The UK Health Secretary announced that outcomes for patients in 11 new areas of medicine will be audited, monitored and published. Results will be published from 2013 and on a regular basis thereafter (PharmaTimes 01-Nov-11).

The European diabetes market earned revenues of $8.6 billion in 2010 and estimates it to reach $13.97 billion in 2017, a compound annual growth of 7.2% (PharmaTimes 03-Oct-11).

A signed executive order instructs the FDA to do three things to reduce drug shortages:

  • Broaden reporting of potential shortages of certain prescription drugs;
  • Speed reviews of applications to begin or alter production of these drugs;
  • Provide more information to the Justice Department about possible instances of collusion or price gouging.

To stay up to date on the U.S. drug shortages for animals and humans (FDA.gov, updated everyday):
Current Animal Drug Shortages
Current Human Drug Shortages

Over the next five years, nearly two-thirds of pharmaceutical sales growth is forecast to come from emerging markets. This represents about $150 billion in new revenues and will raise the share of pharmaceutical sales from emerging markets to close to 30 percent of the global total (Pharma Exec. 01-Oct-11).

Under the current Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), prices are based on market share. However India’s government has announced plans to bring at least 400 essential drugs, accounting for 60% of the entire domestic pharma market, under official price control (PharmaTimes 01-Nov-11).

A region-wide epidemic, the measles virus continues to spread in Europe. Member States in the WHO European Region continue to struggle with the uninterrupted spread of measles, reporting more than 26 000 confirmed cases in the first seven months of 2011. This represents a 276% increase from a comparable period in 2007 (WHO/Europe. 25-Oct-11).

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