty distribution process

Establishing appropriate trade channels is crucial to the launch success of specialty pharmaceuticals

Functional (“peel-off”) labels, common in Europe for injectables, represent a significant packaging improvement for safer and more efficient drug administration

As the number of specific services associated with sample distribution has grown, so has the number of service providers a manufacturer might use. It’s time to think about consolidating these services

Latest SK&A survey finds more requirements for appointments, and more ‘no-see’ offices

15,000-sq-ft facility adds to MD Logistics’ GMP capabilities

Express Scripts subsidiary adds to pharma rep-sales support

Goal of risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) will be to reduce abuse and accidental overdosing; researchers devise an ‘abuse quotient’ for such drugs

Drugmaker participation in physician communities requires a light touch

Opening marks the second of clinics planned for airports nationwide

Meanwhile, GS1 UK touts the success of a recent track-and-trace pilot

Company imported knockoffs from Belize and sold them over the Internet

Company foresees a ‘challenging’ 2009 business environment after reporting 19% revenue growth for 2008

Province-wide pilot program to launch in spring

FDA specifies a patient registry and follow-up studies

Beneficiaries include mass-market discount stores; chains and independents are suffering

Targeted treatments for patients may yield economic benefit for payors as well as drug and diagnostics makers