Content about Pharmaceutical drug

NEW YORK — Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized $5.6 million worth of illegal pharmaceutical products, a 170% increase over 2005. Meanwhile, global sales of counterfeit medicines were estimated to be more than $75 billion last year, 90% more than in 2005.

In response, Pfizer and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy announced Thursday the launch of an effort to educate patients on how to safely buy medicines online and about the risks of counterfeit drugs.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A group representing independent pharmacies is urging Congress to cut the deficit by reducing healthcare expenditures, but "without compromising patients' access to their pharmacy of choice or harming local jobs."

NEW YORK — Pfizer and Dr. Reddy's have reached a settlement over the latter's efforts to launch a generic version of the world's top-selling drug, according to published reports.

The final outcome of the battle between Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Canada’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals International to buy Cephalon serves as a good illustration of why it helps to have a plan B.


In May, Teva beat out Valeant’s $5.7 billion offer to buy Frazier, Pa.-based Cephalon with a $6.8 billion offer of its own, acquiring Cephalon’s hefty pipeline in the process. And last month, Teva bought Taiyo Pharmaceutical Industry, Japan’s third-largest generics company, for $934 million.


WOONSOCKET, R.I. — In an effort to make it easy for customers to safely dispose of their unused, expired or unwanted medications, and help battle the estimated 200 million lbs. of unwanted medications improperly disposed every year, CVS/pharmacy now is offering Sharps Compliance’s Environmental Return System in all of its 7,200 locations.

NEW YORK — The world's top-selling drug may become available over the counter, if its manufacturer has its way, according to published reports.

The New York Times reported that Pfizer may be looking for Food and Drug Administration approval for an OTC switch for Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium), a cholesterol-lowering medication. The Times quoted an unnamed source as providing the information, though Pfizer declined to comment.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced Thursday that it has submitted comments to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging outlining the value of the pharmacist-patient interaction in helping improve health and reduce costs in the Medicare program, and urged the committee to support the Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act of 2011, which seeks to increase access to pharmacy services for Medicare beneficiaries.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Kerr Drug said that it will offer customers a solution to properly dispose of their unused or expired medications.

The pharmacy chain said that Sharps Compliance's TakeAway Environmental Return System envelopes will be available in all stores May 23. The envelopes sell for $3.99.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A letter educating healthcare providers regarding a drug-drug interaction between prescription anticlotting drug Plavix (clopidogrel) and a proton-pump inhibitor has resulted in a reduction in the number of patients combining the two therapies, according to a new study by Prime Therapeutics released Monday.

HYDERABAD, India — The Food and Drug Administration has approved Dr. Reddy's version of an allergy medication that recently received Rx-to-OTC switch approval, the generic drug maker said.

Dr. Reddy's fexofenadine HCl tablets are bioequivalent versions of Sanofi-Aventis’ Allegra, which received Rx-to-OTC switch approval from the FDA in January.

The fexofenadine HCl Rx market had branded and generic sales of approximately $452 million for the 12 months ended last December, according to IMS Health.

HOUSTON — Sharps Compliance's TakeAway envelope solution is making its way to Kroger and its family of stores.

Kroger, which operates stores under several banners across 31 states, will offer the the medication disposal envelopes at its pharmacy counters. The goal: to offer a safe and environmentally responsible means of disposing unused, expired or unwanted noncontrolled prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Kroger joins such retailers as Rite Aid, which recently implemented Sharps Compliance's TakeAway program in its stores.

WESTBURY, N.Y. — PL Developments on Monday announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to sell and distribute store-brand over-the-counter versions of omeprazole sodium bicarbonate capsules, the generic version of Merck’s Zegerid OTC.

Par Pharmaceutical currently has approval for the prescription product and has filed for the OTC version. Upon FDA approval and upon favorable resolution of intellectual property litigation, PL Developments will begin marketing the new store-brand proton-pump inhibitor, the company stated.