The industry research company IMS Research revealed that Brazil is likely to secure a large part of the pharmaceutical market worldwide. The country is, among with seven other emerging pharmaceutical markets (Russia, India, Turkey, South Korea, Mexico and China), likely to share a quarter of the global pharmaceutical industry in coming years, as reported by Outsourcing-Pharma.
Continue reading “Government Policy and Growing Economy Will Help Brazil Capture a Large Slice of the Pharamaceutical Market” »

As if the country’s astonishing wildlife, palm-fringed golden beaches, ancient temples and its tantalising cuisine would not be reason enough to rank India amongst the world’s top holiday destinations, the country’s expanding medical industry sees the South Asian country grow even more popular among holiday makers.

According to a recent report, India’s medical tourism market has the greatest potential in the world, enjoying a considerable superiority over other popular medical holiday destinations, such as Singapore and Thailand.

Continue reading “India - Top Destination for Sun, Sand, Sea and Surgery” »

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to investigate a possible association between anti-TNF therapies and childhood cancer. Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) blockers have become the latest drug class to undergo a detailed FDA safety review, with the potential link between these agents and cancer, particularly in children and young adults, to be assessed. Although the review could increase prescribing caution of anti-TNF therapies for children in some physicians, ultimately it will not affect the use or sales of these agents in the near-term.

Continue reading “FDA Investigates Possible Association Between anti-TNF Therapies and Cancer.” »

The FDA is close to adding a black box warning to epilepsy drugs after a safety review showed that they increase patients’ risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Rather than impacting sales of such drugs for the treatment of epilepsy, the warning will represent a greater threat to sales of these drugs for indications where alternative drug classes are available.

The FDA has analyzed data from 199 placebo-controlled trials of 11 epilepsy drugs involving a total of 43,892 patients. The results of the analysis showed that 0.43% of patients taking the drugs committed suicide, or thought about doing so, compared with 0.24% of patients taking a placebo. Continue reading “FDA Close to Adding a Black Box Warning to Epilepsy Drugs” »

The ageing population and growing risk factors have made a significant impact on driving up the number of registered heart failure cases. Existing pharmacological strategies are improving the survival rates of acute and early-stage heart failure patients, ironically providing a growing body of patients with progression of the disease to heart failure.

Continue reading “Will Technological Improvements Eliminate Reliance on Heart Transplantation?” »

A new report shows that Introgen Therapeutics has submitted marketing authorisation applications for Advexin p53 therapy on both sides of the Atlantic. However, Introgen may struggle to convince the regulatory authorities that the gene therapy drug will offer an improvement in the treatment of head and neck cancer.

Continue reading “Gene Therapy Drug Advexin to Face Regulatory Hurdles and Increasing Scepticism” »

Pharma companies face growing competition from generics, increasingly tough pricing and reimbursement, a clamp down on healthcare spending, and the need to treat patients for longer due to the ageing population. Combined, these factors threaten both current and future revenues, prompting pharmaceutical companies to adopt a range of corporate strategies to respond to the changing market dynamics.

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We could accept that if we would purchase medicines on the Internet, they could be fake. However, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) even prescribed medicines could be harmful counterfeits.

A new report shows that last year’s breach of the pharmaceutical supply chain in the UK has put the issue of parallel trade at the top of the agenda for the European Commission.

Continue reading “Counterfeit Drugs may be Prescribed By your Doctor” »

Is your worst nightmare being cared for or ending up in a nursing home? Well, in the future, this may not be necessary. Over the next two decades an increasing number of people will reach the age at which they need the type of support that can be provided using a telecare service.

Continue reading “Will Telecare become an Option When Choosing a Retirement Home?” »

Cancer Research UK reports that thanks to earlier detection and improved treatment, breast cancer death rates in the UK have fallen by a fifth in the last ten years.

A new report shows that until superior therapeutic treatments are developed to prevent, treat and cure cancer, the best means of reducing mortality and morbidity in a disease this complex is early detection and diagnosis.

Continue reading “Early Detection of Breast Cancer Saves Thousands of Lives” »