Pharmaceutical Commerce - May 2009

Merrion Pharma announces good Phase II results at ASCO meeting

First decline since Armstrong & Associates began tracking the industry in 1996

Compliance jumps over last year’s top issue, competitive pressure, among healthcare supply-chain decisionmakers

New IDC study finds that Oracle is the now the top life-sciences IT vendor; meanwhile, are there ‘demons’ in the pharma supply chain?

The marketplace requirements for sales force structures are changing faster than the industry is evolving

Coming off a record-setting year, ABC stresses growth in generics, and services revolving around specialty pharmaceuticals

War-gaming analyst picks the drug distributor over Microsoft, Allscripts and other EMR players

States pile on rules; industry wishes for consistency

Effective integration of a company’s contract strategy with operations can have a big impact on financial performance

While drug spending by clients averaged 3.3% last year, higher spending growth is predicted for the next three years

Evidence Generation Is the Foundation to Optimal Product Positioning

Private and public sectors can collaborate to achieve meaningful reform

More so than other classes of drugs, making choices about drugs for mental health conditions require everyone around the patient to be well informed

While storm clouds gather over pharma sales activities, marketers look to e-sampling as a potential alternative

States continue to push for a ‘bio-economic’ foundation

Deals illustrate big pharma’s growing reliance on formerly eschewed market sectors

New metrics to factor into drug approvals

Poor reconciliation of chargebacks, plus faulty product-returns crediting, are the sources, says Health Industry Insights. Product serialization will provide invaluable tools, but industry shouldn’t wait for widespread adoption

Cigna and Merck sign “unique” contract for Januvia and Janumet diabetes meds

Medco and Indiana Univ. study patient health records

Web-based strategies seen as cost-effective in survey

Unfair competition accusations accompany revenue rise

Meanwhile, new report counts low- and medium-access physicians

Product demand driven by mass media hype

Medical and economic results from Diabetes Ten City Challenge show significant benefits in patient health, lower healthcare costs—and higher pharmaceutical usage

Golden State Medical isn’t waiting until 2015 for item-level serialization

GS1’s EPCIS communication standard might play in shipment tracking

Pharma deals buck general industry trend in US