The weight of evidence – the stories that changed pharma in 2004

January 4, 2005
Research and Development 2004, Vioxx, year in review

Ticking time bombsIn 2004, countries around the world faced up to some home truths about the health of their populations …

Zocor and the high street revolution

January 4, 2005
Sales and Marketing

It’s an exciting time for consumer healthcare divisions in the pharma industry. Two years ago, the Department of Health (DH) …

Advert exaggerated Plavix benefits

January 4, 2005
Medical Communications

An advert for anti-clotting drug Plavix has been found in breach of advertising rules because of exaggerated claims of efficacy …

Yamanouchi to launch prostate cancer drug Eligard

December 30, 2004
Sales and Marketing

A new treatment for advanced prostate cancer, Eligard, has received approval in 24 European countries and will be marketed by …

Avandia advert hypertension claims ‘misleading’

December 30, 2004
Sales and Marketing

Claims that GlaxoSmithKline's diabetes drugs Avandia and Avandamet help to significantly lower blood pressure broke the UK Code of advertising, …

Personalised medicine moves a step closer

December 30, 2004
Research and Development, Sales and Marketing

Doctors will be able to use genetic information to determine the best drug dosage for individual patients following approval of …

Trial data sounds death knell for Iressa

December 21, 2004
Sales and Marketing

AstraZeneca has effectively given up on its cancer drug Iressa, admitting that data from a new large scale trial shows …

FDA recommends alternatives following Celebrex scare

December 21, 2004
Sales and Marketing

A new study linking Celebrex to the same increased risk of heart attacks and strokes as recently withdrawn Vioxx has …

AstraZeneca looks to Iressa successor after setback

December 16, 2004
Research and Development

AstraZeneca says it is optimistic about two of its most advanced cancer pipeline drugs, which it hopes will  offset a …

Restructured Takeda to go it alone on hypertension drug

December 16, 2004

Takeda is to assume full control of marketing hypertension drug candesartan in the UK from January, ending a seven-year collaboration …

Payments by Results could bankrupt hospitals, say doctors’ leaders

December 16, 2004

NHS hospitals that fail to attract patients could become bankrupt under the Payments by Results system, doctors' leaders have warned.Due …

Academics raise alarm over trial costs

December 15, 2004

Leading UK academic researchers say extra costs and bureaucracy from new European laws are killing off their work, and have …

Taking the plunge

December 10, 2004

When prompted to do some forward thinking, I often start by looking back. In 1999 I was an evangelist for …

Bextra to carry new safety warnings in US

December 10, 2004

Pfizer’s painkiller Bextra will have to carry stronger warnings in the US about increased risk of potentially fatal skin reactions …

inChord buys Junction 11 advertising agency

December 10, 2004
Medical Communications Junction 11, comms, inVentiv Health

 Global healthcare communications company inChord Communications has expanded its European base by buying the UK Junction 11 agency.inChord has its …

Chiron manufacturing ban extended

December 10, 2004

Chiron is facing a further three-month ban on vaccine production at its Liverpool factory, after problems were first detected by …

Efexor singled out in antidepressant safety review

December 7, 2004

A long-awaited investigation into the safety of modern antidepressants has concluded that the SSRI class of drugs is safe, but …

The Gateway to Local Adoption Series

Latest content