The Ontario government is putting off the implementation of rules that would require pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers to report all payments and gifts to doctors, medical associations, patient advocacy groups and others in the province. The Health Sector Payment Transparency Act was passed in December 2017, but the regulations had not been finalized […]
pharmaceuticals
A ray of hope amid antibiotic gloom
As antibiotic resistance continues to threaten the treatment of various infections, researchers are looking for new ways to supplement and in some cases replace failing antimicrobial drugs. When it comes to tackling infections, we’ve had it pretty good for the past 90 years. The development of antibiotics has turned many previously deadly infections into mere […]
Data sharing: Access all areas
Advocates say that open science will be good for innovation. One neuroscience institute plans to put that to the test. In the cut-throat world of early-stage clinical development, where aggressive defence of data and intellectual property is thought to be key to amassing profits, one academic institute is opting out. Over the next five years, […]
Drug development: The treasure chest
Pharmaceutical research into the chemicals found in cannabis has so far supplied only one licensed medicine. But scientists think there could be hundreds more. The annual meeting of the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) is a highly unusual scientific conference. It has been closed to all media since its inception 25 years ago, lending an […]
Tackling prescription drug abuse
There are signs that strategies to address prescription drug abuse are starting to work but will an increase in illegal drug use be the payoff? Prescription medicines can be a powerful life saving tool, but they carry with them a danger of abuse. The euphoric effects of prescription painkillers, as well as stimulants and drugs […]
Questions raised about whether compulsory licenses get best prices
The use of so-called ‘compulsory licenses’ by developing countries to obtain cheaper drugs for HIV and AIDS by circumventing patents has not been the best strategy for achieving the lowest prices over the past decade, a new study claims. Instead, the best prices were often obtained by countries that procured their drugs through voluntary negotiations, […]
Pharmaceuticals in the environment: a growing problem
Drugs taken by humans and animals find their way into rivers, lakes and even drinking water, and can have devastating effects on the environment. When Rebecca Klaper searched for signs of pharmaceuticals in Lake Michigan, she got a surprise. The most common drug she found was one she hadn’t even considered looking for — metformin, […]