Before we try a new product, we often search online or talk to other consumers to find out how well it works and if it lives up to manufacturer promises. We dig into its history and look for inconsistencies. Should we be any less vigilant when choosing a new medicine? In the U.K., lawmakers are demanding greater transparency from Big Pharma with regard to the results of clinical research and drug trials. The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee states that the methods and outcomes of tests should be available to the medical community and patients, so that they can.. READ MORE »
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly silent killers. It is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis and limited treatment options, and is highly resistant to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Most patients develop symptoms after the cancer has spread to other organs, and the chance of survival drastically reduced. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 4,700 Canadians will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year – and 4,300 will die from it. More effective treatment methods are desperately needed to increase shockingly low survival rates. New clinical research from scientists at the Universities of Manchester and Michigan may provide.. READ MORE »
Patients diagnose with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive form of primary brain tumor, face a bleak survival rate of 3 to 9 months. Typically, patients are treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation – but these traditional techniques simply cannot keep up with an alarmingly fast rate of growth. GBM tumors are notoriously resistant to standard therapies, and remain one of the most dreaded diagnoses because despite treatment, they almost always come back. This is why clinical research in the field is so important, and why a new study from Northwestern Memorial Hospital is receiving positive attention. Using tumor.. READ MORE »
The global diabetes management market accounted for $41.9 billion in 2010, and is expected to rise to $114.3 billion by 2016. Even more staggering is the dramatic increase in those diagnosed; a figure that has risen by more than 373% over the last 30 years. Industry professionals and students in pharmaceutical courses have seen Big Pharma pursue innovative treatments for the disease, evolving from injections to inhalers and most recently, to new oral therapies. Johnson & Johnson and Bristol/AstraZeneca are the front runners in this race, having both recently released drugs that represent a brand new class of treatment for.. READ MORE »
Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? With global challenges of poverty and scarcity, it’s hard to imagine governments thinking twice about embracing new sources of food supply. But that is exactly what is happening throughout the European Union (EU) this month with regard to farm animal cloning. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm in Brussels is pushing for a ban on domestic animal cloning and any importation of cloned meat. EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg describes the proposed regulation as “a ban on the technique, a ban on imports of the cloned animals themselves.. READ MORE »
Plummeting temperatures and icy sidewalks herald the arrival of flu season. More than just a runny nose and bothersome congestion, the flu assails its victims with fever, nausea, dizziness and restricted breathing. In some cases, influenza patients must be hospitalized, and statistics reveal that the very young and the elderly are the most vulnerable to serious – even deadly- complications. According to Canada’s Community and Hospital Infection Control Association, last year’s flu season affected more 31,000 people across the country. Last winter, 1 out of every 500 Americans over the age of 65 was hospitalized as a result of influenza. .. READ MORE »
Approximately 2.3 million people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS). The disease develops when the nerves of the brain and the spinal cord are damaged by one’s own immune system. The ultimate result is paralysis, vision loss, and diminished brain function. Not only is MS physically and emotionally devastating, treatment comes with a hefty price tag. In the US, one year of therapy rings in at around $50,000. Bringing a ray of hope to MS sufferers, clinical research has revealed that a tuberculosis vaccine may help prevent the development of MS in patients with early symptoms. It’s an exciting alternative therapy for the.. READ MORE »
According to the Canadian Liver Foundation, there are approximately 170 million people worldwide who suffer from hepatitis C – and 300,000 of them live in Canada. Known as the “silent killer,” the disease often infects its victims and spreads without their knowledge. Contracted through blood-to-blood contact, hepatitis C attacks the liver and if the body is not strong enough to recover on its own, the organ can become severely damaged before treatment is sought. In addition to fatigue, loss of appetite and jaundice, advanced cases of Hep C can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and even cancer later in life… READ MORE »
The Calistoga story Seattle-based Calistoga Pharmaceuticals began as a passion project. The small biotech start-up was the brain child of Roger Ulrich, a Big Pharma veteran with a 20 year track record in the industry. When Ulrich lost his job, he partnered with two colleagues to found Calistoga, despite warnings of risk and potential loss. Focused on clinical research for cancer treatment, Calistoga soon began testing a new drug for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The trial was so incredibly successful, that it was halted midway so participants in the control group could choose to switch over and begin receiving the treatment… READ MORE »
Outsourcing is a popular and profitable strategy that allows large companies to contract out what they consider to be non-critical processes and services – something most of us associate with routine customer service and IT support. Pharma companies have been key players in this trend for years, outsourcing almost everything in IT, including mainframes, networks and call centres. Over the past decade, progressive organizations have even begun contracting out human resources, finance and accounting, and facilities management. Since the late 1990s, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer have taken the lead in outsourcing an increasing number of operations. It.. READ MORE »
