California court sides with consumers in generic drug fight
In a win for consumers, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that settlement agreements between pharmaceutical companies that keep cheaper, generic drugs off the market may be illegal if they...
View ArticleFearing abuse, US blocks generic OxyContin (Update)
U.S. health regulators will require generic versions of the best-selling painkiller OxyContin to include recent formulation changes designed to make the pill harder to abuse.
View ArticleFDA warns pregnant women about migraine drugs
(HealthDay)—Pregnant women who struggle with migraine headaches should never use medicines containing the ingredient valproate because they can lower the IQ scores of their children, the U.S. Food and...
View ArticleFDA denies request to block generic painkiller
In a surprise move, federal health regulators have denied a request by Endo Health Solutions to block generic versions of its painkiller Opana ER, which the company argued can be more easily abused...
View ArticleDrug manufacturer agrees to $500 million penalty (Update)
A subsidiary of India's largest pharmaceutical company has agreed to pay a record $500 million in fines and penalties for selling adulterated drugs and lying to federal regulators in a case that is...
View ArticleFDA: lower ambien's dose to prevent drowsy driving
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved new, lower-dose labeling for the popular sleep drug Ambien (zolpidem) in an effort to cut down on daytime drowsiness that could be a...
View ArticleIndia says its drugs safe after generics fraud
India, known as the "pharmacy to the world", Monday defended its lucrative generic drug industry as safe and strongly regulated after the nation's biggest drug firm pleaded guilty to US charges of...
View ArticleEU fines pharma firms over generics delay (Update)
(AP)—The European Union has fined Danish pharmaceuticals multinational Lundbeck and several other producers a combined 146 million euros ($195 million) for delaying the market entry of cheaper generic...
View ArticleActivists warn trade pact will keep out generics (Update)
A free trade pact being negotiated by the U.S. and 11 Asia-Pacific nations will impose aggressive intellectual property rules that could restrict access to affordable medicines in developing nations,...
View ArticlePfizer 2Q mixed, maintains 2013 outlook
Pfizer's second-quarter net income more than quadrupled, helped by the sale of its animal health business. The world's second-largest drugmaker beat Wall Street's earnings expectations, though revenue...
View ArticleEconomists throw doubt on generic drug price advantage over branded version
(Medical Xpress)—People given a choice between generic or branded drugs should look closely at the ingredients in the drug they are buying, argue economists from Deakin University's Graduate School of...
View ArticleStudy looks at safety, effectiveness of generics for treating depression
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are studying the quality, effectiveness and safety of generic drugs used to treat depression.
View ArticleGeneric aciphex approved to treat chronic heartburn
(HealthDay)—The first generic versions of the anti-GERD drug Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people aged 12 and older, the agency said Friday.
View ArticleFDA approves first generic versions of Cymbalta
The Food and Drug Administration says it has approved the first generic versions of the blockbuster antidepressant drug Cymbalta, offering lower-cost access to one of the most widely prescribed...
View ArticleSupreme Court takes up drug company dispute
The Supreme Court is wading into a patent dispute between rival pharmaceutical companies over a multiple sclerosis treatment.
View ArticleSanofi acquires over-the-counter rights for Cialis
French drugmaker Sanofi is buying the rights to seek approval for a version of the erectile dysfunction drug Cialis that customers would be able to buy without a doctor's prescription.
View ArticleFDA approves generic version of celebrex
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday gave its approval to the first generic version of the pain reliever Celebrex (celecoxib).
View ArticleChanges in generic pill color and shape disrupt use
Generic versions of the same prescription drug are clinically interchangeable but often look different depending on the manufacturer. The FDA does not require consistent pill appearance among...
View ArticleUS prices soaring for some generic drugs
(HealthDay)—Market forces are dramatically driving up the cost of some generic drugs, prompting U.S. investigations into the pricing of what should be cheap alternatives to brand-name medications.
View ArticleTwo generic versions of ADHD drug not as effective: FDA
(HealthDay)—Two generic versions of the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drug Concerta may not work as effectively as the brand-name product does, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said...
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