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A last-minute provision, passed with budget legislation, may give Massachusetts a state-run bulk pharmaceutical purchasing program.

The proposed merger between Abbott Laboratories and Alza Corp. will not be completed due to an inability to come to terms with the FTC.

Since sales success starts by reaching the decision-maker, sales representatives must find creative ways to penetrate the barriers that surround the toughest accounts.

Drugsampling.com, a computer controlled system that monitors the distribution of drug samples, is being tested in Boston's Lahey Clinic.

St. Louis-based Monsanto Co., and Pharmacia & Upjohn, Peapack, NJ, announced plans to merge.

The effect of managed care on a physician's practice.

In our quest as sales reps to provide our physician customers with a valuable sales call, it is crucial to understand what the driving forces are in healthcare delivery and how they affect these customers.

Establish the right mood with clients.

According to the Surgeon General's report on mental illness, nearly half of all Americans who have a severe mental illness don't seek treatment.

A new report on medical errors from the National Institutes of Medicine of the National Academies calls for changes throughout the healthcare system including mandatory reporting requirements. The report, titled "To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System," lays out a comprehensive strategy for government, industry, consumers and healthcare providers to reduce medical errors.

New York-based Pfizer Inc. is asking the shareholders of Warner-Lambert to vote to remove the current Warner-Lambert board of directors and replace it with seven executives that Pfizer has selected, "none of whom have any past or present affiliation with Pfizer," according to Pfizer.

According to a study of physician computer usage conducted by the American Medical Association, Chicago, the proportion of physicians using the World Wide Web has nearly doubled, from 20% in 1997 to 37% in 1999.

The American Medical Association, Chicago, filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 2, 1999, charging Donna E. Shalala, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with failure to exert her authority and correct errors in the system used by Medicare to pay physicians for care provided to the nation's elderly.

A report released by Palo Alto, CA-based consulting firm Health Strategies Group showed that 87% of physician contacts with pharmaceutical sales reps last less than two minutes.

There is no medical setting in which a doctor or nurse can have a more dramatic impact on a patient's life than in the emergency room.

Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced a bill that would provide more information about a health maintenance organization's formulary to its enrollees.

Ways you too can set yourself apart.

How to avoid a legacy of 'to-do' lists.

Medicare plans continue to rate high in overall satisfaction according to the results of a survey released by Caredata.com Inc., an Atlanta-based health care intelligence and Internet content provider.

A paper published in the October 1999 issue of Washington Legal Foundation's Contemporary Legal Notes questions whether the Food and Drug Administration's policies regarding direct-to-consumer advertising is deserving of the same First Amendment scrutiny as the FDA's policy regarding off-label promotion.

With new biotech innovations around the corner, the 21st century might be a safe time to get sick.

A retrospective study of 5,761 postmenopausal women nationwide sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control showed no increased risk of breast cancer associated with the use of hormone replacement therapy.

A bipartisan Medicare reform bill proposed by senators Bill Frist (R-TN), John Breaux (D-LA) and Bob Kerrey (D-NE) would offer prescription drug benefits along with structural reform of the Medicare program.

Independent pharmacies continued to grow in both overall sales and prescription volume, according to the 1999 NCPA-Searle Digest, which reports 1998 data. The Digest compiles and summarizes comprehensive financial data from independent pharmacies nationwide. Participating pharmacies evaluate their stores' financial performance based on revenues, expenses and other demographic information.

A coalition of Internet pharmacies, federal and state officials, consumer advocacy groups and medical groups met last November to evaluate online pharmacy practices. The group devised an action plan for consumer education, legislation and regulation to protect patients who shop for prescriptions online.

New York-based Pfizer Inc. filed a lawsuit against Warner-Lambert and American Home Products Corp., both based in Philadelphia, on Nov. 23, 1999, alleging that Warner-Lambert breached its contractual obligations to Pfizer outlined in a standstill agreement between Pfizer and Warner-Lambert. The complaint also alleges that American Home Products wrongfully interfered with Pfizer's contractual arrangement with Warner-Lambert by inducing Warner-Lambert's breach.

Avoid high interest and dig out of debt.

Scientists at Philadelphia-based SmithKline Beecham have identified an enzyme that may help drugs target and treat Alzheimer's disease.

In a move that could signal a trend in managed care, UnitedHealthcare, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based UnitedHealth Group, announced that it is doing away with doctor preauthorization for many inpatient hospital procedures.

Mischele Hoffman is humble. With a background that includes 12 years in sales, two years administering a nonprofit organization for people with disabilities and a master's degree in health sciences, not to mention a highly successful year with Eisai Pharmaceuticals, it would be easy for her not to be. But Hoffman's patient-focused approach to selling and the match she's found in a company that also places a high value on patient advocacy has proved to be a good combination.