Healthcare News by GLG Council Members

Walgreens (WAG) announced the acquisition of McKesson’s (MCK) specialty pharmacy business in a win-win transaction for both companies. The deal makes sense for both parties as long you understand that specialty distributors sell products to physicians, providers and pharmacies, while specialty pharmacies dispense products to individual patients. It also makes a lot more sense for Walgreens than its...

Vimpat was developed to have applicability to other disease processes including neuropathic pain. The limited indication approved for Vimpat suggests the data for other potential uses was not very robust (that had been my observation based on the neuropathic pain studies). Although UCB may be developing this drug to take the place of Keppra as it goes off patent, there is nothing to suggest that Vimpat...

The New York Times ran a story on the impact of the economy on prescriptions. The article provided many compelling personal stories to illustrate data from IMS Health showing a decline in the total number of prescriptions dispensed in the United States. However, I have some concerns about the ability of IMS Health to measure a changing retail marketplace with incomplete data, so perhaps the news is...

The article goes into the four major eye care markets that have a mix of reimbursed, and consumer driven areas. It describes the issues I face as a provider of these products. 

-A recent informal survey found that many docs and nurses (60% of healthcare workers overall) don't get an annual flu vaccine, despite proven efficacy, easy availability at their place of work, and risk of contagion to patients and colleagues.  -This puts some of the most vulnerable patients at risk of absolutely preventable illness and leaves hospitals liable to claims...

Sanofi's rapid acting insulin formulation got FDA approval for use in children 4 years and older with Type I insulin dependent diabetes. The drug has rapid action so it may replace lispro and older short acting  insulin preparations, if the price tag is not prohibitive.

FDA has approved lacosamide for add-on therapy of partial onset seizures.  It will be marketed by UCB under the brand name Vimpat.

-Parents in NJ are fighting a new state mandate requiring influenza vaccine in preschoolers -Allowing an override of this mandate would be dangerous but parents will have only themselves to blame if their unvaccinated kids get sick

Rotateq is a great vaccine - it protects both vaccinated patients and also gives some protection to their not-yet-vaccinated peers Although in the US it is rare to die from rotavirus illness, the economic savings on lost school/work days and decreased hospital admissions and ER visits is huge.

Most American families are not familiar with signs and symptoms of influenza.  Asking them to use (and not use) a home supply of antivirals would be insanity, stretching thin the amount of antivirals available and depriving them to those in true need.  To ask them to use these meds appropriately for their children would be even more insane - at the first viral URI of the season the...