News Articles

As the distinction between pharma and biotech blurs, so, too, does the distinction between investor relations (IR) and public relations (PR) agencies serving those industries. The recent merger of PResence Euro RSCG and IR mainstay Noonan/Russo into the newly named Noonan/Russo PResence Euro RSCG (NRP) may best represent the agency world's attempt to unify-and theoretically, strengthen-its clients' financial, corporate, and product messages for a growing list of audiences. But most interesting may be the role played by agencies' most important audience-the media-which finds itself in the middle of an unusual flow of information fraught with potential conflicts of interest.

For full article Click Here

As more biotech products come o­n the market, insurance coverage and reimbursement for treatment will become increasingly dependent o­n molecular diagnostic and cellular testing. After all, specific biological markers can predict the likelihood that an anticancer drug will work or define the treatment group for a clinical trial.

For full article Click Here

With overworked execs and underfunded campaigns, it is hard to believe that the ad industry has the resources to improve its creativity while churning out campaigns better, faster, and cheaper. But this year’s Rx Club Awards winners show that a more sophisticated and risqué style is emerging— direct in message, clear o­n benefit, and confident in execution. “When I judged the Rx Club Awards four years ago, it was pretty depressing,” says John Scott, creative director for Corbett Healthcare Group. “I judged it again this year, and it was much better. I won’t say it was like night and day, but it was certainly more good work.” In a market like today’s, that’s saying something. “The recession has made people nervous about doing provocative work,” says awards judge Barry Levine, associate creative director o­n the copy side for Abelson-Taylor. “Pharma’s sales goals are as difficult as always, and they are given less budget to do those things.

Lagos, Nigeria-FDA refused to confirm or deny that it was launching a criminal investigation into Pfizer’s conduct during a 1996 clinical trial for Trovan (alatrofloxacin) in Nigerian patients.FDA’s "no comment" follows the Washington Post’s report that its Office of Criminal Investigation has been collecting information about the trial of the antibiotic, which has since been approved.

For full article Click Here

After months of speculation, in September the White House finally nominated its lead health policy advisor, Mark McClellan, as the next FDA commissioner. McClellan is a physician and economist and, most recently, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisors. As an MD with no direct ties to the pharmaceutical industry, he fits the basic criteria set for confirmation by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

For full article Click Here

Americans' life expectancy hit an all-time high in 2001, while age-adjusted deaths hit an all-time low, according to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report documents that the national age-adjusted death rate decreased slightly from 869 deaths per 100,000 population in 2000 to 855 deaths per 100,000 in 2001. There were declines in mortality among most racial, ethnic and gender groups.

For full article Click Here

The United Kingdom's much-maligned National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) could be in line for a shake-up if the recommendations of a House of Commons select committee go through. The institute has come under fire for rejecting several medications after they were approved by regulatory authorities. A key committee recommendation is that NICE provide broad clinical guidance o­n the effectiveness of all therapies, including older products, rather than appraising individual treatments.

For full article Click Here

Since the passage of the Waxman-Hatch Act in 1984, marketers have viewed generic competition as a death knell for brand-name products. That attitude discounts the impact of marketing; specifically, the power of a brand's position that consumers hold in their minds. Brand marketers who face generic competition have more marketing strategies available than they currently use. Advances in the computing power of PCs and the ability to micro-position and micro-market to physicians, consumers, and pharmacists have opened up new marketing avenues. When used correctly, the tools can slow the rapid erosion of a brand's market share after patent expiration.

For full article Click Here

Lou Morris
Pharmaceutical Executive, May 1, 2004

Joanna Breitstein
Pharmaceutical Executive, Dec 1, 2001