Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about healthcare.
Bayer’s birth control troubles. Former FDA Commissioner David Kessler is alleging that researchers for Bayer withheld reports of blood clots in users of its birth control pill Yasmin in a 2004 safety review. The company also promoted Yasmin for treatment of PMS, an unapproved use, he says. Bayer faces more than 10,000 lawsuits over the safety of the drug and is scheduled for a safety hearing Dec. 8, although Kessler’s documents did not meet the deadline for submission and will not be included as part of the hearing.
No for sale sign out front of Abbott. Abbott Laboratories CEO Miles White shut down analysts who speculated about a potential sale of the company’s pharmaceutical business at an industry conference in London. “We’re not offering them for sale … somebody would have to have an awful lot of cash and they’d have to have a ‘yes’ from a CEO and that would be a tough ‘yes’ to get,” he said.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Express Scripts-Medco makes its case. Today’s the slated Senate hearing on the Express Scripts-Medco Health merger. To boost their chances, the companies sponsored a research report which found that health-plan sponsors and consumers save as much as $87 billion annually in prescription costs through the deal.
Icahn’s Denner’s new hedge fund. A top healthcare investing executive who reportedly made $2 billion for Icahn over the past five years is starting a hedge fund of his own. Will Alex Denner be able to find that same success on his own?
Most/least expensive labs in the country. In Boston, more pharma hires are happening than anywhere else, there’s plenty of lab space, and talent is flowing into the area. All good news for the city’s entrepreneur climate in healthcare. Except for one thing: the city has the highest rental costs for lab space out of all the biotech clusters in the country. Where can you find the cheapest labs? Philly.
