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Neptune's revenues increased by 8% for fiscal year ended February 28, 2010

Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. today reports its consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2010, announces the implementation of a shareholder rights plan and provides fiscal year highlights.

28 May 2010

First Edition: May 28, 2010

Today's health policy headlines focus on efforts by federal officials to get more insurance plans to move early on coverage for young adults as well as congressional Democrats' struggle to pass legislation to extend the COBRA benefit subsidy and to prevent a scheduled cut in Medicare payments to physicians.

28 May 2010

Medicare brochure mailing draws GOP ire

Republicans are criticizing a taxpayer-funded brochure sent to 40.2 million Medicare beneficiaries explaining changes to the program under the new health law.

28 May 2010

Benefits of new health insurance reform law for Medicare recipients discussed in news conference

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Barbara Kennelly of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and Dr. Ben Williamowsky of Silver Spring, Md., a Medicare recipient, held a news conference today to discuss benefits of and misconceptions about the Affordable Care Act and Medicare.

27 May 2010

FDA advises consumers, health care professionals about Xenical, Alli

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers and health care professionals about potential rare occurrences of severe liver injury in patients taking the weight-loss medication orlistat, marketed as Xenical and Alli.

27 May 2010

HHS 'special mailing' on health law's immediate Medicare benefits sparks GOP grumbles

CQ HealthBeat: "Education or propaganda? Or 'beyond propaganda?' The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Monday that it will soon send Medicare beneficiaries a special mailing on 'the immediate benefits they may see' from the health care overhaul law. Getting accurate information about key provisions of the law will help Medicare enrollees 'to be on the alert for any scams asking for personal information,' explained acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner in an agency news release Monday.

25 May 2010

Medtronic fiscal year 2010 revenue up 8% to $15.817 billion

Medtronic, Inc. today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended April 30, 2010.

25 May 2010

Experts question 'doc fix' as Reid threatens weekend work on bill with COBRA, Medicare provisions

Politico: Experts are questioning the virtues of the three-year Medicare "doc fix" that would stave off cuts to Medicare doctors' pay but set up a larger fight down the road. ... In health policy circles, the 'doc fix' has become emblematic of Washington's worst habits: a potentially solvable policy problem run amok for about a decade now, bogged down in pure politics and accounting gimmicks. The 'doc fix,' a last-minute infusion of funds to head off a looming doctor pay cut under Medicare, hits the floor this week via the tax extenders bill ..."

25 May 2010

FDA grants priority review for Alkermes' VIVITROL sNDA for opioid dependence

Alkermes, Inc. today announced that the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for VIVITROL® (naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension) for opioid dependence has been designated a priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

25 May 2010

Repligen's RG2833 granted orphan drug designation for treatment of Friedreich's ataxia

Repligen Corporation announced today that the Office of Orphan Products Development of the Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to RG2833, a selective histone deacetylase 3 inhibitor for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia. Orphan drug designation qualifies Repligen to receive seven years of marketing exclusivity in the United States if the company is the first to obtain marketing approval for RG2833 for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia.

24 May 2010

Research roundup: Lessons from Medicare Part D; Evaluating medical homes; Insuring young adults

Lessons Learned: Who Didn't Enroll In Medicare Drug Coverage In 2006, And Why? - With data from the 2005 and 2006 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, this study examines enrollment of those who were previously without either public or private sources of prescription drug coverage. The authors report "63 percent of all eligible seniors and 69 percent of low-income beneficiaries were enrolled in Part D in 2006.

24 May 2010

African-Americans, Hispanics less likely to meet MTM eligibility requirements: Study

Medicare's Part D prescription medication management program, also known as Medication Therapy Management, could be off limits to some of the patients who need it most — older African-Americans and Hispanics — a new study finds.

21 May 2010

Universal American selects MedVentive's technology to enable increased collaboration among members, physicians

MedVentive announced today that Universal American Corp., a leading provider of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, recently selected MedVentive's technology to enable increased collaboration among members, physicians, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals as a way to improve member health and confidence - and reduce member cost.

21 May 2010

Medco: Big jump in kids' prescription drug use last year

Children's prescription drug use rose "several times faster" than adult use last year, "due in part to swine flu drugs and Type 2 diabetes medications, according to Medco Health Solutions Inc," The Associated Press reports. The "pharmacy benefits manager said a 5 percent increase in prescription drug use for children contributed to a 10.8 percent spending increase last year. In contrast, overall prescription drug use rose 1.3 percent, and drug spending climbed 3.7 percent. Medco released its annual drug trend report Wednesday" (Murphy, 5/19).

21 May 2010

Ingenix TrendView solution helps companies better understand, manage employee medical costs

Ingenix is launching Ingenix TrendView, an affordable, easy-to-use desktop solution designed to help companies better understand and manage a critical expense category - employee medical costs. Ingenix TrendView provides graphical views of consolidated employee benefits usage, enables scenario modeling, and uncovers opportunities for reducing medical costs and improving employee health.

20 May 2010

Employers must assess current and future retiree prescription benefit options: Medco Health Solutions

As the nation's healthcare system begins to understand and address the impact of the recently enacted healthcare reform legislation, employers must assess their current and future retiree prescription benefit options, according to executives from Medco Health Solutions, Inc. speaking to more than 700 clients at Medco's annual Drug Trend Symposium.

20 May 2010

Drug trend for children increased 10.8% in 2009 across America

In growing numbers, children across America are adding a dose of medicine to their daily routine. In 2009, drug trend for children – a measure of prescription spending growth – increased 10.8 percent, driven by a 5 percent increase in drug utilization and higher medication costs, according to the Medco 2010 Drug Trend Report. The growth in prescription drug use among children was nearly four times higher than the rise seen in the overall population.

20 May 2010

Fraud and abuse cases come to conclusions

Los Angeles Times: "A man who recruited destitute HIV patients to be straw purchasers in a prescription drug scheme was convicted by a federal jury Tuesday in Los Angeles. Nathaniel Newhouse, 53, showed no expression as the verdict was read in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson." Newhouse was caught with 29 bottles of powerful painkillers two years ago. Investigators said they had a street value of up to $80,000. HIV patients arranged for doctors to prescribe the drugs, which were passed on to Newhouse (Glover, 5/19).

20 May 2010

First Edition: May 19, 2010

Today's headlines highlight issues related to the federal debt, developments regarding the Medicare physician payment fix and news from the states.

19 May 2010

FDA grants orphan drug designation to pralatrexate for treatment of advanced TCC of urinary bladder

Allos Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to pralatrexate for the treatment of advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, a form of bladder cancer. The Company is currently investigating pralatrexate in a Phase 2 clinical study in patients with advanced or metastatic relapsed TCC of the urinary bladder.

18 May 2010

Prescription Drug News and Research

Neptune's revenues increased by 8% for fiscal year ended February 28, 2010

First Edition: May 28, 2010

Medicare brochure mailing draws GOP ire

Benefits of new health insurance reform law for Medicare recipients discussed in news conference

FDA advises consumers, health care professionals about Xenical, Alli

HHS 'special mailing' on health law's immediate Medicare benefits sparks GOP grumbles

Medtronic fiscal year 2010 revenue up 8% to $15.817 billion

Experts question 'doc fix' as Reid threatens weekend work on bill with COBRA, Medicare provisions

FDA grants priority review for Alkermes' VIVITROL sNDA for opioid dependence

Repligen's RG2833 granted orphan drug designation for treatment of Friedreich's ataxia

Research roundup: Lessons from Medicare Part D; Evaluating medical homes; Insuring young adults

African-Americans, Hispanics less likely to meet MTM eligibility requirements: Study

Universal American selects MedVentive's technology to enable increased collaboration among members, physicians

Medco: Big jump in kids' prescription drug use last year

Ingenix TrendView solution helps companies better understand, manage employee medical costs

Employers must assess current and future retiree prescription benefit options: Medco Health Solutions

Drug trend for children increased 10.8% in 2009 across America

Fraud and abuse cases come to conclusions

First Edition: May 19, 2010

FDA grants orphan drug designation to pralatrexate for treatment of advanced TCC of urinary bladder

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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