Change in Chicago: Boomerang 2

June, 26, 2017 | 10 Comments

Comments

  1. This clip shows David, and what he was up against with the Officials quite startled .. and his parents ..

    Quincy M.E. Seldom Silent Never Heard Quincy Piano Scene!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZyaGEIqvRs

    Ed Silverman casts his eye over the $$$s in Orphan drugs, with loophole ..

    Orphan drug sales will outpace all other meds, thanks to high prices

    March 2, 2017

    By: Ed Silverman

    http://www.coteorphan.com/news/2017/3/2/orphan-drug-sales-will-outpace-all-other-meds-thanks-to-high-prices

    “the data, which was released to coincide with Rare Disease Day, also emerges amid growing controversy over orphan drugs. Large price tags are drawing attention and there is growing concern that some drug makers are exploiting loopholes in a US law, which has prompted one lawmaker to start a probe.”

    • Interesting blog, here – yet another unsavoury aspect of the very murky world of BigPharma …….. and a particularly interesting link to Ed Silverman’s article, thanks Annie.

      Silverman’s article makes specific reference to the new drug, Spinaraza, which is priced at an enormous $750,000 for first year of treatment and $350,00 thereafter.

      My partner’s little grandson (aged 19 months) has recently been diagnosed with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) and Spinraza, which has had impressive results in clinical trials, could considerably enhance his quality of life.

      The SMA Trust is now battling away with the NHS to try to make this drug available to babies and children like my partner’s grandson, but so far, it seems to be an uphill battle due to the prohibitive cost.

      It is so very sad to see the parents of this very cute little boy first have to come to terms with the diagnosis that their baby has SMA Type 2 (and face realisation that your little child is never going to be able to walk and may well suffer serious respiratory problems due to muscle weakness) yet also learn that a new and effective drug is now available (Spinraza – FDA approved December 2016 and EMA approved April 2017) but is too expensive and out of reach – a very hurtful ‘double whammy’ if ever there was one.

      At the same time I read (on various Facebook groups, Twitter etc) about people incarcerated and medicated against their will and kept on secure wards costing the NHS absolutely £ thousands ….. such wasted budgets that could be so much better spent on providing help to these poor little children who face such huge life challenges.

      We can but hope that the NHS ‘powers that be’ in charge of making decisions about commissioning this orphan drug, Spinraza, will see fit to find the budgets necessary to allow treatment ….. it could make so much difference to his precious little life.

      Or, better, still BigPharma (Biogen in this instance) play fair in pricing of orphan drugs (pigs might fly, eh?)

  2. The ‘Orphan’ Appointment ..

    Without a drug involved, GSK is involved in a court case ..

    “you could have gone to any company but GSK”

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/business/pascal-soriot-threatened-protege-over-joining-rival-glaxosmithkline-rx8nv9tkt

    Comment

    Nicholas Beale
    9 hours ago

    Restrictive covenants and gardening leave are commonplace in industry especially at this level. And disputes are generally settled amicably, with Chairman to Chairman discussion in especially sensitive issues. It seems odd that this has come to court – is there more going on here than the story suggests?

    Luke Miels is President, Global Pharmaceuticals at GlaxoSmithKline.

    https://www.vbprofiles.com/people/luke-miels-5887009c2cd3f4b692000225

    Er, not quite ..

    Commenting on the appointment,Emma Walmsley said: “Luke brings a combination of excellent R&D insight and a strong track record of commercial execution.

    “We are now entering a critical period of commercialisation for our new pharmaceutical products and, over the next two to three years, we have important data to come on our early-stage pipeline. Luke will bring a strong new voice to the decisions and choices we will have to make for our Pharmaceuticals business.

  3. “he can’t stop the train”

    What’s the @EFPIA Disclosure Code and why should you care?

    #pharmadisclosure

    https://twitter.com/GSK/status/885165260793139202

    Archer‏ @SArcher45 24m24 minutes ago

    Replying to @GSK @EFPIA

    Stop peddling heroin or as you call it “opioids”. People are dying. Disclose that.

    Slate .. (King and Spalding) ..

    http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/07/christopher_wray_will_not_be_trump_s_stooge.html

  4. Change in C: G1, G2, G3 …

    Ex-GSK CEO Andrew Witty goes biotech, taking a board seat at G1

    Witty had his ups and downs during his 9-year stint at the top of the pharma giant, certainly, but he persisted in maintaining a focus on ethics and corporate performance

    https://endpts.com/ex-gsk-ceo-andrew-witty-goes-biotech-taking-a-board-seat-at-g1/

    all I heard back was that he “has nothing further to add.”

    Wiki:

    G1
    Witty later claimed that he knew nothing about the China fraud and tried to pass the blame onto subordinates

    G2
    Illegal promotion of prescription drugs, its failure to report safety data

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Witty

    G3
    In March 2016 Witty announced that he was to stand down as chief executive

  5. Senior Reporter, @BuzzFeedNews.

    Mike Hayes‏Verified account @michaelhayes 3h3 hours ago

    Just in: Sessions, DOJ announces “largest health care fraud takedown in American history.” 412 defendants, including 56 doctors charged.

    6:40 AM – 13 Jul 2017

    July 13th, 2017 | 09:30 AM – 11:00 AM EST
    Department of Justice, July 13, 2017

    PLEASE STAND BY.

    https://recapd.com/w-c88e15/

  6. Stars in Your Eyes .. **********

    “cannot resist”

    http://www.pharmafile.com/appointment/514614/not-long-after-leaving-gsk-andrew-witty-dips-toes-back-water

    Only a short while after leaving his position as CEO of GSK, it seems Andrew Witty cannot resist getting back into the industry, as he takes up a board position at newly-fledged biotech, North Carolina-based, G1 Therapeutics.

    The appointment is a massive coup for the biotech that recently completed a $105 million IPO and the addition of industry-veteran to its board will only increase confidence in the company.

    The biotech’s lead candidate is a CDK4/6 inhibitor that is designed to be used in combination with chemotherapy for NSCLC lung cancer and triple negative breast cancer.

    Data on the drug’s performance in Phase 2 trials are expected to be released next year.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to our board of directors,” said Mark Velleca, CEO of G1 Therapeutics. “Andrew led and oversaw the development, commercialization, and global market access for several leading pharmaceutical products at GSK. We anticipate leveraging *his wealth* of industry experience as we advance G1’s portfolio of potential best-in-class and first-in-class therapies.”

    Witty’s experience will certainly be a bonus, after 30 year journey at GSK that resulted in him being appointed CEO and saw him lead the company in a *notable shift towards ethical practices* , including a drive to increase access to medicines in lower-income countries.

    Witty will balance his new role with his position as a Director of Singapore Economic Development Board and his position on the Imperial College Commercialisation Advisory Board. He is also the Chancellor of the University of Nottingham.

    “As someone who is passionate about the development of new and *meaningful medicines* , I am delighted to join the G1 board of directors,” said Witty. “The encouraging *early clinical data* generated by G1’s CDK4/6 inhibitors support their potential to *improve patient outcomes* in multiple oncology indications. I look forward to working with the G1 team at this exciting time of *corporate* growth.

  7. Emma Walmsley, on her second poach, as presumably, she feels, her L’Oreal Experience does not quite cut the thrust ..

    http://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/pfizer-s-medicinal-sciences-head-tony-wood-jumps-ship-to-gsk

    Today is the anniversary of Stewart Dolin and capturing the mood is some exquisite music ..
    ,
    http://fiddaman.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/stewart-dolin.html#.WWpIdIWcGZ8

    Almost all those linked between Paxil/Paroxetine/Seroxat have been made .. Sirs ..

  8. Panorama asks if enough is known about this rare side effect

    A Prescription for Murder?

    and if doctors are unwittingly prescribing what could be a prescription for murder.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08zjyp1

    Panorama

    Is it possible that a pill prescribed by your doctor can turn you into a killer?

    Over 40 million prescriptions for SSRI anti-depressants were handed out by doctors last year in the UK. Panorama reveals the devastating side effects on a tiny minority that can lead to psychosis, violence, possibly even murder.

    With exclusive access to psychiatric reports, court footage and drug company data, reporter Shelley Jofre investigates the mass killings at the 2012 midnight premiere of a Batman movie in Aurora, Colorado. 24-year-old PhD student James Holmes, who had no record of violence or gun ownership, murdered 12 and injured 70. Did the SSRI anti-depressant he had been prescribed play a part in the killings?

    Panorama has uncovered other cases of murder and extreme violence which could be linked to psychosis developed after the taking of SSRIs- including a father who strangled his 11-year-old son.

    Panorama asks if enough is known about this rare side effect, and if doctors are unwittingly prescribing what could be a prescription for murder.

    Wed 26 Jul 2017 21:00

    BBC One

    Reporter
    Shelley Jofre

    1.36

    “There’s a lot of runway space out there for Seroxat

    https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=panorama+and+seroxat&qpvt=panorama+and+seroxat&view=detail&mid=B91E6C96E7D2A78E2263B91E6C96E7D2A78E2263&FORM=VRDGAR

    let’s get the planes down …

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