The new coalition government has reinterated its preelection promise to give patients access to expensive cancer treatments after NICE rejected a drug for liver cancer for use on the NHS because of cost-effectiveness.
BMJ 2010;340:c2832
The direct cost of medicalisation of diseases such as anxiety disorders, behavioural disorders, body image, erectile dysfunction, infertility, obesity and sleep disorders has been found to be $77.1 billion per year in the US.
BMJ 2010;340:c2779
Former Roche employee is questioning the drug marketing of oseltamivir (tamiflu) to businesses in order to promote business continuity. He claims that there was no effort to speak only to healtcare professionals, as the law requires for prescription drugs.
BMJ 2010; 340:c2805
India and Brazil have filed complaints that in 2008 and 2009 EU customs authorities seized consignments of generic drugs on the grounds that the shipments were thought to infringe patent rights. Drugs that were seized included antiretroviral abacavir from India, bought on behalf of UNITAID and destined for Nigeria; olanzapine destined for Peru; losartan destined for Brazil and clopidogrel destined for Colombia.
BMJ 2010; 340: c2672
AstraZenica has agreed to pay $520m to settle allegations that it had marketed quetiapine for unapproved off-label uses. AstraZenica denied wrongdoing but signed the civil settlement with the US Department of Justice. AstraZenica was charged with the off-label advertising to doctors for aggression, Alzheimer’s, anger management, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disease, dementia, depression, mood disorders, PTSD and sleeplessness.
BMJ 2010; 340: c2380
The EU’s environment and public health committee is backing moves to tackle criminals exploiting gaps in current legislation. The new measures are likely to be approved by parliament in July and then will need to be approved by the 27 EU governments.
BMJ 2010; 340:c2425
New BMA guidance advises that medical students should not accept gifts from pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical Marketing and Medical Students warns that medical students may cope less well with marketing techniques than qualified doctors. It also encourages medical students to develop critical appraisal skills. Read the full guidance at www.bma.org.uk/education.
The US council of Medical Specialty Societies is calling on all medical societies to sign a code of ethics that would set standards for their relations with drug companies. 13 of the council’s 32 member societies have already signed up.
BMJ 2010;340:c2246
EU law is not contravened by NHS schemes that offer financial incentives to prescribe cheaper generic drugs. The judges ruled that NHS schemes are compatible with law as doctors are obliged to prescribe in patients best interests and therefore will not be swayed by financial incentives.
BMJ 2010;340:c2232
A free trade agreement is being negotiated between India and the EU which could restrict access to generic drugs in the developing world. MSF outlines that India is the source of 80% of antiretrovirals in developing countries. The draft agreement would strengthen intellectual property and enforcement, making access to affordable ARVs much more difficult.
BMJ 2010;340:c2309
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