Uncertain times and future hopes - rounding up 2008
This year began with a new government, continued with PBS reform, ended with an economic crisis and saw more than a few company restructures along the way. We sum up 2008 and look forward to 2009 » more
Finance bureaucrats are taking months to comb through funding submissions already approved by the PBAC leaving patients and sponsors asking, 'Why the delay?'
» full report
MA Chairman, Will Delaat, has used an address to the National Press Club to drive home his message to government that further PBS cuts would be bad for patients and industry alike » full report
The ANZ Clinical Trials Registry is being ignored by major pharma companies with the result that up to 90% of the Australian arms of some companies' trials are unregistered here » full report
Post-market study requirements imposed on CSL by the US Food and Drug Administration are pushing up the company's costs by $20 to $30 million a year » full report
A proposal for private hospitals to go "prescriptionless" when dispensing PBS medicines is among a number of suggestions for improving PBS operations released last week » full report
A plan by Woolworths to roll out unit pricing for medicines sold in supermarkets has potential to mislead consumers, says Reckitt Benckiser MD, Lindsay Forrest » full report
Sydney's Woolcock Institute is testing the Bayer testosterone product Reandron as a potential treatment for male obesity in what it says is a world's first weight loss trial » full report
Although most PBS reforms are now well in place, price disclosure remains a 'work in progress' according to the head of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Division in the Department of Health » full report
The National Prescribing Service has warned doctors of potential confusion among tramadol brands following the launch of DuroTram XR from iNova » full report
People in Pharma
New MA board members, Liebelt goes consulting
Medicines Australia has two new female board members and former senior GSK staffer Tom Liebelt has opened his own consultancy » full report
Your people moves
Nothing interests people in pharma more than what people in pharma are doing and where they're heading. Click here to spread your news » full report
This week we again report on the extended delays to PBS listings of cancer drugs arising from the Cabinet approval process. The issue is an important one for many reasons but at bottom, while Finance Department bureaucrats comb through submissions already passed by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, patients die
» full report
