Reports

UK gets value for money for its medicines

Home/Reports | Posted 02/03/2012

A UK Department of Health (DoH) report confirms that the voluntary pricing agreement between the DoH and the pharmaceutical industry is working and that medicines are good value for money for the National Health Service (NHS).

Early warning system for drug shortages in the US

Home/Reports | Posted 17/02/2012

In response to the record high numbers of drug shortages in the US [1] the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics (IMS Institute) has published a list of recommendations consisting of an ‘early warning system’ for drug shortages [2].

Volume and sales of drugs on the shortages list in the US

Home/Reports | Posted 10/02/2012

Despite record numbers of drug shortages being reported in the US [1], on the whole, over the past five years the supply of these drugs to healthcare providers–hospitals, clinics, pharmacies–has increased, according to a new report published by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics [2].

Which drugs are affected by drug shortages in the US

Home/Reports | Posted 27/01/2012

Drug products on the shortages list in the US are concentrated into a small number of disease areas, according to a new report published by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics (IMS Institute) [1]. The majority are generic injectables, in fact half of all generic injectables on the US market are on the shortages list, and 16% of drug shortages involve life-saving cancer drugs. This means that the patients most affected by the shortages are mostly acute-care patients being treated in hospitals and out-patient facilities.

Suppliers of products on the drug shortages list in the US

Home/Reports | Posted 03/02/2012

Although overall a large number of producers supply the drugs on the shortages list in the US, most of the drugs are supplied by only one or two companies according to a new report published by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics (IMS Institute) [1].

Investigating drug shortages in the US

Home/Reports | Posted 20/01/2012

Drug shortages in the US are at a record high [1] and the issue is becoming of increasing concern for patients, clinicians and policymakers. A new report published by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics (IMS Institute) investigates the problem. The report looks at the size of the drug shortages problem, the causes and how shortages could be prevented or resolved in the future [2].

Problematic pharma patent settlements decrease in the EU

Home/Reports | Posted 13/01/2012

A second round of European Commission (EC) monitoring concluded in early 2011. The main objectives of the monitoring exercise were to ‘better understand the use of these type of agreements in the EU and to identify those settlements that delay generic market entry to the detriment of the European consumer possibly in violation of European competition law’. The type of settlements the Commission was looking for were those limiting generic entry and at the same time foreseeing a value transfer from the originator to the generic company.

How originator companies delay generic medicines

Home/Reports | Posted 16/12/2011

Once a medicine marketed by the originator company is no longer protected by patents or other exclusive rights, generics companies can enter the market with a medicine that is equivalent, in terms of efficacy, safety, and quality, to the original. This lowers prices and enhances access to affordable treatments. The generic medicines are always cheaper than the originator brands. In addition, the prices of originator products after two years of generics competition are around 10% lower than at the time of generics entry [1], see Figure 1.

EU investigation tackles pay-for-delay

Home/Reports | Posted 09/12/2011

When the European Commission (EC) was created, one of the founding principles was that of free trade. There should be no barriers to trade within ‘the common market’ as it was called at the time. The Competition Commissioner has previously examined parallel importing in the pharmaceutical sector and has the power to impose large fines.

Generics will grab Parkinson’s disease market share

Home/Reports | Posted 10/11/2011

Overall sales for Parkinson’s disease drugs in seven major countries will decline slightly from US$2.7 billion in 2010 to US$2.6 billion in 2020 in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK and US, according to a new report from research and advisory firm Decision Resources. The decline is attributed to key therapies losing patent protection and subsequent generics competition.