Medical
Trial Begins In Arkansas Over Anti-Psychotic Drug
March 27, 2012 2:18 pm | by Allen Reed, Associated Press | News | CommentsAn attorney has asked jurors to hold a J&J subsidiary financially liable for allegedly concealing risks associated with its anti-psychotic drug Risperdal.
Ala. Judge Sets Trial Dates For Suits Over Chantix
March 27, 2012 9:41 am | News | CommentsThe first two trials of more than 2,400 lawsuits nationwide accuse the drug, which was made by Pfizer, of causing the patient to commit suicide.
FDA Outlines MAP Inc. Drug Issues
March 27, 2012 9:28 am | News | CommentsThe FDA asked the Mountain View, Calif.-based company to address "observations from a recent facility inspection of a third party manufacturer."
Bausch & Lomb To Buy Ista Pharma For $500M
March 27, 2012 9:13 am | News | CommentsEye-health company Bausch & Lomb plans to buy eye-drug maker Ista Pharmaceuticals Inc. for about $500 million in cash.
Device Maker Biomet Paying $22.7M For Bribery
March 26, 2012 2:38 pm | News | CommentsThe Warsaw, Ind.-based medical device maker won't be prosecuted by the Justice Department if it institutes strict internal controls to prevent bribery.
Covidien Buying Newport Medical Instruments
March 23, 2012 9:08 am | News | CommentsIrish drug and medical device maker Covidien PLC said it is buying ventilator maker Newport Medical Instruments Inc. for about $108 million.
Lawmakers: Fake Pharmacies Price Gouging On Drugs
March 22, 2012 9:18 am | by Linda A. Johnson, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsMembers of Congress say these groups are playing a "shell game" — to make money by taking advantage of the drug shortage crisis.
Medical Product Company To Bring Auburn 300 Jobs
March 21, 2012 9:56 am | News | CommentsSiO2 Medical Products is investing $90 million in the Alabama plant, which will make products for the biological drugs industry.
MIT: Continuous Drug Manufacturing Offers Speed, Lower Costs
March 20, 2012 10:49 am | by Anne Trafton, MIT News | News | CommentsInstead of manufacturing drugs using a conventional batch-based system, MIT and Novartis envisioned a continuous manufacturing process, all done in one location, which would cut down on time and cost.
Covidien Buying superDimension For About $300M
March 19, 2012 9:12 am | News | CommentsIrish medical device and drug maker agreed to buy Israel-based superDimension Ltd. for about $300 million initially plus possible future payments.
J&J CEO Get Raise To $21.6M Despite Recalls
March 14, 2012 3:09 pm | by Linda A. Johnson, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsWilliam Weldon, who will step down next month after a decade as CEO, oversaw about 30 product recalls since 2009, which cost about $1 billion.
FTC Asks Roche For Details On Illumina Offer
March 14, 2012 9:26 am | News | CommentsIllumina's board unanimously turned down Roche's hostile takeover offer last month, saying it was "grossly inadequate."
FDA Panel Supports Continued Testing Of Pain Drugs
March 13, 2012 9:28 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsDrugmakers tout the nerve growth factor inhibitors as a breakthrough for treating chronic pain, but those in previous studies reported bone decay and joint failure.
British Doctors Urge Against Metal Hip Joints
March 13, 2012 9:24 am | by Maria Cheng, AP Medical Writer | News | CommentsBritish experts at the world's biggest artificial joint registry said metal versions have to be fixed or replaced more often than other implants.
Japan's Asahi Kasei Buying Zoll Medical
March 13, 2012 9:05 am | News | CommentsJapanese chemical manufacturer has agreed to buy Zoll Medical Corp, which makes defibrillators and other critical care medical devices, for about $2.2 billion.
Teleflex Names Powell As Its New CFO
March 12, 2012 9:44 am | News | CommentsMedical equipment maker Teleflex Inc. said Monday that it has named Thomas Powell as chief financial officer, succeeding Richard Meier.
Boston Scientific Buys Heart Device Firm For $150M
March 9, 2012 9:03 am | News | CommentsMedical device maker said it will pay at least $150 million to acquire Cameron Health Inc., maker of a minimally-invasive heart defibrillator.
FDA Weighs Over-The-Counter Switch For Key Drugs
March 8, 2012 9:32 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsDriving the move is a wave of computer technology, including touch-screen kiosks found in pharmacies, designed to help patients self-diagnose common diseases.
Consumer Group Sues 8 Drugmakers Over Drug Coupons
March 7, 2012 2:28 pm | by Linda A. Johnson, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsCommunity Catalyst alleges increasingly common couponing programs appear to save patients money but violate federal bribery laws.
FDA Chemist Gets 5 Years For Insider Trading
March 6, 2012 3:05 pm | News | CommentsCheng Yi Liang pleaded guilty to using a confidential drug database to buy stock in various companies, which earned him nearly $3.8 million.
Merck: FDA Won't OK Combo Cholesterol Drug Yet
March 5, 2012 3:17 pm | by Linda A. Johnson, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe FDA is requiring additional study data on the compound, which combines Lipitor, the top-selling drug of all time, with Merck's cholesterol medicine Zetia.
Company Sued Over Bone Cement Surgery Deaths
March 5, 2012 9:11 am | News | CommentsMedical firm and former execs convicted of running unauthorized clinical tests of bone cement are blamed for contributing to the deaths of two elderly women.
Taiwan Biotech Sector Has New Rival: Samsung
March 2, 2012 9:21 am | News | CommentsThe South Korean electronics giant is branching out and is developing new drugs in cooperation with two American biotech firms.
Fake Avastin Contained Several Chemicals, No Drug
February 28, 2012 2:34 pm | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsCounterfeit versions of the popular cancer drug Avastin are completely ineffective, but would not likely have a dramatic effect on survival odds.
Bayer Earnings Hit By High-Tech Materials Division
February 28, 2012 9:34 am | News | CommentsThe company says its earnings picture was "mixed," and gave a cautious outlook for 2012 given "an economic situation marked by uncertainty."
