pharmaceutical industry News

Teva, AbbVie Finalize $6.6B Opioid Settlements

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and AbbVie Inc. have finalized the terms of settlements worth more than $6.6 billion to resolve thousands of lawsuits by U.S. state and local governments over the marketing of opioid painkillers, the companies and lawyers for …

Britain’s Haleon Rejects Potential Zantac Liabilities in U.S.

Haleon believes it is not liable for any claims that may arise from U.S. litigation over the heartburn drug Zantac, the London-listed company’s CEO Brian McNamara told Reuters on Tuesday. More than 2,000 legal cases related to Zantac have been …

FDA Chief Says Opioid Review Still in the Works

A long-awaited review of prescription opioid medications, including their risks and contribution to the U.S. overdose epidemic, is still underway at the Food and Drug Administration, the agency’s commissioner said Tuesday. Dr. Robert Califf wrote in a blog entry that …

First Zantac Case Dropped Before Trial After Some Payouts

A lawsuit against makers of Zantac was dropped this week just ahead of trial, people familiar with the matter said, after a series of settlements with some of the drugmakers involved. Generic drugmakers Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Perrigo Co., Sun …

FDA Says Possible Carcinogen Found in Some Merck Diabetes Drugs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday certain samples of sitagliptin, a compound in Merck’s diabetes drugs Januvia and Janumet, were contaminated with a possible carcinogen. The agency said it would temporarily allow Merck to distribute drugs with …

U.S. Supreme Court Sides With Doctors Challenging Opioid Convictions

The U.S. Supreme Court on June 27 made it harder for prosecutors to win convictions of doctors accused of running “pill mills” and excessively prescribing opioids and other addictive drugs, by requiring the government to prove that defendants knew their …

Whistleblower Suing Eli Lilly Alleges Drug Manufacturing Problems

A former human resources officer at Eli Lilly & Co. sued the pharmaceutical company on Monday, alleging she was terminated after pointing out poor manufacturing practices and data falsification involving its blockbuster diabetes drug. The plaintiff, Amrit Mula, alleges violations …

Martin Shkreli’s Law Firm Has Not Been Paid, Seeks to Withdraw

The law firm that defended Martin Shkreli against antitrust charges said it has not been paid, and on Tuesday asked a U.S. judge for permission to withdraw from representing the former pharmaceutical executive best known for hiking the price of …

Biden’s Proposed Inflation Cap on Drug Prices Includes Private Insurance Plans

Workers and families with private health insurance would reap savings on prescription drugs from a little-noticed provision in President Joe Biden’s sweeping social agenda bill. It’s meant to break the cycle of annual price increases for widely used medicines. That …

Biden Backs Patent Waiver for Covid-19 Vaccines

President Joe Biden on Wednesday threw his support behind waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, bowing to mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and more than 100 other countries, but angering pharmaceutical companies. Biden voiced his support for a temporary …