The prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases is becoming an increasingly important consideration in global health initiatives.

The growth in pharmaceutical outsourcing is creating a more complex and risky supply-chain environment, according to a report issued last week.

sanofi acquires BMP Sunstone; DCAT Names President; and More.

Pfizer (New York) announced on Oct. 29, 2010 that it intends to recall two additional lots--approximately 38,000 bottles--of Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) 40 mg tablets distributed in the United States.

From fiscal year 2007 to 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration increased the number of foreign drug inspections it conducted, but the agency still conducted fewer foreign inspections than domestic inspections each year, according to a recent report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).

FDA Holds Biosimilars Public Hearing

USP is working to ensure quality standards and to increase public information.

IP rights and levels of innovation have opened a bit of controversy regarding decisions being made by Indian courts and legislators.

As technology advances, industry's needs are growing.

Drug manufacturers have to be more than just "audit ready."

Remaining calm, cool, and collected during mergers and inspections is a feat in itself.

Merck and AstraZeneca Tackle Cervical Cancer and Tuberculosis.

Connecting science and policy might increase support for innovation.

There has been increasing cooperation between the EMA and the FDA in recent years, and this looks set to continue in the future.

The UK's coalition government has unveiled its spending review and it's good news for the life sciences sector, which has been allocated annual public funding of £4.46 billion ($7 billion) until 2014/2015.

A European pilot initiative will test the impact of consultations with a number of stakeholders such as patient representatives and payers on early stage drug development.

PPD and Bend Research Form Collaboration; Ricerca Makes Senior Appointment; And More.

The US Food and Drug Administration issued a draft guidance last week on the Qualification Process for Drug Development Tools.

Genzyme has outlined why it believes sanofi-aventis's tender offer of $69 per share "dramatically undervalues the company" and why a price of $89 per share would be more reflective of the company's true value.

The US Pharmacopeia (USP) has announced two new collaborations.

Puerto Rico's Governor Luis Fortuno unveiled a fiscal reform package in Puerto Rico this week as part of economic development and budget-deficit reduction plan for the commonwealth.

A European pilot initiative will test the impact of consultations with a number of stakeholders such as patient representatives and payers on early-stage drug development.

Pfizer Forms Pact with Biocon; Baxter Makes Appointments; And More.

During Oct. 5-12, 2010, more than 40 countries cooperated in an international week of action to combat the online sale of counterfeit and illegal drugs and to raise awareness of their associated health risks.

Presentations Available from ICH Quality Workshops

The European Generic medicines Association (EGA) has made a number of recommendations on how to ensure the quality of medicines in the globalized supply chain; in particular, the EGA spoke about API quality and quality supervision, and how these can be improved by transparent communication between authorities and industry.

The US Food and Drug Administration has posted on its website the minutes of the PDUFA V reauthorizaton stakeholder meeting.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has provided further details concerning its new unit dedicated to rare diseases, which was launched in February.