All News


i3_t-445563-1408673830358.jpg

Big Changes for USP

Feedback is urged on USP's proposed revisions to the General Notices.

i1-445551-1408673867971.jpg

Did you know that only one-third of prescribed pediatric drugs have been studied or labeled for pediatric use? The Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) was enacted in 2002 to improve this statistic by providing companies with six months of additional marketing exclusivity if they conduct pediatric trials. The Government Accountability Office recently issued a report that examined data from studies conducted between 2002 and 2005 for drugs specified by the US Food and Drug Administration under BPCA.

i4-445552-1408673866262.jpg

Supplier Woes

Production sometimes follows the law of supply and reprimand.

i1-445553-1408673862108.jpg

Washington, DC (June 25)-More than five million US adults import prescription drugs from other countries, two million of them without an official prescription, according to a survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Concerned about the number of counterfeit drugs entering the US, PhRMA launched the survey to determine who was importing prescription drugs and why.

The financial performance of the pharmaceutical majors was generally favorable through the first half of 2007, with most companies reporting moderate to double-digit growth. Industry leader Pfizer, however, reported a sales decline for the second quarter and flat revenues through the first half of 2007. Pfizer Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Kindler says the company remains committed to its plans for cost-cutting, more outsourcing, and increasing its position in biologics.

Rapid microbial testing in biopharmaceutical manufacturing is an important tool in potentially reducing process risk and manufacturing costs due to loss of production material. Amy McDaniel, associate director of the QC Microbial Science and Technology Department with Wyeth Biotech, discussed the company’s evaluation and implementation of rapid microbial testing at Wyeth’s facility in Andover, Massachusetts, at the Pharmaceutical Technology Annual Conference.

Although North America accounts for the largest share of the pharmaceutical market, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey are projected to account for almost one-fifth of the global market by 2020. The rising participation in select countries' drug-development activities is evident by recent investment and outsourcing by the pharmaceutical majors.