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Singapore—Lilly’s decision to set up a Singapore R&D center to focus on systems biology is the latest in a series of moves that have put the Far East island on the biotech map.

In an era in which companies can forfeit $1 million each day they delay a product launch-and being second can mean failure-pharma executives are under pressure to make risk and opportunity decisions in less time than ever.

London-GlaxoSmithKline is proposing to cut more than 2,000 jobs from its worldwide workforce of 100,000 as it seeks to generate the promised savings from its merger.

Brussels-Lack of intellectual property protection is not causing the erosion of European pharma, reports the European Generics Association.

While making small talk at a party, a new acquaintance asked a senior pharmaceutical executive what line of business he was in. "I work for a multinational pharmaceutical company," he replied.

Lucerne, Switzerland-At the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations’ (EFPIA) recent annual meeting, new president Jean-Francois Dehecq reiterated the association’s view that no single factor prevents access to essential medicines in developing countries.

Pharma mergers have hardly brought runaway success. Yet, judging from industry CEOs' public pronouncements, on the horizon is another merger and acquisition wave that will challenge both participants and spectators. The M&A game of the future may diverge drastically from strategies of the past, as multiple acquirers begin to target specific therapeutic franchises rather than whole companies.

Early e-health enthusiasts envisioned a rapid technology and information metamorphosis that could only be described as a quantum leap. In the aftermath of the dot-com shake out, pharma companies reported e-initiative progress that more accurately resembles a shuffle-with an occasional stumble. Cap Gemini Ernst & Young surveyed more than 100 senior managers from 42 pharma companies, including the top 10, to assess the current state of all things "e." The results are mixed.

That marketing should begin early in product development has become a truism in the pharma industry. But as a statement on its own, it sheds little light. What does it mean to begin? At what point do marketers insert themselves into the process? To what end do they enter where once only scientists trod? And, the ultimate question—which the truism fails to answer—how might their intrusion affect the lives of patients, in trial or thereafter?

London/Sodertalje—AstraZeneca’s decision to drop Viozan (AR-C68397AA) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be GlaxoSmithKline’s gain.

The growing number of foreign-born physicians in the United States presents both challenges and opportunities for pharmaceutical sales representatives.

Physicians say they are now much more likely to limit their time and dialogue with sales representatives … except for a few individuals who take a different approach.

Experts say fewer regulations are expected.

HIV risk factors among injection drug users differ markedly by gender, according to a 10-year study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The findings, reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine (vol. 161, no. 10), indicate that while drug-related risk behaviors and homosexual activity are the most important predictors of HIV seroconversion among males, factors consistent with high-risk heterosexual activities are the main predictors among females.

See how you can incorporate these five B's in some of your two-minute-or-less encounters with physicians.

Having so many retirement choices shouldn't leave you wondering which type of retirement savings plan is best for you.

Three commonly held views appear to hinder millions of Americans with clinical depression or generalized anxiety disorder from being diagnosed or treated, according to the National Mental Health Association's "America's Mental Health Survey."

Tips from a doctor's perspective.

A new survey by the Washington-based Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America found that 205 medicines are currently in the pipeline to meet the special needs of children and that clinical trials on an additional 40 medicines will begin in the near future.

When Kimberly Farrell, currently president of Unlimited Performance, a training consultation company based in Highland Park, IL, was asked by the National Society of Pharmaceutical Sales Trainers – now the Society of Pharmaceutical and Biotech Trainers - to put together a workshop for the society's 2000 meeting, she immediately designed a questionnaire for top female executives, networked to identify top talent, and wrote and called female executives to interview them. The answers to her queries were presented in the workshop. "The turnout and response were so positive," said Farrell, "I was asked by the board of SPBT to facilitate a similar workshop in 2001. I redesigned the workshop to include a live panel of three top industry vice presidents to speak to our membership about career strategies, challenges, successes and insights."

The rates of new cancer cases and deaths for all cancers combined continue to decline in the United States, according to the "Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1973-1998, Featuring Cancers with Recent Increasing Trends," which was released by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute. The report was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (vol. 93, no. 11).

A new survey by Rochester, NY-based Harris Interactive reveals that public perception of the pharmaceutical, health insurance, managed care and hospital industries continues to decline. The survey, which was conducted by telephone among a nationwide sample of 1,014 adults, measures how many people believe particular industries are doing a good or bad job of serving their customers.

Data from a recent survey of patients with diabetes suggest that the vast majority of them are unaware that they are at risk for anemia and the health complications that can result.

Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has signed a bill that will allow hospitals, doctors and healthcare professionals across the state to share patient safety information.

The 50 most heavily prescribed drugs for seniors have risen in price, on average, at more than twice the rate of inflation, according to a new report issued by Washington-based Families USA. The report examined drug price increases through January of this year.

New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has announced a definitive agreement to purchase Wilmington, DE-based DuPont Pharmaceuticals Co. Bristol-Myers Squibb hopes the acquisition will further strengthen the company's medicines business.

People who get migraines experience a decreased quality of life - not solely from their migraines, but also from the fear of future migraines, according to the "Life Impact Survey" of almost 4,000 headache sufferers.

Following what he refers to as "a very smooth leadership transition," Amgen's new chairman and CEO Kevin Sharer is shaking things up. In January, he created two new executive vice-president positions and went outside the company to fill them.

London, United Kingdom-The UK OTC trade association supports the Community Pharmacy Action Group (CPAG) in its decision to withdraw a court case regarding the price-fixing of OTC drugs after the judge said there was little evidence that abolition of price maintenance would harm community pharmacists. The withdrawal brings an end to a long-running court battle pitting the pharmaceutical industry against an equally powerful corporate enemy, the supermarkets.

Carol Nacy, PHD, Has Invested Her Expertise - and her money - to fight the devastating tuberculosis epidemic.