Content about Generics

WASHINGTON — More than 5,000 medicines are under development, of which 70% are potentially the first of their class, according to a new report.

NEW YORK — New York is hoping to battle the theft of highly addictive prescription drugs, such as Oxycontin, by stocking pharmacies with fake pill bottles that are fitted with GPS tracking devices, according to published reports.

The Washington Post reported that Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said, in prepared remarks provided before a conference Tuesday in California sponsored by former president Bill Clinton’s foundation, that the initiative was sparked by a series of crimes associated with the black market for prescription painkillers.

The world market for generic drugs will jump more than 15% this year and reach a global total of $127.8 billion, a British market research firm predicted.

NEW YORK — The state supreme court in Alabama ruled that brand-name drug companies could be sued if patients suffer complications from generic versions of their medicines, according to published reports.

According to The New York Times, an Alabama man named Danny Weeks claimed he developed tardive dyskinesia after taking generic versions of Pfizer's acid reflux drug Reglan (metoclopramide). Pfizer acquired rights to the drug when it bought Wyeth in 2009, and generic drug makers Teva and Actavis, now owned by Watson, make generic versions.

NEW YORK — While replacing a single combination pill for HIV with generics would save the healthcare system money, it could also diminish the effectiveness of treatment, a new study suggests.

The study, led by investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College, and published in the Jan. 15 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, found $1 billion in potential savings, but the more complicated treatment regimen might result in more patients missing doses and a loss of drug effectiveness.

LINCOLN, Calif. — A drug-security product has won a drug-abuse prevention award.

The Locking Cap was named as one of the "Top 5 Technologies to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse" by the Center for Lawful Access and Abuse Deterrence.

The cap is a four-digit combination-locking lid for prescription medication bottles. The maker of the cap, Cap-n-Lock, launched an updated version of the cap at the beginning of the year to attract the attention of shoppers.

ATLANTA — The worst of the flu season may be over, at least for those on the East Coast. In a late morning press conference with reporters on Friday, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "We are seeing a decrease in some regions." 

Just don't tell that to anyone living in New York, Boston or Chicago, at least not before slipping on a facemask first.  

ATLANTA — Medagate, a wholly owned subsidiary of InComm Holdings, on Monday announced the launch of the MasterCard Dual Value Health Card, the first dual network healthcare spending card. The Dual Value Health Card enables employers and health plans to combine a member/employee healthcare funding purse with a restricted-spend purse for targeted items and incentives.

ATLANTA — The worst of the flu season may be over, at least for those in the South. In a late morning press conference with reporters, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "We are seeing a decrease in some regions."

NEW YORK — Demand among consumers for online services from drug companies to help manage chronic conditions is strong, according to a new study from healthcare market research firm Manhattan Research.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration is ordering the makers of several sleep drugs to lower the recommended dosage due to the risk that they can impair patients the morning after, the agency said Thursday.

The FDA announced that it was requiring the manufacturers of drugs containing the active ingredient zolpidem to lower the current recommended dosage in light of new data showing that the morning after use, the drug can remain in the blood in sufficient quantities to impair activities that require alertness, such as driving.

NEW YORK — A recent study found that poor heath literacy among Latino parents is associated with incorrect beliefs on the proper use of antibiotics, particularly for upper respiratory infections, which can lead to an increase in antimicrobial resistance.