THE second part of Frontline's interview with David Baltimore, the reputed American biologist and Nobel laureate, includes a discussion on a wide range of issues including his own research; funding in health-related research and development; the "moral conundrum' of high investments in product development by drug companies versus making drugs …
AnemiaA federal advisory panel, in response to mounting safety concerns, called on Thursday for additional restrictions on the use of anemia drugs by cancer patients. The recommendation by a committee that advises the Food and Drug Administration could lead to an additional decline in sales for the drugs: Aranesp, made …
With the Union Health Ministry setting its sights on establishing a comprehensive vaccine manufacturing unit with World Health Organisation's licence, the three oldest government vaccine manufacturing units in the country have stopped production. Pasteur Institute, Coonoor, Udhagamandalam; BCG Vaccine Laboratory, Chennai; and Central Research Institute, Kasauli, Uttar Pradesh, have stopped …
Dabur Pharma gained 4.78 per cent to Rs 55.65 after the company received approval to sell the irinotecan hydrochloride injection in Italy and Denmark. Irinotecan hydrochloride injection is the generic version of Pfizer's Camptosar. On BSE, 38,323 shares were traded on the counter. The scrip had an average daily volume …
With federal drug regulators planning another meeting on Thursday to weigh the safety of widely used anemia drugs, Dr. Athanasius Anagnostou resists any urge to say "I told you so.' But in 1990 Dr. Anagnostou published some of the first evidence suggesting that Amgen's then brand-new anemia drug, Epogen, might …
Thailand's new government will override international patents on three cancer drugs, Chaiya Sasomsap, the new health minister said yesterday, after a month of protests against his review of the policy. Mr Chaiya said declaring compulsory licences on the drugs would save Thailand more than Bt3bn ($95m,
What do many pharmaceutical companies across the world do when the number of new molecules that get past human clinical trials and the regulatory approval process is in steady decline? They cash in on drugs that manage to pass all the hurdles and milk them even after the patent expires …
Shimla: Unchecked over-the-counter sale of globally banned veterinary drug diclofenac in Himachal Pradesh has put a question mark on the government's effort in phasing out the drug that has been proven fatal for the endangered vulture. After a steep fall in vulture count, which was related to use of diclofenac …
The Assam government on Thursday banned clinical trials on humans of a genetically engineered vaccine developed by Dhaniram Baruah, a cardiac surgeon from the State. He claimed that the vaccine corrected genetic defects causing heart diseases and diabetes and even prevented cancer. Dr. Baruah was jailed by the State government …
A drug used for the treatment of acne offers hope to patients of Japanese encephalitis, a viral disease with no specific treatment and a high mortality rate. The dreaded disease claimed 26 lives in the state last year. A study, conducted at the National Brain Research Centre in Manesar, Haryana, …
The government is planning to issue an advisory to drug companies if they do not pass on the excise duty benefit to the consumer. The advisory may be in the form of guidelines issued to companies that they must reduce drug prices by 4-5%, taking into account the Budget proposals. …
Indians, regardless of their body weight, have cells that are more resistant to insulin, a reason that makes them more prone to type 2 diabetes, says a new study. In a study published in the March issue of
The International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) has signed an agreement with pharmaceutical company Pfizer under which the pharma major will give IPM a royalty-free license to use maraviroc, its newly approved HIV treatment, as a microbicide for the prevention of HIV infection. Maraviroc is one of a new class of …
Mumbai-based Sun Pharmaceuticals has filed a post-grant opposition with the Mumbai patent office against a product patent granted to the extended release version of Johnson and Johnson's (J&J;) blockbuster drug Risperdal, used in the treatment of psychological disorders and schizophrenia. Risperdal, with the molecular name risperidone, is the second-largest selling …
Even as India is fast turning into the diabetes capital of the world, multinational drug companies are busy patenting new-generation diabetes medicines for exclusive marketing rights in the country. The Indian Patent Office has already awarded patents to at least three such products, say patent experts. Though the immediate impact …
For years the global malaria effort has been asking for more resources.Now the field needs to figure out a systematic strategy for spending the money effectively.
R&D; is a fast evolving segment of Indian pharmaceutical industry. Innovation, international partnerships, collaborations, inflow of funds, clinical trials partnerships and co-development deals are changing the landscape of R&D.; However, the potential is far greater and to aid the harnessing of this potential, the Times Group organised the ET Bio-Pharma …
With 1.67 million cases of malaria and around 1,000 deaths last year, the government has changed the drug policy and directed states from January this year to introduce the ACT (artesunate and sulpha pyrimethamine) combination as the first line of anti-malarial drug treatment in chloroquine-resistant areas. Dr G S Sonal, …
In a step that may result in far-reaching consequences, groups of doctors from around the world have voiced serious concern over prescription of drugs that are derived from animal extracts. In a conference held by Jain Doctors' Federation (JDF) last week, a large number of doctors vouched to minimize prescription …
