WorldWideScience

Sample records for economics pharmaceutical

  1. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN ROMANIA

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    Georgiana Daniela Minculete Piko

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available In the wake of the financial crisis, most industries witnessed an economic downturn also boosted by the austerity measures imposed by the state. The pharmaceutical sector is one of the few sectors that followed an upward trend. Although the economic and financial crisis has long taken hold of the entire world, the domino theory did not apply to this industry; instead, the “butterfly effect” became evident. The phrase refers to the fact that the wings of a butterfly create small changes that may finally alter the route of certain elements. In the pharmaceutical industry, minor changes in research and development finally led to spectacular innovations. At present, there are no such big investments in research and development in Romania as there are in Europe; yet, due to mergers and acquisitions between Romanian and foreign companies, the pharmaceutical sector in Romania significantly contributes to the creation of added value in terms of economic development. The added value of the pharmaceutical industry in our country has increased significantly in recent years. The purpose of this article is to highlight the financial and economic significance of the pharmaceutical industry in Romania. This industry is one with an average degree of concentration; thus, the average liquidity and solvency indicators in this sector were calculated with a view to emphasizing its financial independence. The findings of this research indicate a high level of financial independence in this industry, as pharmaceutical companies are able to meet payment deadlines. This study highlights the importance of such an industry in times of economic crisis, the financial stability of the pharmaceutical sector reinforcing the need for massive investment in research and development.

  2. Pharmaceutical care as a historical, normative-legal and social-economic category in the system of the population health and pharmaceutical care

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    G. L. Panfilova

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Terminological vagueness of the term «pharmaceutical care» in domestic legislative framework and scientific environment makes it impossible to introduce new forms and methods of providing pharmaceutical population in Ukraine effectively. In order to form the unified methodological approach to identify and order the use of the mentioned term, the results of organizational-economic studies in pharmacy and the existing legal framework have been analyzed. Methods and results. Using dialectical, historical, logical-semantic and other methods the basic stages in the development of pharmaceutical care have been established and definitions tree of the concept have been constructed. Conclusion. The results of these studies indicate the need for recognition and regulatory mapping integration (organizational and economic of the definition «pharmaceutical care» in domestic legislation and public health practice.

  3. Effect of the economic recession on pharmaceutical policy and medicine sales in eight European countries

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    Leopold, Christine; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K; Vogler, Sabine; Valkova, Silvia; de Joncheere, Kees; Leufkens, Hubert G M; Wagner, Anita K; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Laing, Richard

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To identify pharmaceutical policy changes during the economic recession in eight European countries and to determine whether policy measures resulted in lower sales of, and less expenditure on, pharmaceuticals. METHODS: Information on pharmaceutical policy changes between 2008 and 2011 in

  4. R&D investments for neglected diseases can be sensitive to the economic goal of pharmaceutical companies.

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    Dimitri, Nicola

    2012-08-01

    A fundamental problem with neglected diseases is how to induce pharmaceutical companies to invest resources for developing effective treatments. A recent debate focused on the role of economic incentives represented by monetary transfers to the firms. In this article I focus on the economic goals of pharmaceutical companies, as determinants for R&D effort. In particular, within a stylized framework, the work compares expected profit and expected productivity maximization, arguing that the former in general induces higher R&D investments than the latter. Therefore, as it is currently the case, when pharmaceutical firms focus on productivity, appropriate economic incentives might be needed for them to invest in R&D for neglected diseases. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The ethics and economics of pharmaceutical pricing.

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    Parker-Lue, Sara; Santoro, Michael; Koski, Greg

    2015-01-01

    The cost of drugs is a major and rapidly rising component of health-care expenditures. We survey recent literature on the ethics and economics of skyrocketing pharmaceutical prices and find that advances in economic research have increased the sharpness and focus of the ethically based calls to increase access by modifying patent protection and reducing prices. In some cases, research supports ethical arguments for broader access. Other research suggests that efforts to broaden access result in unintended consequences for innovation and the medical needs of patients. Both ethicists and economists need to be more cognizant of the real clinical settings in which physicians practice medicine with real patients. Greater cross-disciplinary interaction among economists, ethicists, and physicians can help reduce the disjunction between innovation and access and improve access and patient care. This dialogue will impact private industry and may spur new multistakeholder paradigms for drug discovery, development, and pricing.

  6. Macro-economic factors influencing the architectural business model shift in the pharmaceutical industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dierks, Raphaela Marie Louisa; Bruyère, Olivier; Reginster, Jean-Yves; Richy, Florent-Frederic

    2016-10-01

    Technological innovations, new regulations, increasing costs of drug productions and new demands are only few key drivers of a projected alternation in the pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of this review is to understand the macro economic factors responsible for the business model revolution to possess a competitive advantage over market players. Areas covered: Existing literature on macro-economic factors changing the pharmaceutical landscape has been reviewed to present a clear image of the current market environment. Expert commentary: Literature shows that pharmaceutical companies are facing an architectural alteration, however the evidence on the rationale driving the transformation is outstanding. Merger & Acquisitions (M&A) deals and collaborations are headlining the papers. Q1 2016 did show a major slowdown in M&A deals by volume since 2013 (with deal cancellations of Pfizer and Allergan, or the downfall of Valeant), but pharmaceutical analysts remain confident that this shortfall was a consequence of the equity market volatility. It seems likely that the shift to an M&A model will become apparent during the remainder of 2016, with deal announcements of Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie and Sanofi worth USD 45billion showing the appetite of big pharma companies to shift from the fully vertical integrated business model to more horizontal business models.

  7. Pharmaceutical interventions for mitigating an influenza pandemic: modeling the risks and health-economic impacts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Postma, Maarten J; Milne, George; Nelson, E Anthony S; Pyenson, Bruce; Basili, Marcello; Coker, Richard; Oxford, John; Garrison, Louis P

    2010-12-01

    Model-based analyses built on burden-of-disease and cost-effectiveness theory predict that pharmaceutical interventions may efficiently mitigate both the epidemiologic and economic impact of an influenza pandemic. Pharmaceutical interventions typically encompass the application of (pre)pandemic influenza vaccines, other vaccines (notably pneumococcal), antiviral treatments and other drug treatment (e.g., antibiotics to target potential complications of influenza). However, these models may be too limited to capture the full macro-economic impact of pandemic influenza. The aim of this article is to summarize current health-economic modeling approaches to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, and to compare these with more recently proposed alternative methods. We conclude that it is useful, particularly for policy and planning purposes, to extend modeling concepts through the application of alternative approaches, including insurers' risk theories, human capital approaches and sectoral and full macro-economic modeling. This article builds on a roundtable meeting of the Pandemic Influenza Economic Impact Group that was held in Boston, MA, USA, in December 2008.

  8. Accounting- versus economic-based rates of return: implications for profitability measures in the pharmaceutical industry.

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    Skrepnek, Grant H

    2004-01-01

    Accounting-based profits have indicated that pharmaceutical firms have achieved greater returns relative to other sectors. However, partially due to the theoretically inappropriate reporting of research and development (R&D) expenditures according to generally accepted accounting principles, evidence suggests that a substantial and upward bias is present in accounting-based rates of return for corporations with high levels of intangible assets. Given the intensity of R&D in pharmaceutical firms, accounting-based profit metrics in the drug sector may be affected to a greater extent than other industries. The aim of this work was to address measurement issues associated with corporate performance and factors that contribute to the bias within accounting-based rates of return. Seminal and broadly cited works on the subject of accounting- versus economic-based rates of return were reviewed from the economic and finance literature, with an emphasis placed on issues and scientific evidence directly related to the drug development process and pharmaceutical industry. With international convergence and harmonization of accounting standards being imminent, stricter adherence to theoretically sound economic principles is advocated, particularly those based on discounted cash-flow methods. Researchers, financial analysts, and policy makers must be cognizant of the biases and limitations present within numerous corporate performance measures. Furthermore, the development of more robust and valid economic models of the pharmaceutical industry is required to capture the unique dimensions of risk and return of the drug development process. Empiric work has illustrated that estimates of economic-based rates of return range from approximately 2 to approximately 11 percentage points below various accounting-based rates of return for drug companies. Because differences in the nature of risk and uncertainty borne by drug manufacturers versus other sectors make comparative assessments

  9. Pharmaceutical expenditure changes in Serbia and Greece during the global economic recession

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    Mihajlo Jakovljevic

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Clarity on health expenditures is essential for the timely identification of risks that jeopardize the democratic provision of health services and the credibility of health insurance systems. Furthermore, observing health outcomes with geographical scope is essential for making multilateral associations. This study aimed at conveying information on the variability of important economic parameters of the health sector of Serbia and Greece from 2007 to 2012, when the most serious financial crisis in the post-war economic history hit the global economy. Methods: Exchange rates, purchase-power-parities (PPP and price indices were used for the bilateral review of health and pharmaceutical expenditure dynamics during 2007-2012. Prescription and dispensing changes were also studied taking into account the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC structure of drugs consumed. Results: Greece was forced to cut down its total health care and pharmaceutical expenditure and mainly its out-of-pocket payments were more seriously affected by the recession. Surprisingly, emerging market of Serbia, although severely damaged by global recession, succeeded to maintain 19% growth of its per capita health expenditure and even 25% increase of its per capita spending on pharmaceuticals. Innovative pharmaceuticals showed an upward trend in both countries. Conclusions: These two countries might serve as an example of two distinct pathways of mature and emerging health care markets during financial constraints caused by global recession. Our findings show that producing disease-based feedback, in the long run, may empower the assessment of the return on investment on medical technology and healthcare systems’ cost-effectiveness.

  10. [Economic determinants of the demand for importation of pharmacochemical and pharmaceutical products].

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    Santos, Anderson Moreira Aristides Dos; Tejada, César Augusto Oviedo; Jacinto, Paulo de Andrade

    2017-09-28

    : This article analyzes the relationship between the demand for importation of pharmacochemical and pharmaceutical products and economic variables (exchange rate, import prices, and aggregate income) in Brazil, using monthly data from 1997-2014. The main results showed that increases in aggregate income and price reductions in imports have a positive and significant impact (elastic and inelastic, respectively) on imports. Exchange rate was only significant in the more aggregate model. Thus, aggregate income was a robust variable with strong impact on the importation of pharmacochemical and pharmaceutical products. The arguments in the literature that this industry's international trade deficit is related to a deficit in knowledge and technology and the current study's results provide evidence that as economic activity grows, there is a greater demand for this type of product. Additionally, if domestic production is insufficient, there is a need for imports, which can generate pressure on the trade deficit in the industry and contribute to Brazil's dependence on other countries.

  11. The revised Canadian Guidelines for the Economic Evaluation of Pharmaceuticals.

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    Glennie, J L; Torrance, G W; Baladi, J F; Berka, C; Hubbard, E; Menon, D; Otten, N; Rivière, M

    1999-05-01

    The first edition of the Guidelines for Economic Evaluation of Pharmaceuticals: Canada was published in November 1994. At that time, the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment (CCOHTA) was assigned the task of maintaining and regularly updating the Canadian Guidelines. Since their introduction, a great deal of experience has been gained with the practical application of the guidelines. Their role has also evolved over time, from being a framework for pharmacoeconomic research to the point where a wide variety of decision-makers use economic evaluations based on the principles set out in the guidelines as a means of facilitating their formulary decisions. In addition, methodologies in certain areas (and the body of related research literature in general) have developed considerably over time. Given these changes in the science and the experience gained, CCOHTA convened a multi-disciplinary committee to address the need for revisions to the guidelines. The underlying principles of the review process were to keep the guidance nature of the document, to focus on the needs of 'doers' (so as to meet the information needs of 'users') and to provide information and advice in areas of controversy, with sound direction in areas of general agreement. The purpose of this review is three-fold: (i) to outline the process which lead to the revision of the Canadian Guidelines; (ii) to describe the major changes made to the second edition of this document; and (iii) to consider the 'next steps' as they relate to the impact of such guidelines and the measurement of outcomes related to economic assessments of pharmaceuticals in general.

  12. The study of socio economic factors’ influence on the capacity dynamics of the pharmaceutical market in contracting conditions

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    А. А. Kotvitska

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available For the effective functioning of pharmaceutical companies in the current economic conditions it is necessary to carry out product policy aimed to expanding the range of medicines that are most popular. In order to make the efficient product range of drugs in the pharmaceutical industrial enterprises the aim of our research was an analysis of the socio economic factors affecting the quantitative potential of the pharmaceutical market on the example of a group of dexketoprofen. Materials and methods. During the research we used retrospective, logical, correlation-regression methods, mathematical modeling and methods of factor analysis. In order to determine the dependence of the influence of socio economic factors on the quantitative potential of the pharmaceutical market and prediction of its development, we developed and tested on the example of a group of dexketoprofen the method of predicting the capacity of the pharmaceutical market with the definition of factors influencing its size, which is based on the correlation-regression method of analysis and which consists of eight main stages. Results. The article presents the results of the study of the impact of various socio economic factors on the development of quantitative potential of the pharmaceutical market. Considered twenty three factors combined into six groups. According to the results of correlation analysis, 14 factors that have the greatest impact on sales are selected. Using a step-by-step regression method, a regression model was developed, which included such factors as the average monthly wage and household expenditure on healthcare. The prediction of the quantitative potential of the pharmaceutical market for 2018 is carried out on the basis of extrapolation of the values of the factors that have the most effect on the resultant variable. Conclusions. A method for predicting the size of the potential of market of dexketoprofen based on multiple regression was developed. This

  13. Pharmaceutical priority setting and the use of health economic evaluations: a systematic literature review.

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    Erntoft, Sandra

    2011-06-01

    To investigate which factors and criteria are used in priority setting of pharmaceuticals, in what contexts health economic evaluations are used, and barriers to the use of health economic evaluations at micro, meso, and macro health-care levels. The search for empirical articles was based on the MeSH index (Medical Substance Heading), including the search terms "economic evaluation," "cost-effectiveness analysis," "cost-utility analysis," "cost-benefit analysis," "pharmacoeconomic," AND "drug cost(s)," AND "eligibility determination," AND "decision-making," AND "rationing," AND formulary. The following databases were searched: PubMed, EconLit, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. More than 3100 studies were identified, 31 of which were included in this review. The use of health economic evaluations at all three health-care levels was investigated in three countries (United States [US], United Kingdom [UK], and Sweden). Postal and telephone survey methods dominated (n = 17) followed by interviews (n = 13), document analysis (n = 10), and observations of group deliberations (n = 9). The cost-effectiveness criterion was most important at the macro level. A number of contextual uses of health economic evaluations were identified, including importantly the legitimizing of decisions, structuring the priority-setting process, and requesting additional budgets to finance expensive pharmaceuticals. Factors that seem to support the increased use of health economic evaluations are well-developed frameworks for evaluations, the presence of health economic skills, and an explicit priority-setting process. Differences in how economic evaluations are used at macro, meso, and micro levels are attributed to differences in the preconditions at each level. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. A 3-stage model for assessing the probable economic effects of direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals.

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    Vogel, Ronald J; Ramachandran, Sulabha; Zachry, Woodie M

    2003-01-01

    The pharmaceutical industry employs a variety of marketing strategies that have previously been directed primarily toward physicians. However, mass media direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs has emerged as a ubiquitous promotional strategy. This article explores the economics of DTC advertising in greater depth than has been done in the past by using a 3-stage economic model to assess the pertinent literature and to show the probable effects of DTC advertising in the United States. Economics literature on the subject was searched using the Journal of Economic Literature. Health services literature was searched using computer callback devices. Spending on DTC advertising in the United States increased from $17 million in 1985 to $2.5 billion in 2000. Proponents of DTC advertising claim that it provides valuable product-related information to health care professionals and patients, may contribute to better use of medications, and helps patients take charge of their own health care. Opponents argue that DTC advertising provides misleading messages rather than well-balanced, evidence-based information. The literature is replete with opinions about the effects of prescription drug advertising on pharmaceutical drug prices and physician-prescribing patterns, but few studies have addressed the issues beyond opinion surveys. The economic literature on advertising effects in other markets, however, may provide insight. DTC advertising indirectly affects the price and the quantity of production of pharmaceuticals via its effect on changes in consumer demand.

  15. Guidelines for economic analysis of pharmaceutical products: a draft document for Ontario and Canada.

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    Detsky, A S

    1993-05-01

    In Canada, provincial formulary review committees consider the effectiveness, safety, and cost of products when they derive advice for each Minister of Health. This article offers a draft set of guidelines for pharmaceutical manufacturers making submissions which include economic information, moving beyond a simple presentation of the unit price of the pharmaceutical product (e.g. price per day or course of therapy) and comparison to similar prices for alternative products. A full economic analysis compares all relevant costs and clinical outcomes of the new product with alternate therapeutic strategies for treating patients with a particular condition. The perspective of the decision maker must be clearly identified. The quality of the evidence supporting estimates of the variables incorporated in the analysis should be evaluated. Sensitivity analyses are used to assess the robustness of the qualitative conclusions. Reviewers will examine the answers to a set of 19 questions. Manufacturers can use these questions as a worksheet for preparation of an economic analysis to be incorporated in a submission. These guidelines are intended to be a starting point for further refinement, and discussion with health economists in industry and academia. Considerable flexibility will be used in reviewing documentation supporting economic analysis. Those preparing submissions should be encouraged to experiment with various approaches as part of the general development of this field and to engage provincial review committees in ongoing discussions.

  16. [Logistics in the pharmaceutical service].

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    Stanko, P; Fulmeková, M

    2005-11-01

    The conception of the field of pharmaceutical service defines pharmaceutical service as the basic part of pharmacy, the principal task of which is to provide pharmaceutical care as an inseparable part of providing health care. It represents a set of professional activities of the pharmacist oriented to securing human and veterinary pharmaceutical products and health care products and to optimising effective, safe and quality pharmacotherapy. Technically, pharmaceutical service is an applied discipline, as it makes use of knowledge gained in other pharmaceutical, medical, psychological, social, and economic sciences. Because of its interdisciplinary character it is necessary to extend the theory of pharmaceutical service in such a way so that it may reflect all aspects of its sphere of activity. One of the possibilities is to define the pharmacy premises as an independent functional unit which operates on the basis of valid legal standards in such a way that on the one hand it secures the provision of health (pharmaceutical) care, and on the other hand it maintains its cost-effectiveness. To keep the quality of care of the patient and the economic aspect in balance, it is necessary to define the term pharmaceutical logistics also under the conditions of Slovak (Czech) pharmacy as early satisfaction of the requirements of the patient (client) in the pharmacy premises, which means that the appropriate pharmaceutical product or health care product and the appropriate information must be at the right time in the required amount and required quality in the right place.

  17. The simple economics of risk-sharing agreements between the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry.

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    Barros, Pedro Pita

    2011-04-01

    The introduction of new (and expensive) pharmaceutical products is one of the major challenges for health systems. The search for new institutional arrangements is natural. The use of the so-called risk-sharing agreements is one example. Recent discussions have somewhat neglected the economic fundamentals underlying risk-sharing agreements. We argue here that risk-sharing agreements, although attractive due to the principle of paying by results, also entail risks. Too many patients may be put under treatment. Prices are likely to be adjusted upward, in anticipation of future risk-sharing agreements between the pharmaceutical company and the third-party payer. An available instrument is a verification cost per patient treated, which allows obtaining the first-best allocation of patients to the new treatment, under the agreement. Overall, the welfare effects of risk-sharing agreements are ambiguous, and caution is urged regarding their use. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. [AIDS and social justice: pharmaceutical industry and economics].

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    López Guzmán, José

    2008-01-01

    This article takes a broad look at the complicated framework of relationships between the third world and pharmaceutical companies. In the first part of the work reference is made to the poverty of these countries, their lack of education in terms of health, the scarcity of basic hygiene, and their greatly limited access to medicines, especially those for treating AIDS. The article then proceeds to the issue of the pharmaceutical companies' degree of responsibility for the reduced availability of medicines in certain areas of the world. One of the factors that most limits access to medicines is their price, and many sectors of society propose taking action on the patents of drugs (rescinding or limiting them) in order to lower their price. However, the problem of patent exemption is more complicated than it seems at first glance, and comes with its own risks. If, for lack of funds or the uncertainty concerning a return on the capital invested, pharmaceutical companies discontinue research and development of new drugs, AIDS therapy would worsen. It is imperative and urgent to develop new drugs against the AIDS because of its resistance to the drugs currently available. The article concludes with the pharmaceutical industry's effort to look for possible forms of collaboration with developing countries.

  19. New opportunities for biocatalysis: making pharmaceutical processes greener

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Woodley, John

    2008-01-01

    The pharmaceutical industry requires synthetic routes to be environmentally compatible as well as to fulfill the demands of process economics and product specification and to continually reduce development times. Biocatalysis has the potential to deliver 'greener' chemical syntheses, and in this ......The pharmaceutical industry requires synthetic routes to be environmentally compatible as well as to fulfill the demands of process economics and product specification and to continually reduce development times. Biocatalysis has the potential to deliver 'greener' chemical syntheses...... of biocatalysis for making pharmaceutical processes greener....

  20. The Pharmaceutical Sector of Kazakhstan's Economy: Trends and Problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurpeisov, Borankul G.; Nabiev, Erboz N.; Mukashev, Temirbay A.; Daribekov, Serik S.; Raimbekov, Bagdat Kh.; Asanova, Maral K.; Bazarbaeva, Leila M.

    2016-01-01

    This research is devoted to the investigation of the general trends in the development of the pharmaceutical industry in the current conditions of economical socialization. The determination of the economic specificity of the modern operation of the pharmaceutical industry is the purpose of the research. It was found that pharmacy is a profitable…

  1. Pharmaceutical pricing, price controls, and their effects on pharmaceutical sales and research and development expenditures in the European Union.

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    Vogel, Ronald J

    2004-08-01

    Each country in the European Union (EU) currently employs direct price controls or permutations of direct price controls, such as reference pricing or limitations on returns to capital. Some countries also use volume controls. A new proposal that is being discussed would have all of the countries in the EU adopt uniform pricing for each pharmaceutical. This paper analyzes the economic effects of free-market pricing individual-country price controls, and uniform EU price controls. Microeconomic and mathematical models were used to simulate and predict probable economic outcomes in a comparative static setting. Price controls may be in the form of price ceilings or price floors. Both forms of price control generate deadweight economic losses in the short run and long run. A uniform EU price for each pharmaceutical sold there would have elements of a price ceiling in some of the countries and of a price floor in other countries. The deadweight loss incurred would be a function of the level at which the uniform price was set by the EU and the price elasticity of demand for each pharmaceutical in each country. Economic efficiency is maximized in both the short run and long run when prices are set in freely competitive markets. An additional important dimension of Ramsey pricing within a competitive context is that it generates funds for investment in pharmaceutical research and development, which enhances economic efficiency in the long run.

  2. The Direct and Indirect Impact of Pharmaceutical Industry in Economic Expansion and Job Creation: Evidence from Bootstrapping and Normal Theory Methods

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    Rizwan Raheem Ahmed

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research article is to examine the role of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry in job creation opportunities, with the sacred intention to eradicate poverty, and expansion in economic activities. This research is quantitative in nature, and the data is directly gathered through closed-ended questionnaires from 300 respondents. Besides predictors’, four mediating variables have also been taken into consideration that contribute indirectly in job creation opportunities. Bootstrapping and Normal theory methods have been employed in order to examine the impact of predictors’ and mediating variables. The result of this research confirmed that pharmaceutical industry plays a vital role in job creation in Pakistan. It is further concluded that the pharmaceutical industry has a direct and significant impact in job creation by providing indigenous and direct job opportunities in sales, marketing, and other supporting departments for both skilled and unskilled workers. Pharmaceutical industry also provides indirect job opportunities through other industries, which are very much linked with this industry, such as: pharmaceutical distributors, dealers, retailers, wholesalers, hotel industry, and event management industry. It is also determined that pharmaceutical industry is acting like knowledge and skills imparting institutions. Therefore, skilled-based training and organizational learning are major mediating variables that transform unskilled people into human assets, which further trigger the future job prospects. Since pharmaceutical industry is one of the biggest industries in Pakistan, providing plenteous opportunities of new jobs with consistent growth. Thus, mediating variables such as motivation and interpersonal influence also preceded an active role in new job creation

  3. Monitoring of trace metals and pharmaceuticals as anthropogenic and socio-economic indicators of urban and industrial impact on surface waters

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    Vystavna, Yuliya

    2014-05-01

    The research focuses on the monitoring of trace metals and pharmaceuticals as potential anthropogenic indicators of industrial and urban influences on surface water in poorly gauged transboundary Ukraine/Russia region. This study includes analysis of tracers use for the indication of water pollution events, including controlled and emerging discharges, and discussion of the detection method of these chemicals. The following criteria were proposed for the evaluation of indicators: specificity (physical chemical properties), variability (spatial and temporal) and practicality (capacity of the sampling and analytical techniques). The combination of grab and passive water sampling (i.e. DGT and POCIS) procedure was applied for the determination of dissolved and labile trace metals (Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) and pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diazepam, paracetamol, caffeine, diclofenac and ketoprofen). Samples were analysed using ICP - MS (trace metals) and LC-MS/MS ESI +/- (pharmaceuticals). Our results demonstrate the distinctive spatial and temporal patterns of trace elements distribution along an urban watercourse. Accordingly, two general groups of trace metals have been discriminated: 'stable' (Cd and Cr) and 'time-varying' (Cu, Zn, Ni and Pb). The relationship Cd >> Cu > Ag > Cr ≥ Zn was proposed as an anthropogenic signature of the industrial and urban activities pressuring the environment from point sources (municipal wastewaters) and the group Pb - Ni was discussed as a relevant fingerprint of the economic activity (industry and transport) mainly from non-point sources (run-off, atmospheric depositions, etc.). Pharmaceuticals with contrasting hydro-chemical properties of molecules (water solubility, bioaccumulation, persistence during wastewater treatment processes) were discriminated on conservative, labile and with combined properties in order to provide information on wastewater treatment plant efficiency, punctual events (e.g. accidents on sewage

  4. The argument for pharmaceutical policy.

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    Traulsen, Janine Morgall; Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna

    2005-02-01

    Pharmaceutical policy is a global concern. It has become a hot political topic in most countries--developed as well as developing--and can be found on the agenda of international organizations such as WHO, OECD, EU, WTO and even the World Bank. Pharmaceutical policy affects everyone in the world of pharmacy and it is therefore imperative that it be understood, discussed and debated within the pharmacy profession and included in the curriculum of schools of pharmacy. This, the first article in a series, argues for the importance of the academic discipline of pharmaceutical policy analysis and the involvement of pharmacists in this endeavour. The aim of the authors is to stimulate an informed and critical appreciation of this field. The authors begin with an introduction to the field of pharmaceutical policy, introducing several important concepts and current trends including: medicines regulation; how pharmaceutical policy is made; pharmaceutical policy as a dynamic process; and the new public health as a global issue. The article ends with a short description of the remaining five articles in the series which will deal with important aspects of pharmaceutical policy. The topics include: economic pressures on health care systems; drug utilization from the clinical viewpoint (rational use of medicines); the impact of pharmaceutical policy on patients and the patient impact on pharmaceutical policy; the professional perspective; and finally the last article which deals with studying and evaluating pharmaceutical policy.

  5. Microbiological testing of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in Egypt

    OpenAIRE

    Zeitoun, Hend; Kassem, Mervat; Raafat, Dina; AbouShlieb, Hamida; Fanaki, Nourhan

    2015-01-01

    Background Microbial contamination of pharmaceuticals poses a great problem to the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, especially from a medical as well as an economic point of view. Depending upon the product and its intended use, the identification of isolates should not merely be limited to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) indicator organisms. Results Eighty-five pre-used non-sterile pharmaceuticals collected from random consumers in Egypt were examined for the eventual presence of b...

  6. FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYEE JOB SATISFACTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR

    OpenAIRE

    Mosammod Mahamuda Parvin; M M Nurul Kabir

    2011-01-01

    The Pharmaceutical sector plays a vital role in underpinning the economic development of a country. This study attempts to evaluate job satisfaction of employees in different pharmaceutical companies. It focuses on the relative importance of job satisfaction factors and their impacts on the overall job satisfaction of employees. It also investigates the impacts of pharmaceutical type, work experience, age, and sex differences on the attitudes toward job Satisfaction. The result shows that sal...

  7. The use of economic evaluation for guiding the pharmaceutical reimbursement list in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teerawattananon, Yot; Tritasavit, Nattha; Suchonwanich, Netnapis; Kingkaew, Pritaporn

    2014-01-01

    Medicines expenditure consumes a significant proportion of public health expenditure in Thailand, where Universal Health Coverage has been in place since 2002. The National List of Essential Medicines has been successfully used as a pharmaceutical benefits package for all public health plans. All patients are eligible for all medicines included in the list free of charge by law. Health economic evaluation has been employed as a tool for the development of this list, including price negotiation of medicines before inclusion, especially of high-cost medicines or medicines with high budget implications. This paper illustrates the current process, mechanisms, and impact and informs of seven success factors that have contributed to the successful use of health economic evaluation in Thailand. These include strong political commitment, development of individual and institutional capacity, participation of all relevant stakeholders, establishment of standard methodological and process guidelines, consideration of several elements in the decision-making process, using evidence as a starting point rather than a deciding factor, and strong enforcement. The lessons learned from this study are likely to be applicable to other settings committed to evidence-based decision making. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  8. Impact of pharmaceutical policy interventions on utilization of antipsychotic medicines in Finland and Portugal in times of economic recession : interrupted time series analyses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leopold, Christine; Zhang, Fang; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/266775098; Vogler, Sabine; Valkova, Silvia; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Wagner, Anita K

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To analyze the impacts of pharmaceutical sector policies implemented to contain country spending during the economic recession--a reference price system in Finland and a mix of policies including changes in reimbursement rates, a generic promotion campaign and discounts granted to the

  9. Impacto clínico y económico de las intervenciones farmacéuticas Clinical and economic impact of pharmaceutical interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonzalo Rodríguez Torné

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo durante el periodo comprendido entre noviembre del 2008 y abril del 2009 a partir del sistema de distribución de medicamentos en dosis unitarias, con el objetivo de documentar el valor de la intervención farmacéutica, tanto en datos descriptivos como en datos económicos y de eficiencia, mediante el empleo de un programa de equivalentes terapéuticos. Las intervenciones farmacéuticas se agruparon en dosis/intervalo, sustitución, vía de administración, interacciones, alergias y otros. En cuanto al impacto económico, los valores de precios se obtuvieron a partir de los precios de compra de los medicamentos y del catálogo de especialidades farmacéuticas. Se realizaron un total de 297 intervenciones repartidas en 50 dosis/intervalo, 174 sustituciones, 34 de vía, 25 de interacciones, 3 de alergia y 11 en el apartado de otros. El ahorro real calculado supuso 18 146,39 euros. El registro de las intervenciones se valora como beneficioso para la detección de problemas prioritarios y áreas de actuación, además de constituir una herramienta útil para poder demostrar el coste/efectividad de las acciones.A retrospective study was conducted from November 2008 to April 2009 in the unit-dose drug distribution system. The objective was to document the value of the pharmaceutical intervention both in descriptive and economic/efficiency data by using a program of therapeutic equivalences. The pharmaceutical interventions were grouped into dose/interval, substitutions, route of administration, interactions, allergies and others. Regarding the economic impact, the values of prices were derived from the drug purchase prices and the catalogue of pharmaceutical specialties. Two hundred ninety seven interventions were performed and distributed as follows: 50 dose / interval, 174 substitutions, 34 routes of administration, 25 interactions, 3 allergies and 11 of other types. Actual estimated savings amounted to 18 146

  10. Pharmaceutical industry and trade liberalization using computable general equilibrium model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barouni, M; Ghaderi, H; Banouei, Aa

    2012-01-01

    Computable general equilibrium models are known as a powerful instrument in economic analyses and widely have been used in order to evaluate trade liberalization effects. The purpose of this study was to provide the impacts of trade openness on pharmaceutical industry using CGE model. Using a computable general equilibrium model in this study, the effects of decrease in tariffs as a symbol of trade liberalization on key variables of Iranian pharmaceutical products were studied. Simulation was performed via two scenarios in this study. The first scenario was the effect of decrease in tariffs of pharmaceutical products as 10, 30, 50, and 100 on key drug variables, and the second was the effect of decrease in other sectors except pharmaceutical products on vital and economic variables of pharmaceutical products. The required data were obtained and the model parameters were calibrated according to the social accounting matrix of Iran in 2006. The results associated with simulation demonstrated that the first scenario has increased import, export, drug supply to markets and household consumption, while import, export, supply of product to market, and household consumption of pharmaceutical products would averagely decrease in the second scenario. Ultimately, society welfare would improve in all scenarios. We presents and synthesizes the CGE model which could be used to analyze trade liberalization policy issue in developing countries (like Iran), and thus provides information that policymakers can use to improve the pharmacy economics.

  11. [HERA-QUEST: HTA evaluation of generic pharmaceutical products to improve quality, economic efficiency, patient safety and transparency in drug product changes in hospitals].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyalrong-Steur, Miriam; Kellermann, Anita; Bernard, Rudolf; Berndt, Georg; Bindemann, Meike; Nusser-Rothermundt, Elfriede; Amann, Steffen; Brakebusch, Myga; Brüggmann, Jörg; Tydecks, Eva; Müller, Markus; Dörje, Frank; Kochs, Eberhard; Riedel, Rainer

    2017-04-01

    In view of the rising cost pressure and an increasing number of drug shortages, switches between generic drug preparations have become a daily routine in hospitals. To ensure consistently high treatment quality and best possible patient safety, the equivalence of the new and the previous drug preparation must be ensured before any change in the purchase of pharmaceutical products takes place. So far, no easily usable, transparent and standardized instrument for this kind of comparison between generic drug products has been available. A group of pharmaceutical experts has developed the drug HTA (health technology assessment) model "HERA" (HTA Evaluation of geneRic phArmaceutical products) through a multi-step process. The instrument is designed to perform both a qualitative and economic comparison of equivalent drug preparations ("aut idem" substitution) before switching products. The economic evaluation does not only consider unit prices and consumption quantity, but also the processing costs associated with a product change process. The qualitative comparison is based on the evaluation of 34 quality criteria belonging to six evaluation fields (e.g., approval status, practical handling, packaging design). The objective evaluation of the quality criteria is complemented by an assessment of special features of the individual hospital for complex drug switches, including the feedback of the physicians utilizing the drug preparation. Thus potentially problematic switches of pharmaceutical products can be avoided at the best possible rate, contributing to the improvement of patient safety. The novel drug HTA model HERA is a tool used in clinical practice that can add to an increase in quality, therapeutic safety and transparency of drug use while simultaneously contributing to the economic optimization of drug procurement in hospitals. Combining these two is essential for hospitals facing the tension between rising cost pressure and at the same time increasing demands

  12. PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES BETWEEN CRISIS AND COMPETITIVENESS - SECTORAL DIAGNOSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihaela\tBÎRSAN

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The evolution of the pharmaceutical industry was a positive constant with the indicators of industrial production even in years of crisis. Although the economic crisis in Romania decreased average growth rate of pharmaceutical companies, market value is expected to increase. The explanation comes from the fact that in order to boost productivity, pharmaceutical companies are turning to emerging countries with aging populations such as open new markets for future development. Add to this the recent health policies implemented by newly industrialized countries that are aimed at ensuring increased access to care. Analysts see the field phenomenon called "Farma-merger" a good chance for European pharmaceutical companies oriented to developing countries where drug sales should record a double-digit annual growth until 2017. In Erste Group reports stated that the impact of the crisis on the pharmaceutical industry should be limited markets for EU only their economic slowdown. This will be possible because the external indebtedness of pharmaceutical companies in the EU remains at a minimum, they are able to finance their investment plans without tapping financial markets, are not adversely affected by the current limited availability of credit resources. Therefore major pharmaceutical companies in the EU will remain a solid investment on the long term, the negative developments are limited due to high resistance to the crisis their business model segment "generic". The consequence of these developments is reflected in the recognition for the first time, the pharmaceutical sector as a strategic sector for the Romanian economy. In the context of public debate launching the National Strategy for Competitiveness 2014-2020, Generic Medicines Industry Association of Romania (APMGR local pharmaceutical industry reminds the Government proposals on correcting the current fiscal and operational regulatory framework, to allow unlocking investments in facilities

  13. Strategic Management of Innovations at Pharmaceutical Enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Honcharova Svіtlana Yu.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to theoretical and practical issues of the use of the concept of strategic management of innovations at pharmaceutical enterprises. It studies main barriers, which restrict development of Ukrainian pharmaceutical enterprises. It analyses the state and tendencies of development of innovation activity of pharmaceutical enterprises and studies foreign experience of innovation activity. It marks out specific features of strategic management of innovation development in pharmaceutical industry. It specifies the role and advantages of methods of strategic analysis in the system of management of a pharmaceutical enterprise. It considers the essence of “innovation development” and “innovation model of development” notions and analyses their organisational and legal provision. It justifies strategic tasks of the pharmaceutical filed to focus on in order to achieve a breakthrough when building an innovation model of economic development. The article proves that the most important factors that ensure growth of efficiency of pharmaceutical production are: wide application of the concept of strategic management and creation of innovations.

  14. RFID in the pharmaceutical industry: addressing counterfeits with technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Douglas

    2014-11-01

    The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in the pharmaceutical industry has grown in recent years. The technology has matured from its specialized tracking and retail uses to a systemic part of supply chain management in international pharmaceutical production and distribution. Counterfeit drugs, however, remain a significant challenge for governments, pharmaceutical companies, clinicians, and patients and the use of RFID to track these compounds represents an opportunity for development. This paper discusses the medical, technological, and economic factors that support widespread adoption of RFID technology in the pharmaceutical industry in an effort to prevent counterfeit medicines from harming patients and brand equity.

  15. Concept of the Ural pharmaceutical cluster formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandr Petrovich Petrov

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper substantiates the necessity of cluster organization of the pharmaceutical industry in the region. The estimation of the state and prospects of development of such structures in the domestic economy is given. Sverdlovsk region was chosen as the object of study on the possibility of forming a pharmaceutical cluster. Objective prerequisites for the organization of a cluster of pharmaceutical production in Sverdlovsk region are considered, among these were distinguished: capacious and fast-growing market for pharmaceutical products, availability of potential development of the pharmaceutical industry in the territory and the key success factors for enterprises - potential participants of the cluster. Indicated key success factors are: presence of a creative team and close interaction between business and government, high level of cooperation among the enterprises of the cluster and commercialization of products, implementation of research and development expenditures etc. Thus, it was substantiated that in there all references and resources for the formation of a pharmaceutical cluster. The concept of formation and development of the Ural pharmaceutical cluster was elaborated. Inside the concept, the goals, objectives, processing, product and organizational priorities for cluster formation are identified. Architecture of this structure with a justification of its members and certain forms of interaction between them is proposed. The stages of formation and development of the Ural pharmaceutical cluster on the basis of a ten-year settlement period for the full range of activities for this project are substantiated. At each stage, a set of key objectives and results of the cluster was defined. The choice of phases was carried out on the basis of investment programs of cluster's enterprises strategic position on the mastering of markets and infrastructure development. An assessment of socio-economic efficiency of the Ural pharmaceutical

  16. Cleaner production at pharmaceutical industry: first steps assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edilaine Conceição Rezende

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The Cleaner Production (CP is an environmental management system effective to comply the environmental obligations and promote sustainable development of enterprises. In this study, the implementing possibilities of CP practices were evaluated to pharmaceutical industry, through prior identification procedures for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practices. The study was conducted in a scientific and health care institution, which produces pharmaceutical drugs and makes assistance for public health. The production process was evaluated and made a survey of the main points of waste and sewage generations in each stage, in order to diagnose the measures of CP established and propose new actions. Thus, by using this tool, it was possible to demonstrate the reduction of environmental impacts associated with pharmaceutical production. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practices also contributed to the implementation of measures CP, preserving the final product quality, and generating environmental and economic benefits.

  17. Pharmaceutical new product development: the increasing role of in-licensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Nancy V

    2008-12-01

    Many pharmaceutical companies are facing a pipeline gap because of the increasing economic burden and uncertainty associated with internal research and development programs designed to develop new pharmaceutical products. To fill this pipeline gap, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly relying on in-licensing opportunities. New business development identifies new pharmaceuticals that satisfy unmet needs and are a good strategic fit for the company, completes valuation models and forecasts, evaluates the ability of the company to develop and launch products, and pursues in-licensing agreements for pharmaceuticals that cannot be developed internally on a timely basis. These agreements involve the transfer of access rights for patents, trademarks, or similar intellectual property from an outside company in exchange for payments. Despite the risks, in-licensing is increasingly becoming the preferred method for pharmaceutical companies with pipeline gaps to bring new pharmaceuticals to the clinician.

  18. A perspective on PSE in pharmaceutical process development and innovation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gernaey, Krist; Cervera Padrell, Albert Emili; Woodley, John

    2012-01-01

    The pharmaceutical industry is under growing pressure to increase efficiency, both in production and in process development. This paper discusses the central role of Process Systems Engineering (PSE) methods and tools in pharmaceutical process development and innovation, and searches for answers...... to questions such as: Which PSE methods can be applied readily? Where is more method development needed? The paper covers key subjects for development of economically and environmentally sustainable pharmaceutical processes, including Process Analytical Technology in its broadest sense, continuous...... pharmaceutical manufacturing and green processes, and is illustrated with a series of short examples taken from the literature and ongoing research projects....

  19. [The pharmaceutical market in Mexico: size, value, and concentration].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres Guerra, Sandra; Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo

    2009-07-01

    To describe the pharmaceutical drug market in Mexico in terms of its size, structure, business' market power, and consumer negotiating power. A descriptive study based on data from the 2004 Economics Census and the reports of IMS Health, Inc. (Norwalk, Connecticut, United States of America). Sales amounts and volumes of Mexico's pharmaceutical companies from 2002-2005 were obtained and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) and its inverse were calculated as indicators of the market's degree of concentration; also, price elasticity was determined by a product index. The total value of the products manufactured by the pharmaceutical sector was 115 billion in 2006 Mexican pesos, of which 99% pertained to companies categorized as large. This amount constituted 1.2% of the national gross domestic product that year (20.0% of the health sector's portion, estimated to be 6.0%) and 3.9% of the total value of manufactured goods. The HHI of Mexico's pharmaceutical market during the study period was about 0.04, albeit with a steady decline, and its inverse decreased from 23 to 26. The price elasticity of pharmaceutical products was minimal (0.007, 0.003, and -0.002). This study constitutes a preliminary description of Mexico's pharmaceutical market, one of the country's most dynamic economic sectors. It confirmed that the market is a rigid oligopoly, and thus supports enactment of firmer regulatory tools to reduce the power of the manufacturers in favor of that of the consumers.

  20. Optimized biofilm-based systems for removal of pharmaceuticals from hospital waste water

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Henrik R; Chhetri, Ravi; Hansen, Kamilla

    Discharge of hospital wastewater is of increasing concern, as hospitals are identified as chemical pollution source due to pharmaceutical content. This project seeks to develop the most efficient and economically feasible technology to remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater, regardless of the poi...

  1. Russian Pharmaceutical Companies Export Potential in Emerging Regional Clusters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Vladimirovna Sapir

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This article analyzes a diverse range of the enterprise’s export potential growth factors in emerging pharmaceutical clusters of Central European Russia. Classification and comparative analysis were used to identify export potential attributes (production, finance, labor and marketing, which have allowed to reveal the strong connection of cluster and regional factor groups with the results of export performance. The purpose of the study is to provide exports-seeking pharmaceutical companies with a set of tools to enhance their export potential. The hypothesis that the cumulative impact of the specified attributes leads to the strengthening of pharmaceutical cluster export potential and promotes an effective integration of the region in the world economic space, is developed and tested. The methodology combines the geo-economy-based theory with the theory of clusters competitive advantages. The impacts of export potential growth factors are estimated by using an econometric model based on math statistics. Thus, five Russian regional pharmaceutical clusters (Belgorod, Kaluga, Moscow, Oryol, Yaroslavl are shown. Findings identify an objective causal link between enterprise export potential growth and competitiveness factors of cluster origin (network business chains, production functions interconnectedness and flexibility, production localization. An action plan for the purpose of the maximum use of competitive advantages of the cluster organization for export activities of the entities of the pharmaceutical industry is developed. Conclusions and recommendations of the study are intended to enterprises in pharmaceutical industry and regions’ public authorities, implementing cluster development strategies. It is thus essential to improve marketing and organizational innovations, reduction of commercial expenses under the cluster environment, development of drugs production and delivery chains from R&D to end-users in order to enjoy greater

  2. Awareness of the implementation of the Falsified Medicines Directive among pharmaceutical companies’ professionals in the European Economic Area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Włodarczak U

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: The Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD is a response of the European Union to the increasing number of falsified medicines present in the legal supply chain within the Member States of the community. Effective implementation of the new regulations will depend on the effective cooperation of all parties involved in the distribution of medicinal products including the managers of pharmaceutical companies. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine awareness of the Implementation of the FMD among pharmaceutical company professionals in the European Economic Area. Methods: Sampling was conducted using a method called purposive sampling. An appropriate research tool in the form of an original questionnaire was made available to the respondents in electronic form. During the period from January 2016 to June 2016, 1,496 e-mail messages were sent. The response rate was 17.37%. Results: The study included 99 women (39.3% and 153 men (60.7%. In the study group, 95.7% of people had heard of FMD. Doctors had rarely heard about the falsified medicine directive when compared to pharmacists (p=0.0063, people working in the pharmaceutical industry (p=0.0014, and respondents with a different professional profile (p=0.0114. In the study group, 89.6% of people were aware of the role of National Medicines Verification Organization in the process of implementing the provisions of FMD into the national system of distribution of medicinal products. The number of the respondents who knew the deadline for the implementation of FMD was significantly higher in the study population, i.e. 91.9% (p=0.0001. Both the younger respondents and those with lower level of education were less aware of the time requirements posed to national regulators (p=0.0003, p=0.0023, respectively. Conclusions: Awareness of the regulations related to the implementation of the FMD, although relatively high among pharmaceutical company professionals in the EEA, is still

  3. Impact of pharmaceutical policy interventions on utilization of antipsychotic medicines in Finland and Portugal in times of economic recession: interrupted time series analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leopold, Christine; Zhang, Fang; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K; Vogler, Sabine; Valkova, Silvia; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Wagner, Anita K

    2014-07-25

    To analyze the impacts of pharmaceutical sector policies implemented to contain country spending during the economic recession--a reference price system in Finland and a mix of policies including changes in reimbursement rates, a generic promotion campaign and discounts granted to the public payer in Portugal - on utilization of, as a proxy for access to, antipsychotic medicines. We obtained monthly IMS Health sales data in standard units of antipsychotic medicines in Portugal and Finland for the period January 2007 to December 2011. We used an interrupted time series design to estimate changes in overall use and generic market shares by comparing pre-policy and post-policy levels and trends. Both countries' policy approaches were associated with slight, likely unintended, decreases in overall use of antipsychotic medicines and with increases in generic market shares of major antipsychotic products. In Finland, quetiapine and risperidone generic market shares increased substantially (estimates one year post-policy compared to before, quetiapine: 6.80% [3.92%, 9.68%]; risperidone: 11.13% [6.79%, 15.48%]. The policy interventions in Portugal resulted in a substantially increased generic market share for amisulpride (estimate one year post-policy compared to before: 22.95% [21.01%, 24.90%]; generic risperidone already dominated the market prior to the policy interventions. Different policy approaches to contain pharmaceutical expenditures in times of the economic recession in Finland and Portugal had intended--increased use of generics--and likely unintended--slightly decreased overall sales, possibly consistent with decreased access to needed medicines--impacts. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring and evaluating the effects of pharmaceutical policy interventions on use of medicines and health outcomes.

  4. Occurrence, sources, and fate of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment and soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, W.C.

    2014-01-01

    With the rapid economic development, a better living condition leads to longer life expectancy, which increased the total population, in particular the elderly group. It may result in increase in the demand of pharmaceuticals for people in domestic use or in hospital. Although most sewage treatment plants or waste water treatment plantsmet the regulatory requirement, there are still many pharmaceuticals removed incompletely and thus discharged to the environment. Therefore, the pharmaceuticals residue draws the public concern because they might cause adverse effects on the organism even human beings. Recently, many studies have published on the source and occurrence as well as the fate of pharmaceuticals all over the world. This paper summarized and reviewed the recent studies on the sources, occurrence, fate and the effects of the most common pharmaceuticals. Finally, it gave the suggestion and risk management for controlling the pharmaceuticals. - Highlights: • The sources of pharmaceutical residuals are studied. • Occurrence and fate of pharmaceutical in environment are studied. • Risk management and recommendation are provided on pharmaceutical pollution. - Concentration of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment is lower than in effluent of sewage treatment plants in which carbamazepine is found frequently in soil and water body

  5. The Industry of Pharmaceuticals between Competitive Development and Welfare

    OpenAIRE

    Gianfrate Fabrizio

    2007-01-01

    This paper would like to give a contribution to the discussion on which policies and rules should be adopted in order to relaunch the pharmaceutical sector in Italy. Due to its intrinsic features, social value and being one of the most regulated and strategic as based on innovation, this sector has higly specific economic and market peculiarities. Compatibility between the level of NHS expenditure for pharmaceutical provision, equity on medicines acces by the population without any kind of di...

  6. Occurrence, sources, and fate of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment and soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, W C

    2014-04-01

    With the rapid economic development, a better living condition leads to longer life expectancy, which increased the total population, in particular the elderly group. It may result in increase in the demand of pharmaceuticals for people in domestic use or in hospital. Although most sewage treatment plants or waste water treatment plantsmet the regulatory requirement, there are still many pharmaceuticals removed incompletely and thus discharged to the environment. Therefore, the pharmaceuticals residue draws the public concern because they might cause adverse effects on the organism even human beings. Recently, many studies have published on the source and occurrence as well as the fate of pharmaceuticals all over the world. This paper summarized and reviewed the recent studies on the sources, occurrence, fate and the effects of the most common pharmaceuticals. Finally, it gave the suggestion and risk management for controlling the pharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Pharmaceuticals: pharmaceutical cost controls--2005. End of Year Issue Brief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seay, Melicia; Varma, Priya

    2005-12-31

    The enactment of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA '90) gave states the option of offering pharmaceutical benefits within their Medicaid programs. But the law placed restrictions on states' flexibility to control what prescriptions they would cover and required the states to reimburse outpatient prescription drugs from manufacturers that signed rebate agreements with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Forty-nine states--Arizona is excluded, based on its program structure--and the District of Columbia currently offer prescription drug coverage under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. During the past four years, states all over the country have been plagued with revenue shortfalls in their state Medicaid budgets. While the fiscal situation improved for most states in the 2004 legislative session, many states still face budget pressures in 2005. Compounding existing budget pressures are threats from the Bush Administration to shift increased costs of the Medicaid program on to the states. All things considered, the economic pressure of funding Medicaid is at the top of legislative agendas in 2005. As in previous years, states are attempting to reduce costs to their Medicaid programs by seeking savings in their pharmaceutical programs. Prescription drug costs are highly attributed as a contributing factor to the fiscal climate of state Medicaid programs. Currently, prescription drug spending outpaces that of every other category of health care and drug prices are rising faster than inflation. In response, states are instituting a variety of pharmaceutical cost control measures such as creating preferred drug lists (PDLs), negotiating supplemental rebates, forming bulk purchasing pools, promoting generic drug substitution and implementing price controls. As prescription drug cost containment tools have gained acceptance and momentum, they continue to be controversial. This issue brief explores the debate, history, methodology, utilization

  8. Microbiological testing of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeitoun, Hend; Kassem, Mervat; Raafat, Dina; AbouShlieb, Hamida; Fanaki, Nourhan

    2015-12-09

    Microbial contamination of pharmaceuticals poses a great problem to the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, especially from a medical as well as an economic point of view. Depending upon the product and its intended use, the identification of isolates should not merely be limited to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) indicator organisms. Eighty-five pre-used non-sterile pharmaceuticals collected from random consumers in Egypt were examined for the eventual presence of bacterial contaminants. Forty-one bacterial contaminants were isolated from 31 of the tested preparations. These isolates were subjected to biochemical identification by both conventional tests as well as API kits, which were sufficient for the accurate identification of only 11 out of the 41 bacterial contaminants (26.8%) to the species level. The remaining isolates were inconclusively identified or showed contradictory results after using both biochemical methods. Using molecular methods, 24 isolates (58.5%) were successfully identified to the species level. Moreover, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were compared to standard biochemical methods in the detection of pharmacopoeial bacterial indicators in artificially-contaminated pharmaceutical samples. PCR-based methods proved to be superior regarding speed, cost-effectiveness and sensitivity. Therefore, pharmaceutical manufacturers would be advised to adopt PCR-based methods in the microbiological quality testing of pharmaceuticals in the future.

  9. R&D Project Valuation Considering Changes of Economic Environment: A Case of a Pharmaceutical R&D Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung Ho Park

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available R&D project valuation is important for effective R&D portfolio management through decision making, related to the firm’s R&D productivity, sustainable management. In particular, scholars have emphasized the necessities of capturing option value in R&D and developed methods of real option valuation. However, despite suggesting various real option models, there are few studies on simultaneously employing mean-reverting stochastic process and Markov regime switching to describe the evolution of cash flow and to reflect time-varying parameters resulting from changes of economic environment. Therefore, we suggest a mean-reverting binomial lattice model under Markov regime switching and apply it to evaluate clinical development with project cases of the pharmaceutical industry. This study finds that decision making can be different according to the regime condition, thus the suggested model can capture risks caused by the uncertainty of the economic environment, represented by regime switching. Further, this study simulates the model according to rate parameter from 0.00 to 1.00 and risk-free interest rates for regimes 1 and 2 from ( r 1 = 4%, r 2 = 2% to ( r 1 = 7%, r 2 = 5%, and confirms the rigidity of the model. Therefore, in practice, the mean-reverting binomial lattice model under Markov regime switching proposed in this study for R&D project valuation contributes to assisting company R&D project managers make effective decision making considering current economic environment and future changes.

  10. Economic evaluation of a pharmaceutical care program for elderly diabetic and hypertensive patients in primary health care: a 36-month randomized controlled clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obreli-Neto, Paulo Roque; Marusic, Srecko; Guidoni, Camilo Molino; Baldoni, André de Oliveira; Renovato, Rogério Dias; Pilger, Diogo; Cuman, Roberto Kenji Nakamura; Pereira, Leonardo Régis Leira

    2015-01-01

    Most diabetic and hypertensive patients, principally the elderly, do not achieve adequate disease control and consume 5%-15% of annual health care budgets. Previous studies verified that pharmaceutical care is useful for achieving adequate disease control in diabetes and hypertension. To evaluate the economic cost and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of pharmaceutical care in the management of diabetes and hypertension in elderly patients in a primary public health care system in a developing country. A 36-month randomized controlled clinical trial was performed with 200 patients who were divided into a control group (n = 100) and an intervention group (n = 100). The control group received the usual care offered by the Primary Health Care Unit (medical and nurse consultations). The intervention group received the usual care plus a pharmaceutical care intervention. The intervention and control groups were compared with regard to the direct costs of health services (i.e., general practitioner, specialist, nurse, and pharmacist appointments; emergency room visits; and drug therapy costs) and the ICER per QALY. These evaluations used the health system perspective. No statistically significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups in total direct health care costs ($281.97 ± $49.73 per patient vs. $212.28 ± $43.49 per patient, respectively; P = 0.089); pharmaceutical care added incremental costs of $69.60 (± $7.90) per patient. The ICER per QALY was $53.50 (95% CI = $51.60-$54.00; monetary amounts are given in U.S. dollars). Every clinical parameter evaluated improved for the pharmaceutical care group, whereas these clinical parameters remained unchanged in the usual care group. The difference in differences (DID) tests indicated that for each clinical parameter, the patients in the intervention group improved more from pre to post than the control group (P < 0.001). While pharmaceutical

  11. Assessing the Factors Associated With Iran's Intra-Industry Trade in Pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusefzadeh, Hassan; Hadian, Mohammad; Abolghasem Gorji, Hassan; Ghaderi, Hossein

    2015-03-30

    Pharmaceutical industry is a sensitive and profitable industry. If this industry wants to survive, it should be able to compete well in international markets. So, study of Iran's intra-industry trade (IIT) in pharmaceuticals is essential in order to identify competitiveness potential of country and boost export capability in the global arena. This study assessed the factors associated with Iran's intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals with the rest of the world during the 2001-2012 periods using seasonal time series data at the four-digit SITC level. The data was collected from Iran's pharmaceutical Statistics, World Bank and International Trade Center. Finally, we discussed a number of important policy recommendations to increase Iran's IIT in pharmaceuticals. The findings indicated that economies of scale, market structure and degree of economic development had a significantly positive impact on Iran's intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals and tariff trade barriers were negatively related to IIT. Product differentiation and technological advancement didn't have the expected signs. In addition, we found that Iran's IIT in pharmaceuticals have shown an increasing trend during the study period. Thus, the composition of Iran trade in pharmaceuticals has changed from inter-industry trade to intra-industry trade. In order to get more prepared for integration into the global economy, the development of Iran's IIT in pharmaceuticals should be given priority. Therefore, paying attention to IIT could have an important role in serving pharmaceutical companies in relation to pharmaceutical trade.

  12. Reverse logistics in a pharmaceutical company: a case study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R.H. Teunter (Ruud); K. Inderfurth (Karl); S. Minner; R. Kleber

    2003-01-01

    textabstractSchering spends considerable effort to undertake product recovery activities in pharmaceutical production. The two main recovery activities are by-product recycling and solvent reuse. The main driver for engaging in these activities is economical. Recovery leads to annual savings of

  13. The future of pharmaceutical quality and the path to get there.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Lawrence X; Kopcha, Michael

    2017-08-07

    While six sigma quality has long been achieved in other industries, it is rarely seen in the pharmaceutical sector. However, consumers and patients deserve six sigma quality pharmaceuticals with minimal risks of shortages or recalls. We propose that the future of pharmaceutical quality is six sigma, meaning that no more than 3.4 defects occur per million opportunities. We discuss the path to get there, including economic drivers, performance-based regulation, Quality by Design, advanced manufacturing technologies, and continuous improvement and operational excellence. This article outlines an ambitious goal and is intended to be thought-provoking in spite of the challenging path to get there. This goal is envisioned because it is in the best interest of patients and consumers and is realizable with continued advances and investments in science and technology. The fundamental destination of pharmaceutical quality has been long envisioned: a maximally efficient, agile, flexible pharmaceutical manufacturing sector that reliably produces high quality drugs without extensive regulatory oversight. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Economic valuation of environmental benefits of removing pharmaceutical and personal care products from WWTP effluents by ozonation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinos-Senante, M; Reif, R; Garrido-Baserba, M; Hernández-Sancho, F; Omil, F; Poch, M; Sala-Garrido, R

    2013-09-01

    Continuous release of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) present in effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is nowadays leading to the adoption of specific measures within the framework of the Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive). The ozonation process, normally employed for drinking water production, has also proven its potential to eliminate PPCPs from secondary effluents in spite of their low concentrations. However, there is a significant drawback related with the costs associated with its implementation. This lack of studies is especially pronounced regarding the economic valuation of the environmental benefits associated to avoid the discharge of these pollutants into water bodies. For the first time the shadow prices of 5 PPCPs which are ethynilestradiol, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, tonalide and galaxolide from treated effluent using a pilot-scale ozonation reactor have been estimated. From non-sensitive areas their values are -73.73; -34.95; -42.20; -10.98; and -8.67 respectively and expressed in €/kg. They represent a proxy to the economic value of the environmental benefits arisen from undischarged pollutants. This paper contributes to value the environmental benefits of implementing post-treatment processes aimed to achieve the quality standards required by the Priority Substances Directive. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline of Pharmaceutical Consortium for Protein Structure Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishijima, Kazumi; Katsuya, Yoshio

    2002-01-01

    The Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline was constructed by the Pharmaceutical Consortium for Protein Structure Analysis which was established in April 2001. The consortium is composed of 22 pharmaceutical companies affiliating with the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. The beamline is the first exclusive on that is owned by pharmaceutical enterprises at SPring-8. The specification and equipments of the Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline is almost same as that of RIKEN Structural Genomics Beamline I and II. (author)

  16. Removal of Pharmaceutical Compounds from Hospital Wastewaters Using Nanomaterials: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasan Bagheri

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Over the past few years, residual pharmaceuticals (antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antipyretics drugs, hormones have begun to be considered as emerging environmental pollutants due to their continuous input and persistence to aquatic ecosystem even at low concentrations. Therefore, the development of efficient, cost-effective, and stable methods and materials for the wastewaters treatment have gained more recognition in recent years. In the path of meeting these developments, nanomaterials have attracted much attention as economical, convenient and ecofriendly tools for removing of pharmaceuticals from the hospital wastewaters because of their unique properties. The present review deals with recent advances in removal and/or destruction of residual pharmaceutical in wastewater samples using nanomaterials including metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and nanofilters. In spite of using a variety of nanomaterials to remove the residual of pharmaceuticals, there is still a dearth of successful applicability of them in industrial processes. Therefore, some defects of nanomaterials to be used for the removal of pharmaceutical contaminate in environmental samples and their impacts on human health and environment is briefly discussed.

  17. Assessing the Factors Associated With Iran’s Intra-Industry Trade in Pharmaceuticals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusefzadeh, Hassan; Hadian, Mohammad; Gorji, Hassan Abolghasem; Ghaderi, Hossein

    2015-01-01

    Background: Pharmaceutical industry is a sensitive and profitable industry. If this industry wants to survive, it should be able to compete well in international markets. So, study of Iran’s intra-industry trade (IIT) in pharmaceuticals is essential in order to identify competitiveness potential of country and boost export capability in the global arena. Methods: This study assessed the factors associated with Iran’s intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals with the rest of the world during the 2001–2012 periods using seasonal time series data at the four-digit SITC level. The data was collected from Iran’s pharmaceutical Statistics, World Bank and International Trade Center. Finally, we discussed a number of important policy recommendations to increase Iran’s IIT in pharmaceuticals. Results: The findings indicated that economies of scale, market structure and degree of economic development had a significantly positive impact on Iran’s intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals and tariff trade barriers were negatively related to IIT. Product differentiation and technological advancement didn’t have the expected signs. In addition, we found that Iran’s IIT in pharmaceuticals have shown an increasing trend during the study period. Thus, the composition of Iran trade in pharmaceuticals has changed from inter-industry trade to intra-industry trade. Conclusions: In order to get more prepared for integration into the global economy, the development of Iran’s IIT in pharmaceuticals should be given priority. Therefore, paying attention to IIT could have an important role in serving pharmaceutical companies in relation to pharmaceutical trade. PMID:26156931

  18. Peranan Pharmaceutical Care dalam Meningkatkan Hasil Klinis dan Kualitas Hidup Pasien Penderita Diabetes Melitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhamad Syaripuddin

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceutical care is patient oriented pharmacy practice that required other healthcare to optimize drug therapy. In the management of diabetes mellitus indicators was established as a target in pharmaceutical care. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate pharmaceutical care program, in order to optimize clinical result and quality of life of the patient diabetes mellitus, and to identify indicators in pharmaceutical care program for patient diabetes mellitus as well. Research of the impact of pharmaceutical care program for diabetes mellitus patient have been done in other countries. The results showed that diabetes mellitus indicators in patients managed with pharmaceutical care program were better than those without that program applied. All patients with intervention of pharmaceutical care program can control clinical result such as blood glucose, blood presure, level of HbA1C, HDL, LDL and total cholesterol. The patient’s quality of life with intervention had improved compare to those without intervention. Indicators to evaluate pharmaceutical care program have changed from clinical indicators only to clinical plus quality of life indicators. Pharmaceutical care program was useful to improve clinical result and quality of life of diabetic patient. Quality of life indicators could be added to evaluate pharmaceutical care program. Pharmaceutical care program brings about positif impact for patient, provider, pharmacist and economic aspect as well.

  19. Corporate social responsibility: A pharmaceutical analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. J. Theron

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available In the modern business environment organisations need to address two important aspects affecting their operations: the quality of management and the impact of their operations on the well-being of the society in which they operate. This dualism often results in economic, political and social dilemmas influencing the viability of organisations in general, and more specifically and recently, local and international pharmaceutical organisations operating in South Africa. This article considers the aspect of corporate social responsibility (CSR in general and attempts to identify the social-related issues impacting on the pharmaceutical industry by means of content analysis - a research technique for making replicable and valid inferences from data. It furthermore describes the re-action of pharmaceutical organisations when confronted with such social demands, and finally analyses the management of CSR against four criteria of CSR. The article confirms the importance of managers to manage CSR towards society in a proactive manner. It furthermore suggests that the "hard" factors of strategic management and financial performance should be balanced with "soft" social/people issues. It also recommends that the industry should consider - and if applicable - endorse the concept of Issues Management as an approach to the proactive management of CSR.

  20. Basic pharmaceutical technology

    OpenAIRE

    Angelovska, Bistra; Drakalska, Elena

    2017-01-01

    The lecture deals with basics of pharmaceutical technology as applied discipline of pharmaceutical science, whose main subject of study is formulation and manufacture of drugs. In a broad sense, pharmaceutical technology is science of formulation, preparation, stabilization and determination of the quality of medicines prepared in the pharmacy or in pharmaceutical industry

  1. On international cost-sharing of pharmaceutical R&D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barros, Pedro Pita; Martinez-Giralt, Xavier

    2008-12-01

    Ramsey pricing has been proposed in the pharmaceutical industry as a principle to price discriminate among markets while allowing to recover the (fixed) R&D cost. However, such analyses neglect the presence of insurance or the fund raising costs for most of drug reimbursement. By incorporating these new elements, we aim at providing some building blocks towards an economic theory incorporating Ramsey pricing and insurance coverage. We show how coinsurance affects the optimal prices to pay for the R&D investment. We also show that under certain conditions, there is no strategic incentive by governments to set coinsurance rates in order to shift the financial burden of R&D. This will have important implications to the application of Ramsey pricing principles to pharmaceutical products across countries.

  2. Methods for handling uncertainty within pharmaceutical funding decisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevenson, Matt; Tappenden, Paul; Squires, Hazel

    2014-01-01

    This article provides a position statement regarding decision making under uncertainty within the economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals, with a particular focus upon the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence context within England and Wales. This area is of importance as funding agencies have a finite budget from which to purchase a selection of competing health care interventions. The objective function generally used is that of maximising societal health with an explicit acknowledgement that there will be opportunity costs associated with purchasing a particular intervention. Three components of uncertainty are discussed within a pharmaceutical funding perspective: methodological uncertainty, parameter uncertainty and structural uncertainty, alongside a discussion of challenges that are particularly pertinent to health economic evaluation. The discipline has focused primarily on handling methodological and parameter uncertainty and a clear reference case has been developed for consistency across evaluations. However, uncertainties still remain. Less attention has been given to methods for handling structural uncertainty. The lack of adequate methods to explicitly incorporate this aspect of model development may result in the true uncertainty surrounding health care investment decisions being underestimated. Research in this area is ongoing as we review.

  3. Aspects of research and development contract terms in the bio/pharmaceutical sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banerjee, Tannista

    2012-01-01

    The cost of new drug development is increasing every year. Pharmaceutical companies use R&D joint ventures, mergers, and outsource different stages of pharmaceutical R&D activities for a faster and cost minimizing method of innovation. Pharmaceutical companies outsource R&D activities to independent small biotech or pharmaceutical companies that specialize in different stages of pharmaceutical R&D. This chapter examines the determinants of the payment structure of research contracts between large bio/pharmaceutical companies and specialized research firms. Determinants of R&D contracts are analyzed using detailed R&D contract data between bio/pharmaceutical companies and independent research firms for 10 years. A multinomial logit model is used in order to understand the determinants of three different types of contracts; royalty contracts, fixed payment contracts, and the mixed contracts. Under uncertainty, the likelihood of a royalty contract rises for the early stages of the research and with the patent stock of the research firm. It is more likely to observe both royalty and fixed payment if the pharmaceutical client has past contracts with the same research firm. The results also suggest that if Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is more stringent in any disease area in reviewing the new drug application, then the likelihood of signing pure royalty contract decreases. Understanding the nature of R&D contracts and the effects of FDA's behavior on the pharmaceutical R&D contract is important because these contracts not only affect the cost of new drug invention but also the quality and the rate of invention. VALUE: Results are useful for both the pharmaceutical companies and the economic/business researchers.

  4. Particle Engineering Via Mechanical Dry Coating in the Design of Pharmaceutical Solid Dosage Forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Li; Morton, David A V; Zhou, Qi Tony

    2015-01-01

    Cohesive powders are problematic in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms because they exhibit poor flowability, fluidization and aerosolization. These undesirable bulk properties of cohesive powders represent a fundamental challenge in the design of efficient pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Recently, mechanical dry coating has attracted increasing attention as it can improve the bulk properties of cohesive powders in a cheaper, simpler, safer and more environment-friendly way than the existing solvent-based counterparts. In this review, mechanical dry coating techniques are outlined and their potential applications in formulation and manufacturing of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms are discussed. Reported data from the literature have shown that mechanical dry coating holds promise for the design of superior pharmaceutical solid formulations or manufacturing processes by engineering the interfaces of cohesive powders in an efficient and economical way.

  5. New strategies for innovation in global health: a pharmaceutical industry perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witty, Andrew

    2011-01-01

    Diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries play a large role in stalling economic and social development. Pharmaceutical companies are driving crucial research into new vaccines and medicines; however, although there is an imperative for industry to research new therapies for diseases of the poor, the financial returns are often seen as limited. This is beginning to change. The pharmaceutical industry and the public sector are thinking differently than before about how to improve access to medicines and advance research and development for neglected diseases. The public and private sectors must work together to develop a wide range of innovative tools, partnerships, and approaches.

  6. Single European currency and Monetary Union. Macroeconomic implications for pharmaceutical spending.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanavos, P

    1998-01-01

    This article examines the potential implications of introducing a single currency among the Member States of the European Union for national pharmaceutical prices and spending. In doing so, it provides a brief account of the direct effects of introducing a single currency on pharmaceutical business. These are static in nature and include the elimination of exchange rate volatility and transaction costs, increased price transparency and limited potential for parallel trade. It subsequently analyses the potential medium and long term macroeconomic policy choices facing the Member States and their impact on pharmaceutical spending following the introduction of a single currency. These include policy directions in order to meet the Maastricht convergence criteria in the run-up to forming an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the implications of EMU on national macroeconomic policy thereafter. This article argues that the necessity for tight fiscal policies across the EU and, in particular, in those Member States facing high budget deficits and overall debt levels, will continue to exert considerable downward pressure on pharmaceutical spending.

  7. Paying the right price for pharmaceuticals: a case study of why the comparator matters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinks, Jean M; Richardson, Jeff R J

    2011-08-01

    This article considers the pricing policy for pharmaceuticals in Australia, which is widely seen as having achieved low drug prices. However, compared to New Zealand, the evidence implies that Australia might have improved its performance significantly if it had proactively sought market best pricing. The Australian record suggests that the information sought by authorities may not be sufficient for optimal pricing and that the economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals may be neither necessary nor sufficient for achieving this goal.

  8. [Innovation in pharmaceutical and health biotechnology industries: challenges for a virtuous agenda].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Marco; Gadelha, Carlos Augusto Grabois; Costa, Laís Silveira; Maldonado, José

    2012-12-01

    Pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries comprise a major production subsystem of the health industrial complex in Brazil. It stands out for both its economic importance and its prominent role in developing new technologies in strategic areas. Strengthening the local production of generic drugs in the last decade has significantly increased the number of Brazilian companies in the local pharmaceutical market and has been an important turning point for this industry's growth. However, there remain major structural bottlenecks both in terms of production and continuous innovation. These bottlenecks reveal the high vulnerability of the Brazilian National Health System and point to the need of public policies that promote strengthening the production base and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry and that at the same time meet health-related social demands in health in Brazil.

  9. Manufacturing capability as a technological development indicator in the pharmaceutical industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Jairo Gallo Castro

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The pharmaceutical industrial has five subsectors: medicines, cosmetics, phytotherapeutics, cleaning products and medical devices. The medicine subsector consists of organisations producing, importing and selling these products. Most studies about this industry have been guided by economic interests without assessing technological aspects of production. This article was aimed at proposing a methodology for assessing and describing the medicine sector according to its technological development by using the manufacturing capability concept. The main information was taken from the Colombian Medicaments and Food Surveillance Institute’s (Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos - INVIMA databases related to pharmaceutical plant production in Bogotá, including material transformation facilities. This study led to three characteristics being identified for defining the pharmaceutical industry’s manufacturing capability: that related to the pharmacological group to which active pharmaceutical ingredients belong, that linked to specifications regarding medicines’ sterility and that related to the technology required for manufacturing each pharmaceutical product. An analysis of these features has thus been presented and some technologies have been identified which have not been transferred or assimilated by the organisations being studied. It was found that manufacturing capability should be considered as being an indicator of the degree of technological development in these subsectors in Colombia.

  10. Characterization of the medical department of pharmaceutical companies operating in Portugal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Acílio Gala

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available In a context of strong regulatory demands and high economic pressures and constraints, medical departments within pharmaceutical companies, have demonstrated its strategic relevance even though the functions to embrace are not globally consensual. In this context, a study that intended to analyse the management of medical activities, in pharmaceutical companies operating in Portugal, including allocated human resources and investment trends, was implemented. Quantitative information was collected through an electronic survey, in pharmaceutical companies with activity in Portugal. The analysis of the results supported the conclusion that the majority of the companies are affiliates of international companies and that 79% of them have formalized medical departments. The human resources of the medical departments of the participant companies include several professional classes, with predominance of pharmacists. Globally, the number of employees of the medical area has registered a systematic growth in the last years. It was also possible to conclude that the majority of the companies are increasing the investment in medical affairs activities. This study enables the understanding of these activities in pharmaceutical companies operating in Portugal, within the international panorama of pharmaceutical industry. It contributes to improve the knowledge about the relevance of medical departments while enabling the definition of novel pathways to increase the competiveness and sustainability of the companies.

  11. Pharmaceutical market access in emerging markets: concepts, components, and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Anuj; Juluru, Karthaveerya; Thimmaraju, Phani Kishore; Reddy, Jayachandra; Patil, Anand

    2014-01-01

    This article intends to consolidate the concepts of pharmaceutical market access and highlight its growing importance in emerging markets. Market access has gained considerable attention worldwide as countries try to contain their escalating healthcare expenditures amidst the global economic slowdown. This has resulted in governments adopting stricter measures for new product approval. Thus, pharmaceutical companies are finding it increasingly difficult to successfully address the specific challenges posed by various government and regulatory agencies and stakeholders. There is an increasing need to establish market access functions, especially in emerging markets, where the complex, dynamic healthcare landscape confounds product approval and uptake. Moreover, emerging markets are the engines of growth today, and, thus, performing in these markets is critical for the majority of pharmaceutical companies. To address the challenges posed by regulatory agencies and diverse stakeholders, a customized market access strategy is the need of the hour. A market access framework with specific tools and tactics will help companies to plan, implement, and monitor stakeholder engagement activities.

  12. Monopolistic structures and industrial analysis in Spain: the case of the pharmaceutical industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobo, F

    1979-01-01

    This article seeks to illustrate the monopolistic structure of the Spanish pharmaceutical industry, focusing on its many dimensions. The basic conditions of technology and demand, product differentiation, effect of advertising, and barriers to entry are considered, as is financial and economic concentration. Although economic conditions are emphasized, the ways they affect public and private health, the quality of health services, and health education are also highlighted.

  13. Economic valuation of environmental benefits of removing pharmaceutical and personal care products from WWTP effluents by ozonation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Molinos-Senante, M., E-mail: maria.molinos@uv.es [Department of Mathematics for Economy, Universitat de Valencia, Campus dels Tarongers, 46022 Valencia (Spain); Reif, R., E-mail: rreif@icra.cat [Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (LEQUIA), Universitat de Girona, Facultat Ciències, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona (Spain); Chemical Engineering Department, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rua Lope Gomez de Marzoa s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Garrido-Baserba, M., E-mail: mgarrido@icra.cat [Catalan Institute for Water Research, Scientific and Technological Park, H2O Building, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona (Spain); Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (LEQUIA), Universitat de Girona, Facultat Ciències, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona (Spain); Hernández-Sancho, F., E-mail: francesc.hernandez@uv.es [Department of Applied Economics II, Universitat de Valencia, Campus dels Tarongers, 46022 Valencia (Spain); Omil, F., E-mail: francisco.omil@usc.es [Chemical Engineering Department, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rua Lope Gomez de Marzoa s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Poch, M., E-mail: manel@lequia.udg.edu [Catalan Institute for Water Research, Scientific and Technological Park, H2O Building, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona (Spain); Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (LEQUIA), Universitat de Girona, Facultat Ciències, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona (Spain); Sala-Garrido, R., E-mail: ramon.sala@uv.es [Department of Mathematics for Economy, Universitat de Valencia, Campus dels Tarongers, 46022 Valencia (Spain)

    2013-09-01

    Continuous release of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) present in effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is nowadays leading to the adoption of specific measures within the framework of the Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive). The ozonation process, normally employed for drinking water production, has also proven its potential to eliminate PPCPs from secondary effluents in spite of their low concentrations. However, there is a significant drawback related with the costs associated with its implementation. This lack of studies is especially pronounced regarding the economic valuation of the environmental benefits associated to avoid the discharge of these pollutants into water bodies. For the first time the shadow prices of 5 PPCPs which are ethynilestradiol, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, tonalide and galaxolide from treated effluent using a pilot-scale ozonation reactor have been estimated. From non-sensitive areas their values are − 73.73; − 34.95; − 42.20; − 10.98; and − 8.67 respectively and expressed in €/kg. They represent a proxy to the economic value of the environmental benefits arisen from undischarged pollutants. This paper contributes to value the environmental benefits of implementing post-treatment processes aimed to achieve the quality standards required by the Priority Substances Directive. - Highlights: • Environmental Benefit Analysis of PPCPs • PPCPs' removal depends on their functional group and molecular structures. • Shadow prices as a proxy of the environmental benefits from ozonation process • HHCB and AHTN have the lowest shadow prices. • The greatest environmental benefit is associated with the removal of DCF.

  14. Economic valuation of environmental benefits of removing pharmaceutical and personal care products from WWTP effluents by ozonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molinos-Senante, M.; Reif, R.; Garrido-Baserba, M.; Hernández-Sancho, F.; Omil, F.; Poch, M.; Sala-Garrido, R.

    2013-01-01

    Continuous release of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) present in effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is nowadays leading to the adoption of specific measures within the framework of the Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive). The ozonation process, normally employed for drinking water production, has also proven its potential to eliminate PPCPs from secondary effluents in spite of their low concentrations. However, there is a significant drawback related with the costs associated with its implementation. This lack of studies is especially pronounced regarding the economic valuation of the environmental benefits associated to avoid the discharge of these pollutants into water bodies. For the first time the shadow prices of 5 PPCPs which are ethynilestradiol, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, tonalide and galaxolide from treated effluent using a pilot-scale ozonation reactor have been estimated. From non-sensitive areas their values are − 73.73; − 34.95; − 42.20; − 10.98; and − 8.67 respectively and expressed in €/kg. They represent a proxy to the economic value of the environmental benefits arisen from undischarged pollutants. This paper contributes to value the environmental benefits of implementing post-treatment processes aimed to achieve the quality standards required by the Priority Substances Directive. - Highlights: • Environmental Benefit Analysis of PPCPs • PPCPs' removal depends on their functional group and molecular structures. • Shadow prices as a proxy of the environmental benefits from ozonation process • HHCB and AHTN have the lowest shadow prices. • The greatest environmental benefit is associated with the removal of DCF

  15. Economics of vaccines revisited

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postma, Maarten J.; Standaert, Baudouin A.

    2013-01-01

    Performing a total health economic analysis of a vaccine newly introduced into the market today is a challenge when using the conventional cost-effectiveness analysis we normally apply on pharmaceutical products. There are many reasons for that, such as: the uncertainty in the total benefit (direct

  16. Does brand differentiate pharmaceuticals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bednarik, Josef

    2005-12-01

    Role of marketing in pharmaceutical industry is increasing and inspiration by successful brands known from consumer goods market influenced pharmaceutical companies enough to switch their attention to branding initiatives. Still there is little evidence that pharmaceutical brands represent anything more than product only. This study aims to explore the area of branding in pharmaceutical industry. Central hypothesis of the research has been that brand and its emotional content differentiate pharmaceuticals as well as rational data derived from clinical studies. It has been tested by extensive review of available literature as well as by primary research focused on drivers of physicians' attitudes towards products and their influence on prescribing behavior. The research has been conducted in the sample of psychiatrists in the Czech Republic. No evidence about pharmaceutical brand exceeding value of product has been found in reviewed literature. Nevertheless, the primary research conducted in the sample of Czech psychiatrists indicates that emotional brand in pharmaceutical industry exists and enables author to draw a model of Customer/product life cycle that describes likely impact of functional, emotional and self-expressive benefits throughout pharmaceutical product's market presence. Pharmaceutical brand is likely to develop differently than the same of consumer goods products--it seems to be built predominantly on long-term positive experience. Marketing role in this process should lie in finding relevant product position and building brand identity compliant with real product capabilities.

  17. Preference for pharmaceutical formulation and treatment process attributes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stewart KD

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Katie D Stewart,1 Joseph A Johnston,2 Louis S Matza,1 Sarah E Curtis,2 Henry A Havel,3 Stephanie A Sweetana,3 Heather L Gelhorn1 1Outcomes Research, Evidera, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Global Patient Outcomes & Real World Evidence, 3Small Molecule Design and Development, Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA Purpose: Pharmaceutical formulation and treatment process attributes, such as dose frequency and route of administration, can have an impact on quality of life, treatment adherence, and disease outcomes. The aim of this literature review was to examine studies on preferences for pharmaceutical treatment process attributes, focusing on research in diabetes, oncology, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disorders.Methods: The literature search focused on identifying studies reporting preferences for attributes of the pharmaceutical treatment process. Studies were required to use formal quantitative preference assessment methods, such as utility valuation, conjoint analysis, or contingent valuation. Searches were conducted using Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Health Economic Evaluation Database, and National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (January 1993–October 2013.Results: A total of 42 studies met inclusion criteria: 19 diabetes, nine oncology, five osteoporosis, and nine autoimmune. Across these conditions, treatments associated with shorter treatment duration, less frequent administration, greater flexibility, and less invasive routes of administration were preferred over more burdensome or complex treatments. While efficacy and safety often had greater relative importance than treatment process, treatment process also had a quantifiable impact on preference. In some instances, particularly in diabetes and autoimmune disorders, treatment process attributes had greater relative importance than some or all efficacy and safety attributes. Some studies suggested that relative importance of treatment process depends on disease (eg

  18. Pharmaceutical manufacturing facility discharges can substantially increase the pharmaceutical load to U.S. wastewaters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Tia-Marie; Phillips, Patrick J.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Colella, Kaitlyn M.; Furlong, Edward T.; Foreman, William T.; Gray, James L.

    2018-01-01

    Discharges from pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities (PMFs) previously have been identified as important sources of pharmaceuticals to the environment. Yet few studies are available to establish the influence of PMFs on the pharmaceutical source contribution to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and waterways at the national scale. Consequently, a national network of 13 WWTPs receiving PMF discharges, six WWTPs with no PMF input, and one WWTP that transitioned through a PMF closure were selected from across the United States to assess the influence of PMF inputs on pharmaceutical loading to WWTPs. Effluent samples were analyzed for 120 pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical degradates. Of these, 33 pharmaceuticals had concentrations substantially higher in PMF-influenced effluent (maximum 555,000 ng/L) compared to effluent from control sites (maximum 175 ng/L). Concentrations in WWTP receiving PMF input are variable, as discharges from PMFs are episodic, indicating that production activities can vary substantially over relatively short (several months) periods and have the potential to rapidly transition to other pharmaceutical products. Results show that PMFs are an important, national-scale source of pharmaceuticals to the environment.

  19. Development paths of China's agricultural Pharmaceutical industry under Eco-agriculture background.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jinkai; Gong, Liutang; Ji, Xi; Zhang, Jin; Miao, Pei

    2014-07-01

    Using pesticides has double effects. On one hand, it contributes to pests control and regulates the growth of crops; On the other hand, it does harm to the environment. To develop ecological agriculture should not only emphasize the output level of agriculture to pursuit of economic efficiency, but also need to keep the ecological environment protected and focus on the social benefits during the development of the industry. As a large agricultural country in the world, China is vigorously promoting the development of ecological agriculture, which is bound to put forward to developing the pesticide industry and green ecological development requirements to promote the transformation and upgrading of agricultural pharmaceutical industry. This paper discusses the mechanism of pesticide pollution on the ecological environment and analyzes China's agricultural problems in the pharmaceutical industry. Then study on the development of Chinese green pesticides and try to find the proper paths of agricultural pharmaceutical to achieve industrial upgrading.

  20. [Pharmaceutical logistic in turnover of pharmaceutical products of Azerbaijan].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzhalilova, K I

    2009-11-01

    Development of pharmaceutical logistic system model promotes optimal strategy for pharmaceutical functioning. The goal of such systems is organization of pharmaceutical product's turnover in required quantity and assortment, at preset time and place, at a highest possible degree of consumption readiness with minimal expenses and qualitative service. Organization of the optimal turnover chain in the region is offered to start from approximate classification of medicaments by logistic characteristics. Supplier selection was performed by evaluation of timeliness of delivery, quality of delivered products (according to the minimum acceptable level of quality) and time-keeping of time spending for orders delivery.

  1. Pharmaceutical R&D performance by firm size: approval success rates and economic returns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiMasi, Joseph A

    2014-01-01

    The R&D productivity of pharmaceutical firms has become an increasingly significant concern of industry, regulators, and policymakers. To address an important aspect of R&D performance, public and private data sources were used to estimate clinical phase transition and clinical approval probabilities for the pipelines of the 50 largest pharmaceutical firms (by sales) by 3 firms size groups (top 10 firms, top 11-20 firms, and top 21-50 firms). For self-originated compounds, the clinical approval success rates were 14.3%, 16.4%, and 18.4% for top 10 firms, top 11-20 firms, and top 21-50 firms, respectively. The results showing higher success rates for smaller firms were largely driven by outcomes for the small-molecule drugs. Adjustments for the relatively small differences in therapeutic class distributions across the firm size groups showed that the success rate for small-molecule self-originated drugs was 6% below average for top 10 firms and 17% above average for top 21-50 firms. Although success rates for small firms were higher, this advantage was offset to some degree by lower returns on approved drugs, suggesting different strategic objectives with regard to risk and reward by firm size.

  2. Optimization of the pharmaceutical care system for diabetes patients using modern pharmaceutical informatics methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Андрій Ігорович Бойко

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Implementation of pharmaceutical informatics methods in the system of pharmaceutical care for diabetes patients in Ukraine.Methods. System method was used for the analysis of status and reforming the pharmaceutical care for patients with diabetes; program-oriented management at informatization project realization; pharmaceutical informatics in the creation of computer pharmaceutical knowledge bases; methods of data synthesis and summarizing.Results. System analysis of the basic directions of reforming the pharmaceutical care for patients with diabetes in Ukraine was carried out. Ways of it’s of optimization were processed: establishment of specialized pharmacies with implementation of modern information technologies and special postgraduate education for pharmacists. Structure and information providing of computer knowledge base “Pharmaceutical care for patients with diabetes” was substantiated.Conclusion. Based on the regional project “Informatization of prescription antidiabetic drugs circulation in Ukraine” realization, the necessity of establishment of specialized pharmacies providing pharmaceutical care for patients with diabetes was substantiated. Ways for optimization of postgraduate education for pharmacists of the specialized pharmacies by implementation of special thematic improvement cycles were proceed. Computer knowledge base as an effective tool for optimization of pharmaceutical care for patients with diabetes was realized

  3. THz spectroscopy: An emerging technology for pharmaceutical development and pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology (PAT) applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Huiquan; Khan, Mansoor

    2012-08-01

    As an emerging technology, THz spectroscopy has gained increasing attention in the pharmaceutical area during the last decade. This attention is due to the fact that (1) it provides a promising alternative approach for in-depth understanding of both intermolecular interaction among pharmaceutical molecules and pharmaceutical product quality attributes; (2) it provides a promising alternative approach for enhanced process understanding of certain pharmaceutical manufacturing processes; and (3) the FDA pharmaceutical quality initiatives, most noticeably, the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative. In this work, the current status and progress made so far on using THz spectroscopy for pharmaceutical development and pharmaceutical PAT applications are reviewed. In the spirit of demonstrating the utility of first principles modeling approach for addressing model validation challenge and reducing unnecessary model validation "burden" for facilitating THz pharmaceutical PAT applications, two scientific case studies based on published THz spectroscopy measurement results are created and discussed. Furthermore, other technical challenges and opportunities associated with adapting THz spectroscopy as a pharmaceutical PAT tool are highlighted.

  4. Evaluation of P-Listed Pharmaceutical Residues in Empty Pharmaceutical Containers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), some pharmaceuticals are considered acute hazardous wastes because their sole active pharmaceutical ingredients are P-listed commercial chemical products (40 CFR 261.33). Hospitals and other healthcare facilities have stru...

  5. Micro factors bringing the pharmaceutical industry to a seismic shaking a qualitative research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dierks, Raphaela Marie Louisa; Bruyère, Olivier; Reginster, Jean-Yves

    2017-06-01

    Due to changing macro and micro factors, expiring patents and falling net income, pharmaceutical companies need to rethink their vertical business model. The trend shows cross-sectorial partnerships and consolidation to remain and compete on the market. Areas covered: Quantitative research interviewing a target group of 25 key executives from small, mid and large global pharmaceutical companies rounded with qualitative literature research completing the analysis. Expert commentary: Uncertainty in the industry due to changing external factors i.e. pricing pressures, regulations or an economic slowdown, slowing down innovations and new drug outcomes. Pharmaceutical companies understand the existing hurdles, and are critically optimistic implementing new business models. Also, various stakeholders are included in the value chain due to their growing importance. During the next years, the industry will be restructured from volume towards value, and only pharmaceutical companies' clairaudient and reciprocate to the changes with an out-off the box thinking will be able to resist on the market. Small biotech companies should focus on research, and big pharmaceutical companies entering at development focusing on the process until the distribution. This execution business recommendation would enable the best know-how at the right point, mitigating the risk and enhancing the patient outcomes.

  6. Use and practice of achiral and chiral supercritical fluid chromatography in pharmaceutical analysis and purification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemasson, Elise; Bertin, Sophie; West, Caroline

    2016-01-01

    The interest of pharmaceutical companies for complementary high-performance chromatographic tools to assess a product's purity or enhance this purity is on the rise. The high-throughput capability and economic benefits of supercritical fluid chromatography, but also the "green" aspect of CO2 as the principal solvent, render supercritical fluid chromatography very attractive for a wide range of pharmaceutical applications. The recent reintroduction of new robust instruments dedicated to supercritical fluid chromatography and the progress in stationary phase technology have also greatly benefited supercritical fluid chromatography. Additionally, it was shown several times that supercritical fluid chromatography could be orthogonal to reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and could efficiently compete with it. Supercritical fluid chromatography is an adequate tool for small molecules of pharmaceutical interest: synthetic intermediates, active pharmaceutical ingredients, impurities, or degradation products. In this review, we first discuss about general chromatographic conditions for supercritical fluid chromatography analysis to better suit compounds of pharmaceutical interest. We also discuss about the use of achiral and chiral supercritical fluid chromatography for analytical purposes and the recent applications in these areas. The use of preparative supercritical fluid chromatography by pharmaceutical companies is also covered. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Pharmaceutical supply chain risk assessment in Iran using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and simple additive weighting (SAW) methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaberidoost, Mona; Olfat, Laya; Hosseini, Alireza; Kebriaeezadeh, Abbas; Abdollahi, Mohammad; Alaeddini, Mahdi; Dinarvand, Rassoul

    2015-01-01

    Pharmaceutical supply chain is a significant component of the health system in supplying medicines, particularly in countries where main drugs are provided by local pharmaceutical companies. No previous studies exist assessing risks and disruptions in pharmaceutical companies while assessing the pharmaceutical supply chain. Any risks affecting the pharmaceutical companies could disrupt supply medicines and health system efficiency. The goal of this study was the risk assessment in pharmaceutical industry in Iran considering process's priority, hazard and probability of risks. The study was carried out in 4 phases; risk identification through literature review, risk identification in Iranian pharmaceutical companies through interview with experts, risk analysis through a questionnaire and consultation with experts using group analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method and rating scale (RS) and risk evaluation of simple additive weighting (SAW) method. In total, 86 main risks were identified in the pharmaceutical supply chain with perspective of pharmaceutical companies classified in 11 classes. The majority of risks described in this study were related to the financial and economic category. Also financial management was found to be the most important factor for consideration. Although pharmaceutical industry and supply chain were affected by current political conditions in Iran during the study time, but half of total risks in the pharmaceutical supply chain were found to be internal risks which could be fixed by companies, internally. Likewise, political status and related risks forced companies to focus more on financial and supply management resulting in less attention to quality management.

  8. Validated UV-Spectrophotometric Methods for Determination of Gemifloxacin Mesylate in Pharmaceutical Tablet Dosage Forms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Rote Ambadas

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Two simple, economic and accurate UV spectrophotometric methods have been developed for determination of gemifloxacin mesylate in pharmaceutical tablet formulation. The first UV-spectrophotometric method depends upon the measurement of absorption at the wavelength 263.8 nm. In second area under curve method the wavelength range for detection was selected from 268.5-258.5 nm. Beer’s law was obeyed in the range of 2 to 12 μgmL-1 for both the methods. The proposed methods was validated statistically and applied successfully to determination of gemifloxacin mesylate in pharmaceutical formulation.

  9. Can open-source drug R&D repower pharmaceutical innovation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munos, B

    2010-05-01

    Open-source R&D initiatives are multiplying across biomedical research. Some of them-such as public-private partnerships-have achieved notable success in bringing new drugs to market economically, whereas others reflect the pharmaceutical industry's efforts to retool its R&D model. Is open innovation the answer to the innovation crisis? This Commentary argues that although it may likely be part of the solution, significant cultural, scientific, and regulatory barriers can prevent it from delivering on its promise.

  10. Factors Affecting the Adoption of Genetically Modified Animals in the Food and Pharmaceutical Chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Mora

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The production of genetically modified (GM animals is an emerging technique that could potentially impact the livestock and pharmaceutical industries. Currently, food products derived from GM animals have not yet entered the market whilst two pharmaceutical products have. The objective of this paper is twofold: first it aims to explore the socio-economic drivers affecting the use of GM animals and, second, to review the risks and benefits from the point of view of the life sciences. A scoping study was conducted to assess research relevant to understanding the main drivers influencing the adoption of GM applications and their potential risks and benefits. Public and producers’ acceptance, public policies, human health, animal welfare, environmental impact and sustainability are considered as the main factors affecting the application of GM animal techniques in livestock and pharmaceutical chains.

  11. Expanding Canadian Medicare to include a national pharmaceutical benefit while controlling expenditures: possible lessons from Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosen, Bruce

    2018-02-05

    In Canada, there is an ongoing debate about whether to expand Medicare to include a national pharmaceutical benefit on a universal basis. The potential health benefits are understood to be significant, but there are ongoing concerns about affordability. In Israel, the National Health Insurance benefits package includes a comprehensive pharmaceutical benefit. Nonetheless, per capita pharmaceutical spending is well below that of Canada and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development average. This paper highlights seven strategies that Israel has employed to constrain pharmaceutical spending: (1) prioritizing new technologies, subject to a global budget constraint; (2) using regulations and market power to secure fair and reasonable prices; (3) establishing an efficient pharmaceutical distribution system; (4) promoting effective prescribing behavior; (5) avoiding artificial inflation of consumer demand; (6) striking an appropriate balance between respect for IP rights, access and cost containment; and (7) developing a shared societal understanding about the value and limits of pharmaceutical spending. Some of these strategies are already in place in some parts of Canada. Others could be introduced into Canada, and might contribute to the affordability of a national pharmaceutical benefit, but substantial adaptation would be needed. For example, in Israel the health maintenance organizations (HMOs) play a central role in promoting effective prescribing behavior, whereas in HMO-free Canada other mechanisms are needed to advance this important goal.

  12. The future of pharmaceutical manufacturing in the context of the scientific, social, technological and economic evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stegemann, Sven

    2016-07-30

    Healthcare provision is one of the import elements of modern societies. Life sciences and technology has made substantial progress over the past century and is continuing to evolve exponentially in many different areas. The use of genotypic and phenotypic information in drug discovery and drug therapy, the increasing wealth around the world, growing patient involvement through information and communication technology and finally innovations in pharmaceutical manufacturing technology are transforming the provision of healthcare. The adoption of this new science and technology is going to happen due to the synergistic effects and visible benefits for the society and healthcare systems. The different aspects driving advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing are reviewed to identify future research direction to assure overall acceptance and adoption into healthcare practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Pharmaceutical powder compaction technology

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Çelik, Metin

    2011-01-01

    "Revised to reflect modern pharmaceutical compacting techniques, this Second Edition guides pharmaceutical engineers, formulation scientists, and product development and quality assurance personnel...

  14. Política farmacéutica saludable Healthy pharmaceutical policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo González Pier

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Hoy en día, la industria farmacéutica se encuentra en una transición profunda. La globalización y el avance tecnológico representan las principales presiones de cambio para un mercado mundial de medicamentos donde a este tipo de industria le resulta cada vez más difícil recuperar de forma eficiente los costos crecientes de la innovación. México debe analizar las implicaciones en el ámbito político de estos factores de cambio y promover, en el mercado de medicamentos, una política que incremente al máximo las ganancias de salud de los recursos invertidos. La política de medicamentos ofrece un raro ejemplo de complementariedad entre una buena política de salud y una política económica eficiente, es decir, una "política farmacéutica saludable".Today, the pharmaceutical industry is experiencing a profound transition. Globalization and technological advancement represent the principal pressures for change in the market, where it is increasingly more difficult for this type of industry to efficiently recoup the growing cost of innovation. Mexico needs to analyze the policy implications of these change factors and promote, in the pharmaceutical market, policies that maximize health gains on invested resources. Pharmaceutical policy offers a rare example for a complementary approach between a sound health policy and an efficient economic policy; that is, a "healthy pharmaceutical policy."

  15. Greening Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography Methods Using Alternative Solvents for Pharmaceutical Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moussa Yabré

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The greening of analytical methods has gained increasing interest in the field of pharmaceutical analysis to reduce environmental impacts and improve the health safety of analysts. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC is the most widely used analytical technique involved in pharmaceutical drug development and manufacturing, such as the quality control of bulk drugs and pharmaceutical formulations, as well as the analysis of drugs in biological samples. However, RP-HPLC methods commonly use large amounts of organic solvents and generate high quantities of waste to be disposed, leading to some issues in terms of ecological impact and operator safety. In this context, greening HPLC methods is becoming highly desirable. One strategy to reduce the impact of hazardous solvents is to replace classically used organic solvents (i.e., acetonitrile and methanol with greener ones. So far, ethanol has been the most often used alternative organic solvent. Others strategies have followed, such as the use of totally aqueous mobile phases, micellar liquid chromatography, and ionic liquids. These approaches have been well developed, as they do not require equipment investments and are rather economical. This review describes and critically discusses the recent advances in greening RP-HPLC methods dedicated to pharmaceutical analysis based on the use of alternative solvents.

  16. Pharmaceutical advertising in emergency departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marco, Catherine A

    2004-04-01

    Promotion of prescription drugs represents a growing source of pharmaceutical marketing expenditures. This study was undertaken to identify the frequency of items containing pharmaceutical advertising in clinical emergency departments (EDs). In this observational study, emergency physician on-site investigators quantified a variety of items containing pharmaceutical advertising present at specified representative times and days, in clinical EDs. Measurements were obtained by 65 on-site investigators, representing 22 states. Most EDs in this study were community EDs (87% community and 14% university or university affiliate), and most were in urban settings (50% urban, 38% suburban, and 13% rural). Investigators measured 42 items per ED (mean = 42; median = 31; interquartile range of 14-55) containing pharmaceutical advertising in the clinical area. The most commonly observed items included pens (mean 15 per ED; median 10), product brochures (mean 5; median 3), stethoscope labels (mean 4; median 2), drug samples (mean 3; median 0), books (mean 3.4), mugs (mean 2.4), and published literature (mean 3.1). EDs with a policy restricting pharmaceutical representatives in the ED had significantly fewer items containing pharmaceutical advertising (median 7.5; 95% CI = 0 to 27) than EDs without such a policy (median 35; 95% CI = 27 to 47, p = 0.005, nonparametric Wilcoxon two-sample test). There were no differences in quantities of pharmaceutical advertising for EDs in community compared with university settings (p = 0.5), rural compared with urban settings (p = 0.3), or annual ED volumes (p = 0.9). Numerous items containing pharmaceutical advertising are frequently observed in EDs. Policies restricting pharmaceutical representatives in the ED are associated with reduced pharmaceutical advertising.

  17. Greening Pharmaceutical Supply Chains, Mitigating Pharmaceutical Pollution Risks and Leveraging Private Investment for Environmental Protection Through Improved Risk Accountability and Insurance Risk Transfer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    le Gal, Elodie Jeanine Odette

    and outsource many of their economic activities in developing countries to lower their production and manufacturing costs. Some of these activities, which are carried out in emerging countries which apply sustainability, environmental and labour standards that are perceived as less stringent than those...... of environmental pollution cases from pharmaceutical manufacturing have been reported in the scientific literature. These cases highlight how offshoring production activities can adversely impact upon quality risk. They illustrate how the transfer of the resulting costs of pollution from developed countries......With the environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss triggered by anthropogenic activities, including commercial operations, industries and corporations in all sectors throughout the world have to rethink their business models and production systems to change...

  18. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Journal Homepage Image. We seek to encourage pharmaceutical and allied research of tropical and international relevance and to foster multidisciplinary research and collaboration among scientists, the pharmaceutical industry and the healthcare professionals. We publish articles in pharmaceutical sciences and related ...

  19. The Korean Pharmaceutical Industry and the Expansion of the General Pharmaceuticals Market in the 1950-1960s

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyu-Hwan SIHN

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available After the Liberation, the Korean economy was dependent on relief supplies and aid after the ruin of the colonial regime and war. The pharmaceutical business also searched for their share in the delivery of military supplies and the distribution of relief supplies. The supply-side pharmaceutical policy made the pharmaceutical market a wholesale business. The gravity of the situation led to an increased importation of medical supplies, and wholesalers took the lead in establishing the distribution structure, whereas consumers and pharmaceutical business were relatively intimidated. The aid provided by the International Cooperation Administration (ICA marked a turning point in the Korean pharmaceutical industry after the middle of the 1950s. ICA supplied raw materials and equipment funds, while the pharmaceutical business imported advanced technology and capital. The government invited the local production of medical substances, whereas pharmaceutical businesses replaced imported medical substances with locally produced antibiotics. After the 1960s, the production of antibiotics reached saturation. Pharmaceutical businesses needed new markets to break through the stalemate, so they turned their attention to vitamins and health tonics as general pharmaceuticals, as these were suitable for mass production and mass consumption. The modernized patent medicine market after the Opening of Korea was transformed into the contemporized general pharmaceuticals market equipped with the up-to-date facilities and technology in 1960s. Pharmaceutical businesses had to advertise these new products extensively and reform the distribution structure to achieve high profits. With the introduction of TV broadcasting, these businesses invested in TV advertising and generated sizable sales figures. They also established retail pharmacy and chain stores to reform the distribution structure. The end result was a dramatic expansion of the general pharmaceuticals market. The

  20. [The Korean Pharmaceutical Industry and the Expansion of the General Pharmaceuticals Market in the 1950-1960s].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sihn, Kyu-Hwan

    2015-12-01

    After the Liberation, the Korean economy was dependent on relief supplies and aid after the ruin of the colonial regime and war. The pharmaceutical business also searched for their share in the delivery of military supplies and the distribution of relief supplies. The supply-side pharmaceutical policy made the pharmaceutical market a wholesale business. The gravity of the situation led to an increased importation of medical supplies, and wholesalers took the lead in establishing the distribution structure, whereas consumers and pharmaceutical business were relatively intimidated. The aid provided by the International Cooperation Administration (ICA) marked a turning point in the Korean pharmaceutical industry after the middle of the 1950s. ICA supplied raw materials and equipment funds, while the pharmaceutical business imported advanced technology and capital. The government invited the local production of medical substances, whereas pharmaceutical businesses replaced imported medical substances with locally produced antibiotics. After the 1960s, the production of antibiotics reached saturation. Pharmaceutical businesses needed new markets to break through the stalemate, so they turned their attention to vitamins and health tonics as general pharmaceuticals, as these were suitable for mass production and mass consumption. The modernized patent medicine market after the Opening of Korea was transformed into the contemporized general pharmaceuticals market equipped with the up-to-date facilities and technology in 1960s. Pharmaceutical businesses had to advertise these new products extensively and reform the distribution structure to achieve high profits. With the introduction of TV broadcasting, these businesses invested in TV advertising and generated sizable sales figures. They also established retail pharmacy and chain stores to reform the distribution structure. The end result was a dramatic expansion of the general pharmaceuticals market. The market for

  1. Pharmaceutical Formulation Facilities as Sources of Opioids and Other Pharmaceuticals to Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Facilities involved in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products are an under-investigated source of pharmaceuticals to the environment. Between 2004 and 2009, 35 to 38 effluent samples were collected from each of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in New York and analyzed for seven pharmaceuticals including opioids and muscle relaxants. Two WWTPs (NY2 and NY3) receive substantial flows (>20% of plant flow) from pharmaceutical formulation facilities (PFF) and one (NY1) receives no PFF flow. Samples of effluents from 23 WWTPs across the United States were analyzed once for these pharmaceuticals as part of a national survey. Maximum pharmaceutical effluent concentrations for the national survey and NY1 effluent samples were generally effluent had median concentrations ranging from 3.4 to >400 μg/L. Maximum concentrations of oxycodone (1700 μg/L) and metaxalone (3800 μg/L) in samples from NY3 effluent exceeded 1000 μg/L. Three pharmaceuticals (butalbital, carisoprodol, and oxycodone) in samples of NY2 effluent had median concentrations ranging from 2 to 11 μg/L. These findings suggest that current manufacturing practices at these PFFs can result in pharmaceuticals concentrations from 10 to 1000 times higher than those typically found in WWTP effluents. PMID:20521847

  2. Pharmaceutical compounds in drinking water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vikas Chander

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceutical products and their wastes play a major role in the degradation of environment. These drugs have positive as well as negative consequences on different environmental components including biota in different ways. Many types of pharmaceutical substances have been detected with significant concentrations through various advanced instrumental techniques in surface water, subsurface water, ground water, domestic waste water, municipal waste water and industrial effluents. The central as well as state governments in India are providing supports by creating excise duty free zones to promote the pharmaceutical manufacturers for their production. As a result, pharmaceutical companies are producing different types of pharmaceutical products at large scale and also producing complex non-biodegradable toxic wastes byproducts and releasing untreated or partially treated wastes in the environment in absence of strong regulations. These waste pollutants are contaminating all types of drinking water sources. The present paper focuses on water quality pollution by pharmaceutical pollutants, their occurrences, nature, metabolites and their fate in the environment.

  3. Supramolecular Pharmaceutical Sciences: A Novel Concept Combining Pharmaceutical Sciences and Supramolecular Chemistry with a Focus on Cyclodextrin-Based Supermolecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higashi, Taishi; Iohara, Daisuke; Motoyama, Keiichi; Arima, Hidetoshi

    2018-01-01

    Supramolecular chemistry is an extremely useful and important domain for understanding pharmaceutical sciences because various physiological reactions and drug activities are based on supramolecular chemistry. However, it is not a major domain in the pharmaceutical field. In this review, we propose a new concept in pharmaceutical sciences termed "supramolecular pharmaceutical sciences," which combines pharmaceutical sciences and supramolecular chemistry. This concept could be useful for developing new ideas, methods, hypotheses, strategies, materials, and mechanisms in pharmaceutical sciences. Herein, we focus on cyclodextrin (CyD)-based supermolecules, because CyDs have been used not only as pharmaceutical excipients or active pharmaceutical ingredients but also as components of supermolecules.

  4. Determinants of Iran's BilateralIntra-industry Trade in Pharmaceutical Industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghlmand, Siamak; Rahimi, Bahlol; Farrokh-Eslamlou, Hamidreza; Nabilou, Bahram; Yusefzadeh, Hassan

    2018-01-01

    Among non-oil and in trade arena, drug has always been strategic importance and most government especially industrialized countries pay special attention to its production and trade issues. Thus, having a comprehensive view from economic perspective to this section is essential for suggesting intervention. This was a descriptive-analytical and panel study. In this study, gravity model is used to estimate Iran's bilateral intra-industry trade in pharmaceutical products in the 2001-2012 periods. To illustrate the extent of pharmaceutical's intra-industry trade between Iran and its major trading partners, the explanatory variables of market size, income, factor endowments, distance, cultural contributions, and similarities and also special trade arrangements have been applied. Analysis of factors affecting Iran's bilateral intra-industry trade in pharmaceutical industry showed that the average GDP and cultural similarities had a significant positive impact on Iran's bilateral IIT, while the difference in GDP has a negative and significant effect. Coefficients obtained for the geographical distance and the average ratio of total capital to the labor force is not consistent with theoretical expectations. Special trade arrangements did not have significant impact on the extent of bilateral intra-industry trade between Iran and its trading partners. The knowledge of the intra-industry trade between Iran and its trade partners make integration between the countries. Factors affecting this type of trade pattern underlie its development in trade relationship. Therefore, the findings of this study would be useful in helping to develop and implement policies for the expansion of the pharmaceutical trade.

  5. [Hospital pharmaceutical practice in prison].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harcouët, L

    2010-09-01

    Since 1994, hospital pharmaceutical teams have been in charge of pharmaceutical tasks in "unités de consultation et de soins ambulatoires" (UCSA), which are hospital consulting care units in French prisons. In 2008, pharmaceutical team in Parisian prisons received 6500 prescriptions and prepared 85,000 nominative bags containing drugs. Prisoners were 1.3% to receive treatments against HIV, 8.2% cardiovascular drugs, 7.2% opioid substitution treatments, and 52.9% psychoactive drugs, including 39.3% hypnotics, 40.5% anxiolytics, 11.3% antidepressants and 12.2% neuroleptics. In prison, the dichotomy between somatic and mental care is marked, attitudes of prisoners about their medicines are complex (important claims, embezzlement, etc.) and it is difficult for law defendants to maintain treatment confidentiality and to prepare prison outing in terms of health. To attenuate the heterogeneity of drug distribution systems in French prisons, we propose pharmaceutical analysis of prescriptions and nominative dispensation, computerization in UCSA in coordination with hospitals, a better contribution of prison medical and pharmaceutical staff in hospital "drug committees" and the redaction of pharmaceutical guidelines. Acting in concert with multidisciplinary medical staff in UCSA, pharmaceutical teams have to develop epidemiological studies to improve knowledge in prisoner's health and also prevention and health care in prison. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Financial aspects and the future of the pharmaceutical industry in the United States of america.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karamehic, Jasenko; Ridic, Ognjen; Ridic, Goran; Jukic, Tomislav; Coric, Jozo; Subasic, Djemo; Panjeta, Mirsad; Saban, Aida; Zunic, Lejla; Masic, Izet

    2013-12-01

    The U.S. pharmaceutical industry is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as "companies engaged in researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing of medicines and biological for human or veterinary use". Besides its main role in improving human health, the US pharmaceutical industry represents one of the most critical, key decision makers' lobbying prone and competitive sectors in the economy. The cost in the environment of very limited government price regulation remains one of the major problems fuelling aggregate health care cost inflation. Pharmaceuticals have created huge benefits for public health and economic productivity by the means of saving lives, increasing life expectancy, reducing illness related suffering, preventing surgeries and decreasing hospital stays. The goal of this review paper is to show the present conditions and future trends of the pharmaceutical industry in the U.S. THIS PAPER REPRESENTS A THOROUGH LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE MULTIFACETED SOURCES INCLUDING: studies, books, peer reviewed journals, U.S. government sources (i.e. U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, etc.). In the thirty years pharmaceutical companies have consistently developed and launched new medicines, bringing hope to sick or - at risk patients. They also usually provide above the average financial returns for its shareholders. U.S. pharmaceutical companies had as their goal to discover blockbuster drugs. Blockbuster drugs are generally defined as drugs that solve medical problems common to hundreds of millions of people and, at the same time generate large sales increases and profits for the pharmaceutical companies. The main approach of these companies includes huge investments in research and development (R&D), innovation, marketing and sales. The trend analysis shows that for the most part the era of blockbuster drugs is nearing an end. Numerous blockbuster drugs will be coming off patent in the next few years, opening the way to generics and

  7. Health technology assessment of medicines in Greece: pharmaceutical industry executives' views.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armataki, Eleni; Karampli, Eleftheria; Kyriopoulos, John; Pavi, Elpida

    2014-04-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate originator pharmaceutical companies' practices in relation to health technology assessment (HTA) and the views and perceptions of their executives on the importance of HTA in pricing and reimbursement of medicines in Greece. A qualitative study was performed, using individual semi-structured interviews based on an interview schedule with open-ended questions. The target population was market access departments' executives of originator pharmaceutical companies. Our target sample consisted of sixteen executives, of whom ten agreed to participate. Saturation point was reached after eight interviews. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis. Participants considered HTA as a very important complementary tool for decision making in health policy, particularly in the field of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. They believed that, in Greece, HTA could be institutionalized for the reimbursement mechanism of medicines under certain conditions relating to current health policy-making attitudes and conditions pertaining in the country. They considered that there are many constraints which must be overcome as well as opportunities to be exploited. Decisions in pharmaceutical policy should be scientifically substantiated and HTA should be institutionalized primarily for reimbursement decisions. Development of guidelines for conducting pharmaco-economic evaluation, change in health policy goals, recording of cost and epidemiological data, and broader participation of all stakeholders in HTA decision-making processes are suggested as prerequisites for a successful implementation of HTA in Greece.

  8. Pharmaceutical cost-containment policies and sustainability: recent Irish experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenneally, Martin; Walshe, Valerie

    2012-01-01

    Our objective is to review and assess the main pharmaceutical cost-containment policies used in Ireland in recent years, and to highlight how a policy that improved fiscal sustainability but worsened economic sustainability could have improved both if an option-based approach was implemented. The main public pharmaceutical cost-containment policy measures including reducing the ex-factory price of drugs, pharmacy dispensing fees and community drug scheme coverage, and increasing patient copayments are outlined along with the resulting savings. We quantify the cost implications of a new policy that restricts the entitlement to free prescription drugs of persons older than 70 years and propose an alternative option-based policy that reduces the total cost to both the state and the patient. This set of policy measures reduced public spending on community drugs by an estimated €380m in 2011. The policy restricting free prescription drugs for persons older than 70 years, though effective in reducing public cost, increased the total cost of the drugs supplied. The policy-induced cost increase stems from a fees anomaly between the two main community drugs schemes which is circumvented by our alternative option-based policy. Our findings highlight the need for policymakers, even when absorbed with reducing cost, to design cost-containment policies that are both fiscally and economically sustainable. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Mechanisms determining prices of products on the pharmaceutical market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klaudia LUCIUS

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The pharmaceutical market is characterized by the existence of state regulations restricting his freedom to market and is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy all over the world. Factors that have a real impact on determining the price of drugs can be grouped into three categories: medical factors, economic factors, political and environmental factors. In the group of medical factors can be distinguished patent protection, the cost of producing the drug and the value of the drug. To economic factors, taking into account the aspect of market competitiveness of companies, include: the size of the producer, nature of the company - whether it is a research unit of the pharmaceutical company, return on investment – effectiveness of use of expenditure with the aim of achieving a profit (return on investment, ROI, profitability entity. The remaining group of factors (environmental, and political relate mainly to national regulations. They are connected with among others the registration system of marketing authorization, whether a reimbursement system that determines whether and how drugs are financed from public funds. Membership in the European Union forces on all Member States to make reimbursement decisions by the so-called Transparency Directive. It is connected with the obligation to justify decisions, and calling upon objective reasons. Medical Technology Assessment Agency formulating recommendations take into account factors i.e. a therapeutic, benefits for the patients, cost-effectiveness, impact on the budget.

  10. Pharmaceutical cocrystals: an overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Ning; Li, Mingzhong; Schlindwein, Walkiria; Malek, Nazneen; Davies, Angela; Trappitt, Gary

    2011-10-31

    Pharmaceutical cocrystals are emerging as a new class of solid drugs with improved physicochemical properties, which has attracted increased interests from both industrial and academic researchers. In this paper a brief and systematic overview of pharmaceutical cocrystals is provided, with particular focus on cocrystal design strategies, formation methods, physicochemical property studies, characterisation techniques, and recent theoretical developments in cocrystal screening and mechanisms of cocrystal formations. Examples of pharmaceutical cocrystals are also summarised in this paper. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. he Impact of Economic Paradoxes on the Pharmaceutical Market Evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doina MARGARITTI

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The population’s health represents the most important economic resource in a society. The social-economic role of heath protection is determined by the proper allocation of public financial resources but also partially, by the allocation of the populations own income. The general law of demand can be applied to the drugdemand. The well-knowneconomic paradoxes R. Giffen, T. Veblen and A. Rugina canbefound on the pharmaceuticalmarket and determine the elasticity of drug demand. The quantity of drugs needed to assure the populations health presents insignificant modifications to the price fluctuations, to the populations’ income, the resources allocated by the state and by each patient.

  12. The route from problem to solution in multistep continuous flow synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bana, Péter; Örkényi, Róbert; Lövei, Klára; Lakó, Ágnes; Túrós, György István; Éles, János; Faigl, Ferenc; Greiner, István

    2017-12-01

    Recent advances in the field of continuous flow chemistry allow the multistep preparation of complex molecules such as APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) in a telescoped manner. Numerous examples of laboratory-scale applications are described, which are pointing towards novel manufacturing processes of pharmaceutical compounds, in accordance with recent regulatory, economical and quality guidances. The chemical and technical knowledge gained during these studies is considerable; nevertheless, connecting several individual chemical transformations and the attached analytics and purification holds hidden traps. In this review, we summarize innovative solutions for these challenges, in order to benefit chemists aiming to exploit flow chemistry systems for the synthesis of biologically active molecules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Research problems and trends of the pharmaceutical market Sudan as social oriented structure of the country

    OpenAIRE

    Олена Миколаївна Євтушенко; Осама Абузаїд Мохамед Нур Ахмед

    2016-01-01

    Aim: The research object was the definition of problems and tendencies of pharmaceutical market development of Sudan as the country which in recent years tries to pull through the consequence of political and economic crisis and to build the socially oriented model of the state.Methods: In the researches it has been used the marketing and economic analysis methods as well as the historical, logical, comparative and graphic methods.Results: The authors represented the marketing analysis result...

  14. Principles of economics crucial to pharmacy students' understanding of the prescription drug market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rattinger, Gail B; Jain, Rahul; Ju, Jing; Mullins, C Daniel

    2008-06-15

    Many pharmacy schools have increased the amount of economics coursework to which pharmacy students are exposed in their prepharmacy and pharmacy curriculums. Students obtain competencies aimed at understanding the basic concepts of microeconomic theory, such as supply and demand. However, pharmacy students often have trouble applying these principles to real world pharmaceuticals or healthcare markets. Our objective is to make economics more relevant for pharmacy students. Specifically, we detail and provide pharmacy-relevant examples of the effects of monopoly power, barriers to marketplace entry, regulatory environment, third party insurance, information asymmetry and unanticipated changes in the marketplace on the supply and demand for pharmaceuticals and healthcare services.

  15. Principles of Economics Crucial to Pharmacy Students' Understanding of the Prescription Drug Market

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Rahul; Ju, Jing; Mullins, C. Daniel

    2008-01-01

    Many pharmacy schools have increased the amount of economics coursework to which pharmacy students are exposed in their prepharmacy and pharmacy curriculums. Students obtain competencies aimed at understanding the basic concepts of microeconomic theory, such as supply and demand. However, pharmacy students often have trouble applying these principles to real world pharmaceuticals or healthcare markets. Our objective is to make economics more relevant for pharmacy students. Specifically, we detail and provide pharmacy-relevant examples of the effects of monopoly power, barriers to marketplace entry, regulatory environment, third party insurance, information asymmetry and unanticipated changes in the marketplace on the supply and demand for pharmaceuticals and healthcare services. PMID:18698403

  16. Implementing Lean Manufacturing in Malaysian Small and Medium Startup Pharmaceutical Company

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Wan Mohd Khairi bin Wan; Rahman, Mohamed Abdul; Abu Bakar, Mohd Rushdi bin

    2017-03-01

    Domestic pharmaceutical industry has been identified by the Malaysian government as an industry to be developed under its 11th economic development plan. Most homegrown pharmaceutical companies fall under the category of small and medium enterprises (SME) and therefore need to be highly efficient in their operations to compete with the multinationals. Though lean manufacturing is a well-known methodology to achieve an efficient operation, only a small percentage of the local SMEs implement it. The study aims to determine the real success factors in lean implementation through systematic review of relevant literature on lean manufacturing implementation in local companies, onsite observation of a selected SME company, Global Factor Sdn. Bhd. (GFSB), that successfully implemented lean manufacturing followed by actual implementation of lean project at IKOP Sdn. Bhd., a small startup pharmaceutical company. Lean tools like Gemba, value stream map (VSM) and spaghetti diagram were used to analyze and improve a process at IKOP Sdn. Bhd. The literature review showed that the implementation of lean manufacturing at Malaysian SMEs involved in pharmaceutical industry is at its infancy. Study at GFSB indicated that successful implementation of lean manufacturing stems from management support, employee’s commitment, government support and knowledge on lean among employees. Application of lean tools in IKOP Sdn. Bhd. to improve the process cycle efficiency of hand sanitizer, i-Hand 4.0, has shown that the GMP guidelines are not jeopardized. The Kaizen improvement project resulted in 46.3% reduction in lead time. It may be concluded that implementing lean manufacturing in any small local startup pharmaceutical company is beneficial in reducing operational costs and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness and does not conflict with the existing GMP guidelines.

  17. Corporate social responsibility in global health: an exploratory study of multinational pharmaceutical firms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Droppert, Hayley; Bennett, Sara

    2015-04-09

    As pharmaceutical firms experience increasing civil society pressure to act responsibly in a changing globalized world, many are expanding and/or reforming their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. We sought to understand how multinational pharmaceutical companies currently engage in CSR activities in the developing world aimed at global health impact, their motivations for doing so and how their CSR strategies are evolving. We conducted a small-scale, exploratory study combining (i) an in-depth review of publicly available data on pharmaceutical firms' CSR with (ii) interviews of representatives from 6 firms, purposively selected, from the highest earning pharmaceutical firms worldwide. Corporate social responsibility differed for each firm particularly with respect to how CSR is defined, organizational structures for managing CSR, current CSR activities, and motivations for CSR. Across the firms studied, the common CSR activities were: differential pharmaceutical pricing, strengthening developing country drug distribution infrastructure, mHealth initiatives, and targeted research and development. Primary factors that motivated CSR engagement were: reputational benefits, recruitment and employee satisfaction, better rankings in sustainability indices, entrance into new markets, long-term economic returns, and improved population health. In terms of CSR strategy, firms were at different points on a spectrum ranging from philanthropic donations to integrated systemic shared value business models. CSR is of increasing importance for multinational pharmaceutical firms yet understanding of the array of CSR strategies employed and their effects is nascent. Our study points to the need to (i) develop clearer and more standardized definitions of CSR in global health (2) strengthen indices to track CSR strategies and their public health effects in developing countries and (iii) undertake more country level studies that investigate how CSR engages with

  18. Commercial production of specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals from biomass

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McChesney, J.D. [Univ. of Mississippi, University, MS (United States)

    1993-12-31

    The chemical substances utilized in consumer products, and for pharmaceutical and agricultural uses are generally referred to as specialty chemicals. These may be flavor or fragrance substances, intermediates for synthesis of drugs or agrochemicals or the drugs or agrochemicals themselves, insecticides or insect pheromones or antifeedants, plant growth regulators, etc. These are in contrast to chemicals which are utilized in large quantities for fuels or preparation of plastics, lubricants, etc., which are usually referred to as industrial chemicals. The specific utilization of specialty chemicals is associated with a specific important physiochemical or biological property. They may possess unique properties as lubricants or waxes or have a very desirable biological activity such as a drug, agrochemical or perfume ingredient. These unique properties convey significant economic value to the specific specialty chemical. The economic commercial production of specialty chemicals commonly requires the isolation of a precursor or the specialty chemical itself from a natural source. The discovery, development and commercialization of specialty chemicals is presented and reviewed. The economic and sustainable production of specialty chemicals is discussed.

  19. Electrochemical biosensors in pharmaceutical analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Gil, Eric de Souza; Melo, Giselle Rodrigues de

    2010-01-01

    Given the increasing demand for practical and low-cost analytical techniques, biosensors have attracted attention for use in the quality analysis of drugs, medicines, and other analytes of interest in the pharmaceutical area. Biosensors allow quantification not only of the active component in pharmaceutical formulations, but also the analysis of degradation products and metabolites in biological fluids. Thus, this article presents a brief review of biosensor use in pharmaceutical analysis, fo...

  20. A Co-evolutionary perspective on the Drivers of International Sourcing of Pharmaceutical R&D to India

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haakonsson, Stine Jessen; Ørberg Jensen, Peter D.; M. Mudambi, Susan

    2013-01-01

    -evolutionary theory perspective embracing both firm-internal and firm-environmental factors for location attractiveness, along with institutional and industry changes. The framework integrates constructs from past research in economic geography, international business, and R&D internationalization. The Indian case......The attractiveness of the Indian pharmaceutical industry as a destination for R&D sourcing by multinational corporations (MNCs) has evolved over the past decades. This evolution has coincided with changes in MNC strategies regarding sourcing location and governance modes. We propose a co...... illustrates how host-country institutional evolution, notably regarding intellectual property rights and education, plays a significant role for international sourcing of pharmaceutical R&D....

  1. Evaluation of cleaner production audit in pharmaceutical production industry: case study of the pharmaceutical plant in Dalian, P. R. China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Zhi-dong [Dalian University of Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian (China); Dalian Cleaner Production Centre, Dalian, Liaoning (China); Dalian Municipal Design and Research Institute of Environmental Science, Dalian, Liaoning (China); Zhang, Shu-shen; Zhang, Yun [Dalian University of Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian (China); Zhang, Yong; Wei, Li [Dalian Cleaner Production Centre, Dalian, Liaoning (China); Dalian Municipal Design and Research Institute of Environmental Science, Dalian, Liaoning (China)

    2011-02-15

    The pharmaceutical industry in China makes an important contribution to the national economy. However, the associated pollution problems cause gradual deterioration of the environment and impact adversely on the local community. Cleaner production (CP) technology, an effective way to reduce waste emission and save resources, has been widely employed in the pharmaceutical industry in the developed countries. Such technologies have been applied in a number of factories in China, although there is no integrated assessment and implementation procedure for implementing CP technologies in pharmaceutical plants. To solve such problems, a series of CP options are proposed and assessed here. CP is a powerful tool for decreasing waste production, limiting environmental pollution and natural resource depletion. Moreover, the return on investment in CP is quick, so it would seem that CP activities should be very much in demand by enterprises. Reality is less optimistic: frequently only limited interest is expressed, even after an explanation; business people hesitate to become actively involved. The processes in the pharmaceutical production industry produce a vast amount of waste, including wastewater with high concentrations of organic substances (the principal component), solid waste, and organic off-gas. To solve such problems, a series of CP options are proposed and assessed in this study. Having consideration to environmental impacts and economic efficiency, four groups of medium/high cost CP options were screened in an integrated assessment. To verify the proposed options, a case study was conducted in Degussa Luyuan, Northeast China. The characteristics of resource consumption and waste emission during the production process were identified. The proposed options were evaluated according to different aspects. An integrated CP system based on the proposed options was designed and then implemented in the factory. In three years of practical use, the productivity and

  2. Economic perspectives of the research on advanced therapies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose María Pamo Larrauri

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Since a new advanced therapy medicinal product is discovered until finally allowed its sale in the domestic market, it has to overcome a series of stages. Biomedical research is the first phase, currently its situation is encouraging to the increase in the number of clinical trials in Spain and in the rest of the world, despite the economic situation and the various difficulties that have faced the pharmaceutical laboratories. The next phase consists in obtaining the authorization of marketing of the European Medicines Agency. After authorization, will attempt to set a fair and moderate price for inclusion in the list of health provision of Social Security. A price for a drug that provides added value to health and society, a price that is generated profits for the pharmaceutical companies that hope to make up for the years of work and investment. Commitment to advanced therapy must be clear and forceful, to fund ongoing research projects and encouraging their creation with economic aid

  3. APPROACHES TO IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY. GALENICAL PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ershova Elena Vladimirovna

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available This article reviews the issues associated with development of an integrated quality management system and its implementation into a galenical pharmaceutical company. Recently, the Russian pharmaceutical industry has been developing extensively: pharmaceutical clusters are being formed, new and innovative technologies are being developed. For the enterprises producing galenical pharmaceutical products, which feature low prices and a high level of competition, development and implementation of management systems is a way to prove their competitiveness. The purpose of this article is to review the architecture and the key elements of integrated management systems for pharmaceutical enterprises, develop an integrated management system in terms of the upcoming revision of ISO 9001:2015, as well as to describe the benefits of implementation of such systems. The presented approach is the result of an educational project implemented within the framework of the MBA programme in "Master of Business Administration (MBA" in the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Continuing Professional Education Pastukhov State Academy of Industrial Management.

  4. Pharmaceuticals labelled with stable isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krumbiegel, P.

    1986-11-01

    The relatively new field of pharmaceuticals labelled with stable isotopes is reviewed. Scientific, juridical, and ethical questions are discussed concerning the application of these pharmaceuticals in human medicine. 13 C, 15 N, and 2 H are the stable isotopes mainly utilized in metabolic function tests. Methodical contributions are given to the application of 2 H, 13 C, and 15 N pharmaceuticals showing new aspects and different states of development in the field under discussion. (author)

  5. Systematic review of economic evaluations of preparedness strategies and interventions against influenza pandemics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez Velasco, Román; Praditsitthikorn, Naiyana; Wichmann, Kamonthip; Mohara, Adun; Kotirum, Surachai; Tantivess, Sripen; Vallenas, Constanza; Harmanci, Hande; Teerawattananon, Yot

    2012-01-01

    Although public health guidelines have implications for resource allocation, these issues were not explicitly considered in previous WHO pandemic preparedness and response guidance. In order to ensure a thorough and informed revision of this guidance following the H1N1 2009 pandemic, a systematic review of published and unpublished economic evaluations of preparedness strategies and interventions against influenza pandemics was conducted. The search was performed in September 2011 using 10 electronic databases, 2 internet search engines, reference list screening, cited reference searching, and direct communication with relevant authors. Full and partial economic evaluations considering both costs and outcomes were included. Conversely, reviews, editorials, and studies on economic impact or complications were excluded. Studies were selected by 2 independent reviewers. 44 studies were included. Although most complied with the cost effectiveness guidelines, the quality of evidence was limited. However, the data sources used were of higher quality in economic evaluations conducted after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Vaccination and drug regimens were varied. Pharmaceutical plus non-pharmaceutical interventions are relatively cost effective in comparison to vaccines and/or antivirals alone. Pharmaceutical interventions vary from cost saving to high cost effectiveness ratios. According to ceiling thresholds (Gross National Income per capita), the reduction of non-essential contacts and the use of pharmaceutical prophylaxis plus the closure of schools are amongst the cost effective strategies for all countries. However, quarantine for household contacts is not cost effective even for low and middle income countries. The available evidence is generally inconclusive regarding the cost effectiveness of preparedness strategies and interventions against influenza pandemics. Studies on their effectiveness and cost effectiveness should be readily implemented in forthcoming events that

  6. Systematic review of economic evaluations of preparedness strategies and interventions against influenza pandemics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Román Pérez Velasco

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Although public health guidelines have implications for resource allocation, these issues were not explicitly considered in previous WHO pandemic preparedness and response guidance. In order to ensure a thorough and informed revision of this guidance following the H1N1 2009 pandemic, a systematic review of published and unpublished economic evaluations of preparedness strategies and interventions against influenza pandemics was conducted. METHODS: The search was performed in September 2011 using 10 electronic databases, 2 internet search engines, reference list screening, cited reference searching, and direct communication with relevant authors. Full and partial economic evaluations considering both costs and outcomes were included. Conversely, reviews, editorials, and studies on economic impact or complications were excluded. Studies were selected by 2 independent reviewers. RESULTS: 44 studies were included. Although most complied with the cost effectiveness guidelines, the quality of evidence was limited. However, the data sources used were of higher quality in economic evaluations conducted after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Vaccination and drug regimens were varied. Pharmaceutical plus non-pharmaceutical interventions are relatively cost effective in comparison to vaccines and/or antivirals alone. Pharmaceutical interventions vary from cost saving to high cost effectiveness ratios. According to ceiling thresholds (Gross National Income per capita, the reduction of non-essential contacts and the use of pharmaceutical prophylaxis plus the closure of schools are amongst the cost effective strategies for all countries. However, quarantine for household contacts is not cost effective even for low and middle income countries. CONCLUSION: The available evidence is generally inconclusive regarding the cost effectiveness of preparedness strategies and interventions against influenza pandemics. Studies on their effectiveness and cost

  7. Interactions and incompatibilities of pharmaceutical excipients with active pharmaceutical ingredients: a comprehensive review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonali S. Bharate

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Studies of active drug/excipient compatibility represent an important phase in the preformulation stage of the development of all dosage forms. The potential physical and chemical interactions between drugs and excipients can affect the chemical nature, the stability and bioavailability of drugs and, consequently, their therapeutic efficacy and safety. The present review covers the literature reports of interaction and incompatibilities of commonly used pharmaceutical excipients with different active pharmaceutical ingredients in solid dosage forms. Examples of active drug/excipient interactions, such as transacylation, the Maillard browning reaction, acid base reactions and physical changes are discussed for different active pharmaceutical ingredients belonging to different therapeutic categories viz antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anti-convulsant, antibiotic, bronchodialator, antimalarial, antiemetic, antiamoebic, antipsychotic, antidepressant, anticancer, anticoagulant and sedative/hypnotic drugs and vitamins. Once the solid-state reactions of a pharmaceutical system are understood, the necessary steps can be taken to avoid reactivity and improve the stability of drug substances and products.

  8. Pharmaceutical virtue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Emily

    2006-06-01

    In the early history of psychopharmacology, the prospect of developing technologically sophisticated drugs to alleviate human ills was surrounded with a fervor that could be described as religious. This paper explores the subsequent history of the development of psychopharmacological agents, focusing on the ambivalent position of both the industry and its employees. Based on interviews with retired pharmaceutical employees who were active in the industry in the 1950s and 1960s when the major breakthroughs were made in the development of MAOIs and SSRIs, the paper explores the initial development of educational materials for use in sales campaigns. In addition, based on interviews with current employees in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, the paper describes the complex perspective of contemporary pharmaceutical employees who must live surrounded by the growing public vilification of the industry as rapacious and profit hungry and yet find ways to make their jobs meaningful and dignified. The paper will contribute to the understudied problem of how individuals function in positions that require them to be part of processes that on one description constitute a social evil, but on another, constitute a social good.

  9. [PICS: pharmaceutical inspection cooperation scheme].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morénas, J

    2009-01-01

    The pharmaceutical inspection cooperation scheme (PICS) is a structure containing 34 participating authorities located worldwide (October 2008). It has been created in 1995 on the basis of the pharmaceutical inspection convention (PIC) settled by the European free trade association (EFTA) in1970. This scheme has different goals as to be an international recognised body in the field of good manufacturing practices (GMP), for training inspectors (by the way of an annual seminar and experts circles related notably to active pharmaceutical ingredients [API], quality risk management, computerized systems, useful for the writing of inspection's aide-memoires). PICS is also leading to high standards for GMP inspectorates (through regular crossed audits) and being a room for exchanges on technical matters between inspectors but also between inspectors and pharmaceutical industry.

  10. Recognizing misleading pharmaceutical marketing online.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Freitas, Julian; Falls, Brian A; Haque, Omar S; Bursztajn, Harold J

    2014-01-01

    In light of decision-making psychology, this article details how drug marketing operates across established and novel web domains and identifies some common misleading trends and influences on prescribing and patient-initiated medication requests. The Internet has allowed pharmaceutical marketing to become more salient than ever before. Although the Internet's growth has improved the dissemination of pharmaceutical information, it has also led to the increased influence of misleading pharmaceutical marketing. Such mismarketing is of concern, especially in psychiatry, since psychotropics generate considerable revenue for drug companies. In a climate of resource-limited drug regulation and time-strapped physicians, we recommend improving both independent monitoring and consumer awareness of Internet-enabled, potentially misleading, pharmaceutical marketing influences. © 2014 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

  11. Pharmaceutical care in Kuwait: hospital pharmacists' perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katoue, Maram G; Awad, Abdelmoneim I; Schwinghammer, Terry L; Kombian, Samuel B

    2014-12-01

    Pharmaceutical care practice has been championed as the primary mission of the pharmacy profession, but its implementation has been suboptimal in many developing countries including Kuwait. Pharmacists must have sufficient knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes to practise pharmaceutical care, and barriers in the pharmacy practice model must be overcome before pharmaceutical care can be broadly implemented in a given healthcare system. To investigate hospital pharmacists' attitudes towards pharmaceutical care, perceptions of their preparedness to provide pharmaceutical care, and the barriers to its implementation in Kuwait. Six general hospitals, eight specialized hospitals and seven specialized health centers in Kuwait. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was distributed to all pharmacists working in the governmental hospitals in Kuwait (385 pharmacists). Data were collected via a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including percentages, medians and means Likert scale rating (standard deviations) were calculated and compared using statistical package for social sciences, version 20. Statistical significance was accepted at a p value of Kuwait. Completed surveys were received from 250 (64.9%) of the 385 pharmacists. Pharmacists expressed overall positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care. They felt well prepared to implement the various aspects of pharmaceutical care, with the least preparedness in the administrative/management aspects. Pharmacists with more practice experience expressed significantly more positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care (p = 0.001) and they felt better prepared to provide pharmaceutical care competencies (p Kuwait advocate implementation of pharmaceutical care while also appreciating the organizational, technical and professional barriers to its widespread adoption. Collaborative efforts between health authorities and educational institutions, and the integration of innovative approaches in

  12. Use of economic evaluation in decision making: evidence and recommendations for improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simoens, Steven

    2010-10-22

    Information about the value for money of a medicine as derived from an economic evaluation can be used for decision-making purposes by policy makers, healthcare payers, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies. This article illustrates the use of economic evaluation by decision makers and formulates a number of recommendations to enhance the use of such evaluations for decision-making purposes. Over the last decades, there has been a substantial increase in the number of economic evaluations assessing the value for money of medicines. Economic evaluation is used by policy makers and healthcare payers to inform medicine pricing/reimbursement decisions in more and more countries. It is a suitable tool to evaluate medicines and to present information about their value for money to decision makers in a familiar format. In order to fully exploit the use of economic evaluation for decision-making purposes, researchers need to take care to conduct such economic evaluations according to methodologically sound principles. Additionally, researchers need to take into account the decision-making context. They need to identify the various objectives that decision makers pursue and discuss how decision makers can use study findings to attain these objectives. These issues require further attention from researchers, policy makers, healthcare payers, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies with a view to optimizing the use of economic evaluation in decision making.

  13. Continuous flow technology vs. the batch-by-batch approach to produce pharmaceutical compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Kevin P; Johnson, Martin D

    2018-01-01

    For the manufacture of small molecule drugs, many pharmaceutical innovator companies have recently invested in continuous processing, which can offer significant technical and economic advantages over traditional batch methodology. This Expert Review will describe the reasons for this interest as well as many considerations and challenges that exist today concerning continuous manufacturing. Areas covered: Continuous processing is defined and many reasons for its adoption are described. The current state of continuous drug substance manufacturing within the pharmaceutical industry is summarized. Current key challenges to implementation of continuous manufacturing are highlighted, and an outlook provided regarding the prospects for continuous within the industry. Expert commentary: Continuous processing at Lilly has been a journey that started with the need for increased safety and capability. Over twelve years the original small, dedicated group has grown to more than 100 Lilly employees in discovery, development, quality, manufacturing, and regulatory designing in continuous drug substance processing. Recently we have focused on linked continuous unit operations for the purpose of all-at-once pharmaceutical manufacturing, but the technical and business drivers that existed in the very beginning for stand-alone continuous unit operations in hybrid processes have persisted, which merits investment in both approaches.

  14. Developing drugs for the developing world: an economic, legal, moral, and political dilemma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resnik, D B

    2001-05-01

    This paper discusses the economic, legal, moral, and political difficulties in developing drugs for the developing world. It argues that large, global pharmaceutical companies have social responsibilities to the developing world, and that they may exercise these responsibilities by investing in research and development related to diseases that affect developing nations, offering discounts on drug prices, and initiating drug giveaways. However, these social responsibilities are not absolute requirements and may be balanced against other obligations and commitments in light of economic, social, legal, political, and other conditions. How a company decides to exercise its social responsibilities to the developing world depends on (1) the prospects for a reasonable profit and (2) the prospects for a productive business environment. Developing nations can either help or hinder the pharmaceutical industry's efforts to exercise social responsibility through various policies and practices. To insure that companies can make a reasonable profit, developing nations should honor pharmaceutical product patents and adhere to international intellectual property treaties, such as the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. To insure the companies have a good business environment, developing nations should try to promote the rule of law, ethical business practices, stable currencies, reliable banking systems, free and open markets, democracy, and other conditions conducive to business. Overall, this paper advocates for reciprocity and cooperation between pharmaceutical companies and developing nations to address the problem of developing drugs for the developing world. In pursuing this cooperative approach, developing nations may use a variety of other techniques to encourage pharmaceutical companies to act responsibly, such as subsidizing pharmaceutical research, helping to design and implement research protocols, providing a guaranteed market, and

  15. The role of cocrystals in pharmaceutical science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shan, Ning; Zaworotko, Michael J

    2008-05-01

    Pharmaceutical cocrystals, a subset of a long known but little-studied class of compounds, represent an emerging class of crystal forms in the context of pharmaceutical science. They are attractive to pharmaceutical scientists because they can significantly diversify the number of crystal forms that exist for a particular active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), and they can lead to improvements in physical properties of clinical relevance. In this article we address pharmaceutical cocrystals from the perspective of design (crystal engineering) and present a series of case studies that demonstrate how they can enhance the solubility, bioavailability, and/or stability of API crystal forms.

  16. Entrepreneurial patent management in pharmaceutical startups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holgersson, Marcus; Phan, Tai; Hedner, Thomas

    2016-07-01

    Startups fill an increasingly important role as innovators in the pharmaceutical industry, and patenting is typically central to their success. This article aims to explore patent management in pharmaceutical startups. The results show that startups need to deal with several challenges related to patenting and an 'entrepreneurial' approach to patent management is called for. Resource constraints, venture capital provision, exits and other conditions and events must be readily considered in the patent management process to build a successful pharmaceutical venture, something that could benefit the pharmaceutical industry as a whole. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Introduction: Institutional corruption and the pharmaceutical policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodwin, Marc A

    2013-01-01

    Today, the goals of pharmaceutical policy and medical practice are often undermined due to institutional corruption - that is, widespread or systemic practices, usually legal, that undermine an institution's objectives or integrity. In this symposium, 16 articles investigate the corruption of pharmaceutical policy, each taking a different look at the sources of corruption, how it occurs, and what is corrupted. We will see that the pharmaceutical industry's own purposes are often undermined. Furthermore, pharmaceutical industry funding of election campaigns and lobbying skews the legislative process that sets pharmaceutical policy. Moreover, certain practices have corrupted medical research, the production of medical knowledge, the practice of medicine, drug safety, the Food and Drug Administration's oversight of the pharmaceutical market, and the trustworthiness of patient advocacy organizations. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  18. Global economic burden of schizophrenia: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chong HY

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Huey Yi Chong,1 Siew Li Teoh,1 David Bin-Chia Wu,1 Surachai Kotirum,1 Chiun-Fang Chiou,2 Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk1,3–5 1School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies Asia Pacific, Singapore; 3Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand; 4School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 5School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Background: Schizophrenia is one of the top 25 leading causes of disability worldwide in 2013. Despite its low prevalence, its health, social, and economic burden has been tremendous, not only for patients but also for families, caregivers, and the wider society. The magnitude of disease burden investigated in an economic burden study is an important source to policymakers in decision making. This study aims to systematically identify studies focusing on the economic burden of schizophrenia, describe the methods and data sources used, and summarize the findings of economic burden of schizophrenia. Methods: A systematic review was performed for economic burden studies in schizophrenia using four electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and EconLit from inception to August 31, 2014. Results: A total of 56 articles were included in this review. More than 80% of the studies were conducted in high-income countries. Most studies had undertaken a retrospective- and prevalence-based study design. The bottom-up approach was commonly employed to determine cost, while human capital method was used for indirect cost estimation. Database and literature were the most commonly used data sources in cost estimation in high-income countries, while chart review and interview were the main data sources in low and middle-income countries. Annual costs for the schizophrenia population in the country ranged from US$94

  19. Integrating systems Approaches into Pharmaceutical Sciences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Westerhoff, H.V.; Mosekilde, Erik; Noe, C. R.

    2008-01-01

    During the first week of December 2007, the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS) and BioSim, the major European Network of Excellence on Systems Biology, held a challenging conference on the use of mathematical models in the drug development process. More precisely, the purpose...... of the conference was to promote the ‘Integration of Systems Approaches into Pharmaceutical Sciences’ in view of optimising the development of new effective drugs. And a challenge this is, considering both the high attrition rates in the pharmaceutical industry and the failure of finding definitive drug solutions...... for many of the diseases that plague mankind today. The conference was co-sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacology, the European Center for Pharmaceutical Medicine, and the Swiss Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and, besides representatives from the European Regulatory Agencies and FDA...

  20. The Effectiveness of Pharmaceutical Marketing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    E.R. Kappe

    2011-01-01

    textabstractPharmaceutical marketing effectiveness comprises the measurement of marketing efforts of pharmaceutical firms towards doctors and patients. These firms spend billions of dollars yearly to promote their prescription drugs. This dissertation provides empirical analyses and methods to

  1. Myrrh a traditional medicine or a multipurpose pharmaceutical excipient

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Erfanfar

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available A drug dosage form contains excipients as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Formerly, excipients were considered inert components that were used by a formulator to provide the suitable volume, weight and consistency of a dosage form. Today, however, excipients are expected to perform multifunctional roles such as enhancing physical, chemical and microbial stabilities of the dosage form, improving the color or odor of the formulation, and influencing the release and bioavailability of the active ingredient. Among various excipients, natural ones seem to be more beneficial to use, since they are economical, safe, biodegradable, and biocompatible. In this article, myrrh oleo-gum-resin is introduced as a potential natural multipurpose excipient that can perform many useful roles in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Scopus and Google scholar electronic databases were searched to find different properties of myrrh as an excipient. Moreover, ten famous traditional Iranian medicine books were studied to find semisolid formulations named Sabgh, which contained myrrh. One of these formulations was prepared, and its physical and microbiological stabilities were assessed. The role of myrrh as an excipient in this formulation is discussed here. Antibacterial and preservative effects shown in the formulation were related to the essential oil of myrrh. The gum portion was found to be a potential surfactant. In addition, myrrh is a natural muco-adhesive and film forming material. These properties were observed for myrrh in the Sabgh formulation in this study as well. So we can conclude that myrrh could be a potential multipurpose excipient in pharmaceutical industries, which needs further research.

  2. ANALYSIS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHES IN PHARMACEUTICAL PROMOTION GLOBALLY: TOWARDS INTERNATIONALLY DEVELOPING PRACTICALLY-ORIENTED GUIDELINES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. Bahlol

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Pharmaceutical industry is transnational and globally important. Many pharmaceutical companies operate their business in multinational and international forms in different countries. Diverse researches from different countries indicated and confirmed marketing promotion importance in pharmaceutical field. Therefore, marketing promotion and its effects are a very important issue that should be globally investigated in real life and evidence context. We oriented our research according to these scientific and practical values.Methodology. We reviewed pharmaceutical marketing promotion researches from more than 25 different countries, e.g., USA, Canada, Italy, France, Russia, India, Egypt and Syria where we employed our knowledge of three widely spread languages, i.e., English, Russian and Arabic. Such language variation supports us with large and variable amount of scientific knowledge, deep understanding and ability of analysis. Some studies investigated average response to pharmaceutical marketing promotion and few studies took into consideration heterogeneity in their effects with respect to advertising medium or drug characteristics.Originality. We investigated empirical evidences of pharmaceutical marketing promotion that can be directed to either consumer or healthcare professionals.Findings. We extracted, gathered and associated information of pharmaceutical promotion globally which oriented us to several evidence and practical facts with regard to employing promotion tools in different definite situations pertinent to main directions; their welfare and health enhancing effects and adverse effects. Practical Implications- Consequently, we developed practically-oriented guidelines for companies concerning pharmaceutical promotion globally ate the end of this paper.

  3. [Bioequivalence studies of pharmaceutical preparations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vetchý, D; Frýbortová, K; Rabisková, M; Danecková, H

    2007-01-01

    Bioequivalence studies are very important for the development of a pharmaceutical preparation in the pharmaceutical industry. Their rationale is the monitoring of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters after the administration of tested drugs. The target of such study is to evaluate the therapeutic compatibility of tested drugs (pharmaceutical equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives). The importance of bioequivalence studies is increasing also due to the large growth of the production and consumption of generic products. Generic products represent approximately 50 % of the whole consumption in many European countries and USA. The search output of bioequivalence study is together with the pharmaceutical quality data of medical product one of the main part of the registration file submitted to a national regulatory authorities. The registration of generic products does not demand complicated and expensive clinical study contrary to original product. The comparison of the original and the generic product via bioequivalence study is suggested as sufficient. The aim of this article is to provide to a medical public a summary about the types of bioequivalence studies, their range, rules of their practise and let them gain their own attitude to this question.

  4. Marketing orientation in pharmaceutical industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prošić Danica

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceutical companies are major stakeholders in the global health agenda Virtually all drugs used by patients in Europe reach markets through the promotion tactics of a small number of corporations with a tremendous impact on global health. The sector is both fast growing and highly profitable. Effective marketing strategies are a crucial ingredient in making sure pharmaceutical products and profits flow in a virtuous cycle. At first glance, the relationship between doctors and drug companies, as well as advertising practices for over-the-counter medication, appears tightly regulated. According to many consumer organizations, drug promotion in Europe today can be characterized as nice and friendly marketing. This refers to the creation of a false sense of trust that consumers associate with branded pharmaceutical products, as a result of pharmaceutical marketing efforts disguised as genuine corporate responsibility.

  5. PARTICULARITIES OF MODERN PHARMACEUTICAL PROMOTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Юрий Владимирович Тарасов

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceutical products market is one of the most saturated consumers’ markets. Characteristic features of it are: high competition, fierce struggle for the customer, specific technologies of promotion. In conditions of globalization and increase in competition both in world pharmaceutical market and in the market of medicines and goods of medical purpose in Russia modern marketing techniques of promotion of the products to the end consumers are the key tools for strengthening market positions – both of producers of pharmaceutical goods and their suppliers, distributors, big whole-sale companies. Among main tools of promotion are: advertising, public relations, stimulation of sales on the market of medicines, personal sales, computer technologies. The article describes different technologies of promotion of medicines: indoor-advertising, hot lines, pharmaceutical exhibitions, packing. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-12-1

  6. National transparency assessment of Kuwait's pharmaceutical sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badawi, Dalia A; Alkhamis, Yousif; Qaddoumi, Mohammad; Behbehani, Kazem

    2015-09-01

    Corruption is one of several factors that may hinder the access to pharmaceuticals. Since Kuwait has the highest per-capita spending on pharmaceuticals in the region, we wanted to evaluate the level of transparency in its pharmaceutical sector using an established assessment tool adapted by the World Health Organization. Standardized questionnaires were conducted via semi-structured interviews with key informants to measure the level of transparency in eight functions of the public pharmaceutical sector. The scores for the degree of vulnerability to corruption reflected marginal to moderate venerability to corruption for most pharmaceutical sectors. The perceived strengths included availability of appropriate laws, the presence of clear standard operating procedures, and the use of an efficient registration/distribution system. Weaknesses included lack of conflict of interest guidelines and written terms of reference, absence of pharmacoeconomic studies, and inconsistencies in law enforcement. Findings reveal that few functions of Kuwait pharmaceutical sector remain fairly vulnerable to corruption. However, the willingness of Kuwait Ministry of Health to adopt the assessment study and the acknowledgement of the weaknesses of current processes of the pharmaceutical sector may assist to achieve a transparent pharmaceutical system in the near future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. [Chinese medicine industry 4.0:advancing digital pharmaceutical manufacture toward intelligent pharmaceutical manufacture].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yi-Yu; Qu, Hai-Bin; Zhang, Bo-Li

    2016-01-01

    A perspective analysis on the technological innovation in pharmaceutical engineering of Chinese medicine unveils a vision on "Future Factory" of Chinese medicine industry in mind. The strategy as well as the technical roadmap of "Chinese medicine industry 4.0" is proposed, with the projection of related core technology system. It is clarified that the technical development path of Chinese medicine industry from digital manufacture to intelligent manufacture. On the basis of precisely defining technical terms such as process control, on-line detection and process quality monitoring for Chinese medicine manufacture, the technical concepts and characteristics of intelligent pharmaceutical manufacture as well as digital pharmaceutical manufacture are elaborated. Promoting wide applications of digital manufacturing technology of Chinese medicine is strongly recommended. Through completely informationized manufacturing processes and multi-discipline cluster innovation, intelligent manufacturing technology of Chinese medicine should be developed, which would provide a new driving force for Chinese medicine industry in technology upgrade, product quality enhancement and efficiency improvement. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  8. Rheology in Pharmaceutical Sciences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aho, Johanna; Hvidt, Søren; Baldursdottir, Stefania

    2016-01-01

    Rheology is the science of flow and deformation of matter. Particularly gels and non-Newtonian fluids, which exhibit complex flow behavior, are frequently encountered in pharmaceutical engineering and manufacturing, or when dealing with various in vivo fluids. Therefore understanding rheology......, together with the common measurement techniques and their practical applications. Examples of the use of rheological techniques in the pharmaceutical field, as well as other closely related fields such as food and polymer science, are also given....... is important, and the ability to use rheological characterization tools is of great importance for any pharmaceutical scientist involved in the field. Flow can be generated by shear or extensional deformations, or a combination of both. This chapter introduces the basics of both shear and extensional rheology...

  9. Pharmaceutical Public-Private Partnerships

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bagley, Constance; Tvarnø, Christina D.

    2014-01-01

    This article provides a game theory and law-and-management analysis of for- profit pharmaceutical public-private partnerships, a complex type of legal arrangement in the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry. A pharmaceutical public-private partnership (PPPP) agreement is a legally binding...... and a practical perspective on how properly crafted PPPP arrangements can promote innovation more efficiently than traditional self-optimizing contracts. In particular, a properly framed binding contract, coupled with respect for positive incentives, can move the parties away from an inefficient prisoners...... systems to build and share innovation. When coupled with appropriate attention to the difficult task of coordinating the actions of interdependent actors, a PPPP arrangement can enhance the likelihood of successful commercialization of pharmacological discoveries by flipping the par- ties’ incentives...

  10. An analysis of the warning letters issued by the FDA to pharmaceutical manufacturers regarding misleading health outcomes claims

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chatterjee S

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the number and type of warning letters issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA to pharmaceutical manufacturers for promotional violations.Methods: Two reviewers downloaded, printed and independently evaluated warning letters issued by the FDA to pharmaceutical manufacturers from years 2003-2008. Misleading claims were broadly classified as clinical, Quality-of-Life (QoL, and economic claims. Clinical claims included claims regarding unsubstantiated efficacy, safety and tolerability, superiority, broadening of indication and/or omission of risk information. QoL claims included unsubstantiated quality of life and/or health-related quality of life claims. Economic claims included any form of claim made on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies related to cost superiority of or cost savings from the drug compared to other drugs in the market.Results: In the 6-year study period, 65 warning letters were issued by FDA, which contained 144 clinical, three QoL, and one economic claim. On an average, 11 warning letters were issued per year. Omission of risk information was the most frequently violated claim (30.6% followed by unsubstantiated efficacy claims (18.6%. Warning letters were primarily directed to manufacturers of cardiovascular (14.6%, anti-microbial (14.6%, and CNS (12.5% drugs. Majority of the claims referenced in warning letters contained promotional materials directed to physicians (57%. Conclusion: The study found that misleading clinical outcome claims formed the majority of the promotional violations, and majority of the claims were directed to physicians. Since inadequate promotion of medications may lead to irrational prescribing, the study emphasizes the importance of disseminating reliable, credible, and scientific information to patients, and more importantly, physicians to protect public health.

  11. Conceptualizing Pharmaceutical Plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Bent Dalgaard; Jensen, Klaes Ladeby; Gjøl, Mikkel

    2006-01-01

    In the conceptual design phase of pharmaceutical plants as much as 80%-90% of the total cost of a project is committed. It is therefore essential that the chosen concept is viable. In this design process configuration and 3D models can help validate the decisions made. Designing 3D models...... is a complex task and requires skilled users. We demonstrate that a simple 2D/3D configuration tool can support conceptualizing of pharmaceutical plants. Present paper reports on preliminary results from a full scale implementation project at a Danish engineering company....

  12. PSE in Pharmaceutical Process Development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gernaey, Krist; Cervera Padrell, Albert Emili; Woodley, John

    2011-01-01

    The pharmaceutical industry is under growing pressure to increase efficiency, both in production and in process development. This paper will discuss the use of Process Systems Engineering (PSE) methods in pharmaceutical process development, and searches for answers to questions such as: Which PSE...

  13. Contribution of hospital effluents to the load of pharmaceuticals in urban wastewaters: identification of ecologically relevant pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Lúcia H M L M; Gros, Meritxell; Rodriguez-Mozaz, Sara; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pena, Angelina; Barceló, Damià; Montenegro, M Conceição B S M

    2013-09-01

    The impact of effluent wastewaters from four different hospitals: a university (1456 beds), a general (350 beds), a pediatric (110 beds) and a maternity hospital (96 beds), which are conveyed to the same wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), was evaluated in the receiving urban wastewaters. The occurrence of 78 pharmaceuticals belonging to several therapeutic classes was assessed in hospital effluents and WWTP wastewaters (influent and effluent) as well as the contribution of each hospital in WWTP influent in terms of pharmaceutical load. Results indicate that pharmaceuticals are widespread pollutants in both hospital and urban wastewaters. The contribution of hospitals to the input of pharmaceuticals in urban wastewaters widely varies, according to their dimension. The estimated total mass loadings were 306 g d(-1) for the university hospital, 155 g d(-1) for the general one, 14 g d(-1) for the pediatric hospital and 1.5 g d(-1) for the maternity hospital, showing that the biggest hospitals have a greater contribution to the total mass load of pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, analysis of individual contributions of each therapeutic group showed that NSAIDs, analgesics and antibiotics are among the groups with the highest inputs. Removal efficiency can go from over 90% for pharmaceuticals like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to not removal for β-blockers and salbutamol. Total mass load of pharmaceuticals into receiving surface waters was estimated between 5 and 14 g/d/1000 inhabitants. Finally, the environmental risk posed by pharmaceuticals detected in hospital and WWTP effluents was assessed by means of hazard quotients toward different trophic levels (algae, daphnids and fish). Several pharmaceuticals present in the different matrices were identified as potentially hazardous to aquatic organisms, showing that especial attention should be paid to antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin and clarithromycin, since their hazard quotients

  14. Novel methodology for pharmaceutical expenditure forecast

    OpenAIRE

    Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aball?a, Samuel; R?muzat, C?cile; Urbinati, Duccio; Kornfeld, ?sa; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    Background and objective: The value appreciation of new drugs across countries today features a disruption that is making the historical data that are used for forecasting pharmaceutical expenditure poorly reliable. Forecasting methods rarely addressed uncertainty. The objective of this project was to propose a methodology to perform pharmaceutical expenditure forecasting that integrates expected policy changes and uncertainty (developed for the European Commission as the ‘EU Pharmaceutical e...

  15. Bioremediation Kinetics of Pharmaceutical Industrial Effluent

    OpenAIRE

    M. Šabić; M. Vuković Domanovac; Z. Findrik Blažević; E. Meštrović

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, concerns about the occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals that could be present in water and wastewater has gained increasing attention. With the public’s enhanced awareness of eco-safety, environmentally benign methods based on microorganisms have become more accepted methods of removing pollutants from aquatic systems. This study investigates bioremediation of pharmaceutical wastewater from pharmaceutical company Pliva Hrvatska d.o.o., using activated sludge and bioaugmente...

  16. Vulnerabilities to misinformation in online pharmaceutical marketing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Freitas, Julian; Falls, Brian A; Haque, Omar S; Bursztajn, Harold J

    2013-05-01

    Given the large percentage of Internet users who search for health information online, pharmaceutical companies have invested significantly in online marketing of their products. Although online pharmaceutical marketing can potentially benefit both physicians and patients, it can also harm these groups by misleading them. Indeed, some pharmaceutical companies have been guilty of undue influence, which has threatened public health and trust. We conducted a review of the available literature on online pharmaceutical marketing, undue influence and the psychology of decision-making, in order to identify factors that contribute to Internet users' vulnerability to online pharmaceutical misinformation. We find five converging factors: Internet dependence, excessive trust in the veracity of online information, unawareness of pharmaceutical company influence, social isolation and detail fixation. As the Internet continues to change, it is important that regulators keep in mind not only misinformation that surrounds new web technologies and their contents, but also the factors that make Internet users vulnerable to misinformation in the first place. Psychological components are a critical, although often neglected, risk factor for Internet users becoming misinformed upon exposure to online pharmaceutical marketing. Awareness of these psychological factors may help Internet users attentively and safely navigate an evolving web terrain.

  17. Pharmaceutical policies in European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barros, Pedro Pita

    2010-01-01

    Pharmaceutical expenditures have an important role in Europe. The attempts to control expenditure have used a wide range of policy measures. We reviewed the main measures adopted by the European Union countries, especially in countries where governments are the largest third-party payers. To complement a literature review on the topic, data was gathered from national reviews of health systems and direct inquiries to several government bodies. Almost all countries regulate prices of pharmaceutical products. Popular policy measures include international referencing to set prices (using as benchmark countries that have set lower prices), internal reference pricing systems to promote price competition in domestic markets, and positive lists for reimbursement to promote consumption of generics (including in some cases substitution by pharmacists of drugs prescribed by physicians). Despite the wide range of policy measures, it is not possible to identify a "silver bullet" to control pharmaceutical expenditures. We also identified two main policy challenges: policy coordination among countries within the European Union to maintain incentives for R&D at the global level, and the development of new relationships with the pharmaceutical industry; namely, the so-called risk-sharing agreements between the pharmaceutical industry and governments/regulators (or large third-party payers).

  18. CATEGORY MANAGEMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MINIMUM ASSORTMENT OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL ORGANIZATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. F. Samoshchenkova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The main principle of the category management is the management of product category as a separate business unit. Category management directs the activities of the pharmaceutical organization to meet the consumer requirements and to provide customers with maximum benefits, which are expressed in the improved assortment,the attractive prices, the reduction of cases of lack of necessary goods, the simplifiedpurchase process. In article the structure of the category management and its role inthe minimum pharmaceutical assortment, a complex of the theoretical and practical issues affecting interrelation of the list of vital and essential medicines and the minimum range of medicines are considered. A number of the new elements supplementing the concept of category management is offered, and the corresponding generalizations are made. The objective of the research is to study the influence of category management on the structure in management of the minimum assortment of medicines of the pharmaceutical organization. Materials and methods. In the course of the solution of the set tasks, the methods of marketing and economic-mathematical analysis were used. Results and discussion. In the analysis of the assortment list of medicines for medical application, which is obligatory for the pharmaceutical enterprises of all forms of ownership, it was revealed that this assortment list is based on the List of Vital Essential and Necessary (VEN Drugs. The results of the analysis of the obligatory assortment list from the position of internal category management showed that 77.45% are medicines of the list of VEN Drugs; 46.08% are medicines of non-prescription dispensing. Proceeding from this it follows that the worthy, profitable price policy can be conducted only with 22.55% of the list; to develop standards of merchandising with 46.05%. The category management gives an opportunity to the pharmaceutical organization to specify its competitive strategy and to

  19. Anaerobic stabilization and conversion of transformed intermediates of antibiotic pharmaceutical effluent in a fluidized bed reactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamijevendane, S; Saravanane, R; Rajesh, R; Sivacoumar, R

    2011-07-01

    The formulation and implementation of regulatory standards for the ultimate disposal and reuse of transformed products of antibiotic drugs and solvents have been a pending issue in the waste management of pharmaceutical industries especially in the developing countries like India. A case study has been identified and the current issues in one of the major pharmaceutical industry (manufacturing cephalosporin drugs) located in Chennai, India, has been discussed for the possible implementation of anaerobically transformed intermediates of antibiotic pharmaceutical waste sludge. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of bioaugmentation on the convertibility of anaerobically transformed intermediates of antibiotic pharmaceutical waste sludge into residuals and biocompost. Cephalosporin is a common name refers to cephradine (C16H19N3O4S) and cephalexin (C16H17N3O4S.H2O). Based on the critical examination of results, the industry is looking for the alternatives of either direct disposal of 7-amino-3-deacetoxycephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA) and phenyl acetic acid or for further degradation and disposal, which will essentially require additional cost and maintenance. The present regulatory standard implemented in India does not envisage such disposal alternatives and hence this would invite suggestions and recommendations of the expertise for the possible implementation on the pending issue in the antibiotic based pharmaceutical industries. The presence of cephalosporin increases total strength (Chemical Oxygen Demand) of the effluent and indirectly increases the cost of the treatment. Hence the biotransformation of cephalosporin either alone or in combination with other energetic compounds, offers the potential for an economical and environment friendly disposal alternative for the anaerobically transformed intermediates of antibiotic pharmaceutical waste sludge.

  20. [Peculiarity of consumer preference shaping in pharmaceutical market in azerbaijan].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansurova, L

    2011-01-01

    Pharmaceutical market researches in terms of consumer behavior are topical in current social-economical conditions. Thereby the goal of these researches is studying of particular properties of consumer behavior on the drug market and identifying of factors affect on its formation. The method of questioning was used. The questionnaire has been completed from the point of view of possibilities and interests of common consumer. One part of questions was concerned to demographical and personal characteristics of customers. For the analysis of consumer behavior have been used parameters such as frequency of visits to definite pharmacy, attraction of pharmacy, types of purchases. The survey had been determined the basic factors of pharmacy visitors' consumer behavior. According to the consumers opinion the main criteria of choice of pharmacy were professional knowledge and experience of pharmacy's workers. Some of economical factors, such as affordability and etc. have been analyzed.

  1. Nanocrystals Technology for Pharmaceutical Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Zhongyao; Lian, Yumei; Kamal, Zul; Ma, Xin; Chen, Jianjun; Zhou, Xinbo; Su, Jing; Qiu, Mingfeng

    2018-05-17

    Nanocrystals technology is a promising method for improving the dissolution rate and enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. In recent years, it has been developing rapidly and applied to drug research and engineering. Nanocrystal drugs can be formulated into various dosage forms. This review mainly focused on the nanocrystals technology and its application in pharmaceutical science. Firstly, different preparation methods of nanocrystal technology and the characterization of nanocrystal drugs are briefly described. Secondly, the application of nanocrystals technology in pharmaceutical science is mainly discussed followed by the introduction of sustained release formulations. Then, the scaling up process, marketed nanocrystal drug products and regulatory aspects about nanodrugs are summarized. Finally, the specific challenges and opportunities of nanocrystals technology for pharmaceutical science are summarized and discussed. This review will provide a comprehensive guide for scientists and engineers in the field of pharmaceutical science and biochemical engineering. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  2. EU pharmaceutical expenditure forecast

    OpenAIRE

    Urbinati, Duccio; Rémuzat, Cécile; Kornfeld, Åsa; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aballéa, Samuel; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    Background and Objectives: With constant incentives for healthcare payers to contain their pharmaceutical budgets, forecasting has become critically important. Some countries have, for instance, developed pharmaceutical horizon scanning units. The objective of this project was to build a model to assess the net effect of the entrance of new patented medicinal products versus medicinal products going off-patent, with a defined forecast horizon, on selected European Union (EU) Member States’ ph...

  3. Nanotechnology tools in pharmaceutical R&D

    OpenAIRE

    Challa S.S.R. Kumar

    2010-01-01

    Nanotechnology is a new approach to problem solving and can be considered as a collection of tools and ideas which can be applied in pharmaceutical industry. Application of nanotechnology tools in pharmaceutical R&D is likely to result in moving the industry from ‘blockbuster drug’ model to ‘personalized medicine’. There are compelling applications in pharmaceutical industry where inexpensive nanotechnology tools can be utilized. The review explores the possibility of categorizing various nan...

  4. The Influence of Emerging Markets on the Pharmaceutical Industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tannoury, Maya; Attieh, Zouhair

    2017-01-01

    Emerging markets represent an exceptional opportunity for the pharmaceutical industry. Although a precise definition is not yet available, economists define emerging markets as developing prosperous countries in which investment is expected to result in higher income despite high risks. Qualifying a market as emerging is not merely based on the economic status of the country, but also on several criteria that render the definition applicable to each country. Jim O'Neil, retired chairman of asset management at Goldman Sachs, identified leading economies of emerging markets: Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC) and later Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) and then Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, and Turkey (MIST), which followed years later as the second tier of nations. Sales of the pharmaceutical markets in BRICS and MIST countries doubled in 5 years, reaching a market share of approximately 20%. The shift toward these new markets has been attributed to the large populations, growing prosperity, and increasing life expectancy in BRICS and MIST countries. In addition, companies are experiencing flattened growth of developed markets, expiration of patents leading to the up-selling of less expensive generic drugs, and tight regulations enforced in mature markets. Particular attention must therefore be given to these emerging markets. The strategies adopted by pharmaceutical companies that want to expand in these markets must be tailored to the pace of development of each country. These countries need drugs against infectious diseases and communicable diseases such as sexually transmitted diseases. They are readily exploitable territories for the innovative products of pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, with the increase in wealth and longevity, a change of lifestyle is occurring. These changes accompany a shift in disease patterns. A disproportionally fast rise in the incidence of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes

  5. Globalisation, economics and professionalism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Chay-Hoon; Macneill, Paul

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents an analysis of the effect of globalisation and attendant economic factors on the global practice of medicine, medical education, medical ethics and medical professionalism. The authors discuss the implications of these trends, citing case scenarios in the healthcare insurance, medical tourism, pharmaceutical industries, and the educational systems as well as in clinical practice, to illustrate the impact of globalisation and economics on professionalism. Globalisation, on the one hand, offers benefits for the global practice of medicine and for medical education. On the other, globalisation can have negative effects, particularly when the main driver is to maximise profitability across national boundaries rather than concern for human well-being. Appraising the effect of globalisation on professionalism involves assessing its effects at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional levels, and its effect on society at large.

  6. Patent indicators: a window to pharmaceutical market success.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yang; Hu, Yuanjia; Zheng, Mingli; Wang, Yitao

    2013-07-01

    Pharmaceutical success in the market is the best reward for pharmaceutical investors undergoing the lengthy, costly and risky process of pharmaceutical Research and Development (R&D). Drugs with high market revenues trigger fierce competition between pharmaceutical enterprises, as is demonstrated by the increasing Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) cases focusing on seizing the best-selling products. On the other hand, patents, as the best shield for innovative drugs against generic drugs, become a powerful weapon for pharmaceutical enterprises to win the substantial returns generated by market exclusivity. Patents seem to be directly responsible for the commercial success of new medicines. In this context, it is of great significance to find out the empirical associations between pharmaceutical commercial success and patents. By comprehensively analysing 127 drugs marketed in the USA and their 621 American patents, this article identifies the evidence to link various patent indicators with pharmaceutical sales in actual market.

  7. FDA actions against health economic promotions, 2002-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, Peter J; Bliss, Sarah K

    2012-01-01

    To investigate Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory actions against drug companies' health economic promotions from 2002 through 2011 to understand how frequently and in what circumstances the agency has considered such promotions false or misleading. We reviewed all warning letters and notices of violation ("untitled letters") issued by the FDA's Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications (DDMAC) to pharmaceutical companies from January 2002 through December 2011. We analyzed letters containing a violation related to "health economic promotion," defined according to one of several categories (e.g., implied claims of cost savings due to work productivity or economic claims containing unsupported statements about effectiveness or safety). We also collected information on factors such as the indication and type of media involved and whether the letter referenced Section 114 of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act. Of 291 DDMAC letters sent to pharmaceutical companies during the study period, 35 (12%) cited a health economic violation. The most common type of violation cited was an implied claim of cost savings due to work productivity or functioning (found in 20 letters) and economic claims containing unsubstantiated comparative claims of effectiveness, safety, or interchangeability (7 letters). The violations covered various indications, mostly commonly psychiatric disorders (6 letters) and pain (6 letters). No DDMAC letter pertained to Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act Section 114. The FDA has cited inappropriate health economic promotions in roughly 12% of the letters issued by the DDMAC. The letters highlight drug companies' interest in promoting the value of their products and the FDA's concerns in certain cases about the lack of supporting evidence. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Iran’s Pharmaceutical Sectoral Innovation System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bahman Kargar Shahamat

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract By reviewing economic performance, two main phenomena could be identified: The first phenomenon is prior to the third wave of the Industrial Revolution in which limited resources are the predominant input; in other words, physical and natural resources are much more credited than human resources. The second phenomenon resonates with the third wave of industrial revolution to the present time, suggesting the pivotal role of humans in production and accumulation of wealth, in which limited resources are no longer considered as predominant input. The present research seeks to understand the behavioral logic of the players of Iran's pharmaceutical sector so as to infer the innovative treatment of the firms in this sector. The concept of innovative system is indebted to the efforts economists and other scientists have made by analyzing economic development based upon technological development. Meanwhile, sectoral innovation system (SIS is a tool for analyzing a technological sector in the context of evolutionary economics with an emphasis on institutional capabilities. The structure of such an approach is composed of some components through which performance analysis of certain technological sector could be made possible. In research, we use expert panel with 12 experts from Universities, Companies, Governmental institutes. The current study wishes to explain structural model of institutional elements in this technological sector. Subsequently, in light of such an explanation, structural elements of this sector would be analyzed through identification of legal and regulatory framework, innovative culture, innovative infrastructure, financial resources, information resources, technology transfer mechanisms, commercialization support and marketing.

  9. Characterizing the interaction between physicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical representatives in a middle-income country: A qualitative study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rima Hajjar

    Full Text Available Studies around the world have shown that interactions between pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists and physicians have a great influence on prescribing and drug dispensing practices. In middle-income countries, the nature and extent of these interactions have not been well researched. Our objectives were to qualitatively explore the nature of the interactions between pharmaceutical companies, physicians and pharmacists, their impact on drug prescription and dispensing practices in Lebanon.We used grounded theory approach as well as the known sponsor, purposive, and snowballing sampling strategies to identify interviewees from the three respective groups: physicians, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical representatives. We conducted semi-structured and analyzed transcripts thematically. This study encompassed 6 pharmaceutical representatives, 13 physicians and 13 pharmacists. The following themes emerged: purpose and driver for the interactions, nature of the interactions, incentives, impact on prescription practices, ethical considerations, and suggestions for managing the interactions. The main purposes for the interaction were educational, promotional, and monitoring prescription practices and dispensing, while the main drivers for these interactions were market potential and neighborhood socio-economic status. Physicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical representatives who engage in these interactions benefit from a variety of incentives, some of which were characterized as unethical. It appears that pharmaceutical companies give prominence to selected physicians within their communities. Although members of the three interviewed groups refer to some of the interactions as being problematic, they described a culture of acceptance of gift giving. We developed a framework that depicts the prevailing politico-cultural environment, the interactions between the three professional groups, and their impact on drug prescription. Underreporting is the main

  10. Characterizing the interaction between physicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical representatives in a middle-income country: A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajjar, Rima; Bassatne, Aya; Cheaito, Mohamad Ali; Naser El Dine, Rabie; Traboulsy, Sarah; Haddadin, Fadi; Honein-AbouHaidar, Gladys; Akl, Elie A

    2017-01-01

    Studies around the world have shown that interactions between pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists and physicians have a great influence on prescribing and drug dispensing practices. In middle-income countries, the nature and extent of these interactions have not been well researched. Our objectives were to qualitatively explore the nature of the interactions between pharmaceutical companies, physicians and pharmacists, their impact on drug prescription and dispensing practices in Lebanon. We used grounded theory approach as well as the known sponsor, purposive, and snowballing sampling strategies to identify interviewees from the three respective groups: physicians, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical representatives. We conducted semi-structured and analyzed transcripts thematically. This study encompassed 6 pharmaceutical representatives, 13 physicians and 13 pharmacists. The following themes emerged: purpose and driver for the interactions, nature of the interactions, incentives, impact on prescription practices, ethical considerations, and suggestions for managing the interactions. The main purposes for the interaction were educational, promotional, and monitoring prescription practices and dispensing, while the main drivers for these interactions were market potential and neighborhood socio-economic status. Physicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical representatives who engage in these interactions benefit from a variety of incentives, some of which were characterized as unethical. It appears that pharmaceutical companies give prominence to selected physicians within their communities. Although members of the three interviewed groups refer to some of the interactions as being problematic, they described a culture of acceptance of gift giving. We developed a framework that depicts the prevailing politico-cultural environment, the interactions between the three professional groups, and their impact on drug prescription. Underreporting is the main limitation of this

  11. Archives: Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 50 of 97 ... Archives: Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Journal Home > Archives: Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  12. Archives: Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 9 of 9 ... Archives: Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Journal Home > Archives: Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  13. Pharmaceutical technology management--profitable business avenue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puthli, Shivanand P

    2010-01-01

    Growing research expenditure, regulatory framework and generic erosion have forced pharmaceutical companies globally to resort to pharmaceutical technology management (PTM). Indeed, the pharmaceutical industry has witnessed the impact of innovative drug delivery and device technologies and their influence on business. PTM has given a new business insight with greater profits and enhancement of product franchise. Promising breakthrough technologies have not been able to reach a commercial platform largely owing to lack of capital at the preliminary stages of the product development program. Intellectual property plays a considerable role in protecting innovative technologies. Joint ventures and strategic alliances also become important for commercializing a new technology. The synergy of PTM with options of in-licensing is expected to infuse newer opportunities to the pharmaceutical business.

  14. Pharmaceutical care education in Kuwait: pharmacy students’ perspectives

    OpenAIRE

    Katoue, Maram G.; Awad, Abdelmoneim I.; Schwinghammer, Terry L.; Kombian, Samuel B.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Pharmaceutical care is defined as the responsible provision of medication therapy to achieve definite outcomes that improve patients’ quality of life. Pharmacy education should equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to practise pharmaceutical care competently. Objective: To investigate pharmacy students’ attitudes towards pharmaceutical care, perceptions of their preparedness to perform pharmaceutical care competencies, opinions about the importance...

  15. Vulnerabilities to misinformation in online pharmaceutical marketing

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Freitas, Julian; Falls, Brian A; Haque, Omar S; Bursztajn, Harold J

    2013-01-01

    Given the large percentage of Internet users who search for health information online, pharmaceutical companies have invested significantly in online marketing of their products. Although online pharmaceutical marketing can potentially benefit both physicians and patients, it can also harm these groups by misleading them. Indeed, some pharmaceutical companies have been guilty of undue influence, which has threatened public health and trust. We conducted a review of the available literature on online pharmaceutical marketing, undue influence and the psychology of decision-making, in order to identify factors that contribute to Internet users’ vulnerability to online pharmaceutical misinformation. We find five converging factors: Internet dependence, excessive trust in the veracity of online information, unawareness of pharmaceutical company influence, social isolation and detail fixation. As the Internet continues to change, it is important that regulators keep in mind not only misinformation that surrounds new web technologies and their contents, but also the factors that make Internet users vulnerable to misinformation in the first place. Psychological components are a critical, although often neglected, risk factor for Internet users becoming misinformed upon exposure to online pharmaceutical marketing. Awareness of these psychological factors may help Internet users attentively and safely navigate an evolving web terrain. PMID:23761527

  16. RP-HPLC Determination of Atomoxetine Hydrochloride in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Formulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. R. Prajapati

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP–HPLC method was developed and subsequently validated for the determination of atomoxetine hydrochloride in bulk and pharmaceutical formulation. The separation was done by a PerkinElmer Brownlee analytical C8 column (260 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm using methanol: 50 mM KH2PO2 buffer (PH adjusted to 6.8 with 0.1 M NaOH, 80:20 v/v as an eluent. UV detection was performed at 270 nm at a flow rate 1.0 mL/min. The validation of the method was performed, and specificity, reproducibility, precision accuracy and ruggedness were confirmed. The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.997 for atomoxetine hydrochloride. The recovery was in the range of 99.94 to 100.98% and limit of quantification was found to be 5.707 µg/mL. The method is simple, rapid, selective and economical too and can be used for the routine analysis of drug in pharmaceutical formulations.

  17. Pharmaceutical costs of assisted reproduction in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorente, Maria-Reyes; Hernández, Juana; Antoñanzas, Fernando

    2013-11-01

    Assisted reproduction is one of the health services currently being considered for possible limitation or exclusion from the public health services portfolio in Spain. One of the main reasons claimed for this is the impact on the budget for pharmaceutical expenditure. The objective of this study was to assess the significance of the pharmaceutical costs of assisted reproduction in Spain. This study focused on medical practice in Spain, and is based on the opinions of experts in assisted reproduction and the results provided by professional societies' publications. The reference year is 2012 and the setting was secondary care. We have included all existing pharmaceutical modalities for assisted reproduction, as well as the most common drug for each modality. We have considered the pharmaceutical cost per cycle for artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF_ICSI), and cryotransfer and donated fresh oocytes reception. In Spain, artificial insemination has a pharmaceutical cost per cycle of between €69.36 and €873.79. This amounts to an average cycle cost of €364.87 for partner's sperm and €327.10 for donor sperm. The pharmaceutical cost of IVF_ICSI ranges between €278.16 and €1,902.66, giving an average cost per cycle of €1,139.65. In the case of cryotransfer and donated fresh oocytes reception, the pharmaceutical cost per cycle is between €22.61 and €58.73, yielding an average cost of €40.67. The budgetary impact of pharmaceutical expenditure for assisted reproduction in Spain for the year 2012 was estimated at €98.7 million. In Spain, the total pharmaceutical cost of assisted reproduction is substantial. According to our results, we can say that about 29% of the total pharmaceutical expenditure for assisted reproduction techniques is funded by the National Health System and the rest represents 2.4% of the total annual out-of-pocket family expenditure on drugs.

  18. UV Spectrophotometric Method for theEstimation of Itopride Hydrochloride in Pharmaceutical Formulation

    OpenAIRE

    K. R. Gupta; R. R. Joshi; R. B. Chawla; S. G. Wadodkar

    2010-01-01

    Three simple, precise and economical UV methods have been developed for the estimation of itopride hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulations. Itopride hydrochloride in distilled water shows the maximum absorbance at 258.0 nm (Method A) and in first order derivative spectra of the same shows sharp peak at 247.0 nm, when n = 1 (Method B). Method C utilises area under curve (AUC) in the wavelength range from 262.0-254.0 nm for analysis of itopride hydrochloride. The drug was found to obey Bee...

  19. Pharmaceutical policy and the pharmacy profession

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Traulsen, Janine Marie; Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna

    2005-01-01

    In this article, the authors look at the relationship between pharmaceutical policy and the pharmacy profession with focus on pharmacy practice and pharmacists in the health care sector. Pharmaceutical policy encompasses three major policy inputs: public health policy, health care policy and indu......In this article, the authors look at the relationship between pharmaceutical policy and the pharmacy profession with focus on pharmacy practice and pharmacists in the health care sector. Pharmaceutical policy encompasses three major policy inputs: public health policy, health care policy...... and industrial policy. In order to analyse and understand pharmaceutical policy, it is important to know how policymakers view pharmacy and pharmacists. The authors look at the issues that arise when policy regulates pharmacy as a business, and what this means for the profession. The perspective of pharmacy...... in managerialism, and how the division of labour with other health professionals such as physicians and pharmacy assistants is affecting the pharmacy profession's position in the labour market. Next the authors look at ways in which the pharmacy profession has affected policy. Pharmacists have been instrumental...

  20. [Analysis of several containment measures of pharmaceutical expenditure in an Ambulatory Surgery Centre].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteban, J L; León, A; Porras, I

    2013-11-01

    In the context of the current crisis, sustainability of National Health Service must be considered a priority issue. To compare several cost saving measures in drug expenditure due to outpatient drug treatment after surgery in an Ambulatory Surgical Centre. Pharmaco-economic analysis of cost minimization of ambulatory pharmaceutical services during the year 2011. A total of 3,346 patients were operated on and discharged on the same day, were included. Treatments were collected from the discharge report of each patient. We compared changes in real outpatient drug spending after separately applying each of the following measures: 1) increasing the co-payment; 2) improving the quality of prescribing; 3) dispensing by units of drugs through pharmacies, and 4) dispensing through the hospital pharmacy service. The real outpatient pharmaceutical expenditure was 29,454.21€. Increasing the co-payment mean a transfer of 2,091.82€ from the funding institutions to users. Improving the quality of prescriptions, dispensing through units of drugs in the pharmacy, and dispensing through the hospital pharmacy service led to a pharmaceutical expenditure of 24,215.14€, 21,766.24€ and 7,827.71€, respectively. Only considering co-payment to contain pharmaceutical expenditure arising from prescribing in an Ambulatory Surgical Centre is the least effective measure. The most effective measure, for this purpose, is the supply of drugs through the hospital pharmacy service. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  1. Social and economic value of Portuguese community pharmacies in health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Félix, Jorge; Ferreira, Diana; Afonso-Silva, Marta; Gomes, Marta Vargas; Ferreira, César; Vandewalle, Björn; Marques, Sara; Mota, Melina; Costa, Suzete; Cary, Maria; Teixeira, Inês; Paulino, Ema; Macedo, Bruno; Barbosa, Carlos Maurício

    2017-08-29

    Community pharmacies are major contributors to health care systems across the world. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate community pharmacies services in health care. The purpose of this study was to estimate the social and economic benefits of current and potential future community pharmacies services provided by pharmacists in health care in Portugal. The social and economic value of community pharmacies services was estimated through a decision-model. Model inputs included effectiveness data, quality of life (QoL) and health resource consumption, obtained though literature review and adapted to Portuguese reality by an expert panel. The estimated economic value was the result of non-remunerated pharmaceutical services plus health resource consumption potentially avoided. Social and economic value of community pharmacies services derives from the comparison of two scenarios: "with service" versus "without service". It is estimated that current community pharmacies services in Portugal provide a gain in QoL of 8.3% and an economic value of 879.6 million euros (M€), including 342.1 M€ in non-remunerated pharmaceutical services and 448.1 M€ in avoided expense with health resource consumption. Potential future community pharmacies services may provide an additional increase of 6.9% in QoL and be associated with an economic value of 144.8 M€: 120.3 M€ in non-remunerated services and 24.5 M€ in potential savings with health resource consumption. Community pharmacies services provide considerable benefit in QoL and economic value. An increase range of services including a greater integration in primary and secondary care, among other transversal services, may add further social and economic value to the society.

  2. Pharmaceutical care education in Kuwait: pharmacy students' perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katoue, Maram G; Awad, Abdelmoneim I; Schwinghammer, Terry L; Kombian, Samuel B

    2014-07-01

    Pharmaceutical care is defined as the responsible provision of medication therapy to achieve definite outcomes that improve patients' quality of life. Pharmacy education should equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to practise pharmaceutical care competently. To investigate pharmacy students' attitudes towards pharmaceutical care, perceptions of their preparedness to perform pharmaceutical care competencies, opinions about the importance of the various pharmaceutical care activities, and the barriers to its implementation in Kuwait. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of pharmacy students (n=126) was conducted at Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University. Data were collected via a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including percentages, medians and means Likert scale rating (SD) were calculated and compared using SPSS, version 19. Statistical significance was accepted at a p value of 0.05 or lower. The response rate was 99.2%. Pharmacy students expressed overall positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care. They felt prepared to implement the various aspects of pharmaceutical care, with the least preparedness in the administrative/management aspects. Perceived pharmaceutical care competencies grew as students progressed through the curriculum. The students also appreciated the importance of the various pharmaceutical care competencies. They agreed/strongly agreed that the major barriers to the integration of pharmaceutical care into practice were lack of private counseling areas or inappropriate pharmacy layout (95.2%), lack of pharmacist time (83.3%), organizational obstacles (82.6%), and pharmacists' physical separation from patient care areas (82.6%). Pharmacy students' attitudes and perceived preparedness can serve as needs assessment tools to guide curricular change and improvement. Student pharmacists at Kuwait University understand and advocate implementation of pharmaceutical care while also

  3. Pharmaceutical Cocrystals: Regulatory and Strategic Aspects, Design and Development

    OpenAIRE

    Gadade, Dipak Dilip; Pekamwar, Sanjay Sudhakar

    2016-01-01

    Cocrystal is a concept of the supramolecular chemistry which is gaining the extensive interest of researchers from pharmaceutical and chemical sciences and of drug regulatory agencies. The prominent reason of which is its ability to modify physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. During the development of the pharmaceutical product, formulators have to optimize the physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Pharmaceutical cocrystals can be employe...

  4. Biocatalytic Synthesis of Chiral Pharmaceutical Intermediates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramesh N. Patel

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The production of single enantiomers of drug intermediates has become increasingly important in the pharmaceutical industry. Chiral intermediates and fine chemicals are in high demand from both the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries for the preparation of bulk drug substances and agricultural products. The enormous potential of microorganisms and enzymes for the transformation of synthetic chemicals with high chemo-, regio- and enantioselectivities has been demonstrated. In this article, biocatalytic processes are described for the synthesis of chiral pharmaceutical intermediates.

  5. Pharmaceutical Cocrystals: Regulatory and Strategic Aspects, Design and Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dipak Dilip Gadade

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Cocrystal is a concept of the supramolecular chemistry which is gaining the extensive interest of researchers from pharmaceutical and chemical sciences and of drug regulatory agencies. The prominent reason of which is its ability to modify physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. During the development of the pharmaceutical product, formulators have to optimize the physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Pharmaceutical cocrystals can be employed to improve vital physicochemical characteristics of a drug, including solubility, dissolution, bioavailability and stability of pharmaceutical compounds while maintaining its therapeutic activity. It is advantageous being a green synthesis approach for production of pharmaceutical compounds. The formation polymorphic forms, solvates, hydrates and salts of cocrystals during the synthesis reported in the literature which can be a potential issue in the development of pharmaceutical cocrystals. The approaches like hydrogen bonding rules, solubility parameters, screening through the CSD database or thermodynamic characteristics can be utilized for the rational design of cocrystals and selection of coformers for synthesis multi-component cocrystals. Considering the significance of pharmaceutical cocrystals pharmaceutical regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe issued guidance documents which may be helpful for pharmaceutical product registration in these regions. In this article, we deal with the design, synthesis, strategic aspects and characteristics of cocrystals along perspectives on its regulatory and intellectual property considerations.

  6. Pharmaceutical Cocrystals: Regulatory and Strategic Aspects, Design and Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gadade, Dipak Dilip; Pekamwar, Sanjay Sudhakar

    2016-12-01

    Cocrystal is a concept of the supramolecular chemistry which is gaining the extensive interest of researchers from pharmaceutical and chemical sciences and of drug regulatory agencies. The prominent reason of which is its ability to modify physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. During the development of the pharmaceutical product, formulators have to optimize the physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Pharmaceutical cocrystals can be employed to improve vital physicochemical characteristics of a drug, including solubility, dissolution, bioavailability and stability of pharmaceutical compounds while maintaining its therapeutic activity. It is advantageous being a green synthesis approach for production of pharmaceutical compounds. The formation polymorphic forms, solvates, hydrates and salts of cocrystals during the synthesis reported in the literature which can be a potential issue in the development of pharmaceutical cocrystals. The approaches like hydrogen bonding rules, solubility parameters, screening through the CSD database or thermodynamic characteristics can be utilized for the rational design of cocrystals and selection of coformers for synthesis multi-component cocrystals. Considering the significance of pharmaceutical cocrystals pharmaceutical regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe issued guidance documents which may be helpful for pharmaceutical product registration in these regions. In this article, we deal with the design, synthesis, strategic aspects and characteristics of cocrystals along perspectives on its regulatory and intellectual property considerations.

  7. Pharmaceutical Innovation in the Treatment of Schizophrenia and Mental Disorders Compared with Other Diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacEwan, Joanna P; Seabury, Seth; Aigbogun, Myrlene Sanon; Kamat, Siddhesh; van Eijndhoven, Emma; Francois, Clement; Henderson, Crystal; Citrome, Leslie

    2016-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to assess the level of private and public investment in research and development of treatments for schizophrenia and other mental disorders compared to other diseases in order to present data on the economic burden and pharmaceutical innovation by disease area, and to compare the level of investment relative to burden across different diseases. The levels of investment and pharmaceutical innovation relative to burden across different diseases were assessed. Disease burden and prevalence for mental disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder); cancer; rheumatoid arthritis; chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder; diabetes; cardiovascular disease; and neurological disorders (dementia and epilepsy) were estimated from literature sources. Pharmaceutical treatment innovation was measured by the total number of drug launches and the number of drugs launched categorized by innovativeness. Research and development expenditures were estimated using published information on annual public and domestic private research and development expenditures by disease area. Lastly, investment relative to disease burden was measured among the set of disease classes for which all three measures were available: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurology (dementia and epilepsy combined). The level of investment and pharmaceutical innovation in mental disorders was comparatively low, especially relative to the burden of disease. For mental disorders, investment was $3.1 per $1,000 burden invested in research and development for schizophrenia, $1.8 for major depressive disorder, and $0.4 for bipolar disorder relative to cancer ($75.5), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ($9.4), diabetes ($7.6), cardiovascular disease ($6.3), or rheumatoid arthritis ($5.3). Pharmaceutical innovation was also low

  8. Organic Colouring Agents in the Pharmaceutical Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šuleková M.

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Food dyes are largely used in the process of manufacturing pharmaceutical products. The aim of such a procedure is not only to increase the attractiveness of products, but also to help patients distinguish between pharmaceuticals. Various dyes, especially organic colouring agents, may in some cases have a negative impact on the human body. They are incorporated into pharmaceutical products including tablets, hard gelatine capsules or soft gelatine capsules, lozenges, syrups, etc. This article provides an overview of the most widely used colouring agents in pharmaceuticals, their characteristics and the EU legislation which regulates their use.

  9. Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in Taiwan's surface waters: impact of waste streams from hospitals and pharmaceutical production facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Angela Yu-Chen; Tsai, Yu-Ting

    2009-06-01

    We investigated the occurrence and distribution of pharmaceuticals (including antibiotics, estrogens, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), beta-blockers, and lipid regulators) in three rivers and in the waste streams of six hospitals and four pharmaceutical production facilities in Taiwan. The most frequently detected pharmaceuticals were acetaminophen, erythromycin-H(2)O, sulfamethoxazole, and gemfibrozil. NSAIDs were the next most-often detected compounds, with a detection frequency >60%. The other analytes were not detected or were seen in only a few samples at trace concentrations. The present study demonstrates a significant discharge of human medications from hospital and drug production facilities into surface waters in the Taipei district. The high concentrations of pharmaceuticals found in the Sindian and Dahan rivers demonstrate the alarming degree to which they have been impacted by urban drainage (waste effluents from hospitals, households, and pharmaceutical production facilities). The ubiquitous occurrence at extremely high concentrations of acetaminophen and erythromycin-H(2)O in both rivers (up to 15.7 and 75.5 microg/L) and in wastewater from hospitals and pharmaceutical production facilities (up to 417.5 and 7.84 microg/L) was unique. This finding, in combination with acetaminophen's status as the drug most often prescribed by Taiwan's dominant clinical institute, suggests the potential use of acetaminophen as a molecular indicator of contamination of Taiwan's aqueous environments with untreated urban drainage.

  10. Patrick Couvreur: inspiring pharmaceutical innovation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanwix, Hannah

    2014-05-01

    Patrick Couvreur speaks to Hannah Stanwix, Managing Comissioning Editor: Professor Patrick Couvreur received his pharmacy degree from the Université Catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium) in 1972. He holds a PhD in pharmaceutical technology from the same university and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (Zürich, Switzerland). Since 1984, Professor Couvreur has been Full Professor of Pharmacy at the Paris-Sud University (Paris, France) and was holder of the Chair of Innovation Technologique at the prestigious Collège de France (Paris, France). He has published more than 450 peer-reviewed articles and has an H-index of 73, with over 19,000 citations. Professor Coureur has been recognized by numerous national and international awards, including the 2004 Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress Award, the prestigious Host Madsen Medal, the Prix Galien, the European Pharmaceutical Scientist Award 2011 from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Médaille de l'Innovation from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, and recently the European Inventor Award 2013 from the European Patent Office.

  11. Coordinated research project on radiation sterilization and decontamination of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical raw materials. CRP report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    Radiation processing is a very convenient tool for imparting desirable effects in materials and it has been an area of enormous interest in the last few decades. Radiation processing of synthetic and natural polymers for improving their characteristics is largely used in laboratory and industrial scale. Radiation sterilization is a well developed and established technology for many products. It is especially useful for the treatment of pharmaceuticals due to flexibility of radiation processing to be carried out at any desired temperature, sterilizability of mixed products in kits, offering simultaneous sterilization and modification of polymer based formulations. The success of radiation technology for processing of synthetic and natural polymers and treatment of pharmaceuticals has been based, to a large extent, on empirical knowledge. But now, the applications of natural polymers are being sought in knowledge-demanding areas such as pharmacy and biotechnology. Reliable analytical methods are being developed for controlling of degradation effects of radiation on polymers. Procedures and chemical formulations are being investigated enhancing or preventing degradation effects depending on the desired application of the process. The Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the use of radiation processing for sterilization or decontamination of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical raw materials has been completed in 2002. The overall objective of the CRP was to coordinate the research and development programmes carried out in different countries in use of radiation processing for sterilization or decontamination of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutic raw materials. It has been concluded that in addition to well known advantages of radiation sterilization being a well developed and established technology requiring the control of only one parameter, dose, to achieve sterilization; it is especially useful for the treatment of pharmaceuticals due to flexibility of radiation

  12. Coordinated research project on radiation sterilization and decontamination of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical raw materials. CRP report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2005-07-01

    Radiation processing is a very convenient tool for imparting desirable effects in materials and it has been an area of enormous interest in the last few decades. Radiation processing of synthetic and natural polymers for improving their characteristics is largely used in laboratory and industrial scale. Radiation sterilization is a well developed and established technology for many products. It is especially useful for the treatment of pharmaceuticals due to flexibility of radiation processing to be carried out at any desired temperature, sterilizability of mixed products in kits, offering simultaneous sterilization and modification of polymer based formulations. The success of radiation technology for processing of synthetic and natural polymers and treatment of pharmaceuticals has been based, to a large extent, on empirical knowledge. But now, the applications of natural polymers are being sought in knowledge-demanding areas such as pharmacy and biotechnology. Reliable analytical methods are being developed for controlling of degradation effects of radiation on polymers. Procedures and chemical formulations are being investigated enhancing or preventing degradation effects depending on the desired application of the process. The Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the use of radiation processing for sterilization or decontamination of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical raw materials has been completed in 2002. The overall objective of the CRP was to coordinate the research and development programmes carried out in different countries in use of radiation processing for sterilization or decontamination of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutic raw materials. It has been concluded that in addition to well known advantages of radiation sterilization being a well developed and established technology requiring the control of only one parameter, dose, to achieve sterilization; it is especially useful for the treatment of pharmaceuticals due to flexibility of radiation

  13. FORMATION AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN PROMOTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Юрий Владимирович Тарасов

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The articles addresses key notions and elements of marketing of pharmaceutical companies. Key stages and particularities of formation of pharmaceutical marketing are considered. It is proved that in general pharmaceutical market is developing under general marketing rules, however while developing strategy of promotion of pharmaceutical products specific features of the industry must be taken into consideration. The authors describes specific features of modern pharmaceutical market, which must be considered while developing policy of promotion of pharmaceutical products.The analysis is made of modern state of Russian pharmaceutical industry, its place in world pharmaceutical market. It is found that development of pharmaceutical market is directly influenced by the reform of pharmaceutical industry initiated by the Government of our country in 2008. Characteristic of current stage of market development is more strict conditions in marketing sphere and promotion of drugs. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-12-2

  14. [Me-too pharmaceuticals -- marketing-strategies of drug producers and drug purchasers. Example: non-ionic contrast media].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wild, C; Puig, S

    2004-11-01

    In the context of increasing economic pressure upon on hospital budgets, it is inevitable that central and standardized purchasing of pharmaceuticals must be considered. It was the aim of this assessment to analyse the many different non-ionic contrast media/CM products on the actual "clinical relevance of the differences" in order to give advice for a more concerted purchasing of CM. The assessment was commissioned by a large scale Austrian hospital cooperation; it can be regarded as the beginning of a broad strategy against the many new, only rarely innovative, but nevertheless patent-protected pharmaceuticals. Eight different non-ionic contrast media - used in routine care - were compared for their physico-chemical characteristics: osmolality, nephrotoxicity, viscosity, hydrophilicity and electric charge. In a systematic review 193 publications were analysed. The examined CM show similar pharmacokinetic and -dynamic attributes, and no differences of clinical relevance. An optimisation of purchasing pharmaceuticals by standardisation of the range of products takes place in the context of common strategies of producers and buying agents in marketing-economies. The strategies of the pharmaceutical industry (patent protection of me-too drugs, high-price-policy, extensive marketing of up to 40 % of revenue) and the counter-strategies of the central hospital purchasers (market concentration, drug commissions, institutional measures to disentangle interests) are presented - exemplified by contrast media - in this article.

  15. Pharmaceutical care education in Kuwait: pharmacy students’ perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katoue MG

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Pharmaceutical care is defined as the responsible provision of medication therapy to achieve definite outcomes that improve patients’ quality of life. Pharmacy education should equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to practise pharmaceutical care competently. Objective: To investigate pharmacy students’ attitudes towards pharmaceutical care, perceptions of their preparedness to perform pharmaceutical care competencies, opinions about the importance of the various pharmaceutical care activities, and the barriers to its implementation in Kuwait. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of pharmacy students (n=126 was conducted at Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University. Data were collected via a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including percentages, medians and means Likert scale rating (SD were calculated and compared using SPSS, version 19. Statistical significance was accepted at a p value of 0.05 or lower. Results: The response rate was 99.2%. Pharmacy students expressed overall positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care. They felt prepared to implement the various aspects of pharmaceutical care, with the least preparedness in the administrative/management aspects. Perceived pharmaceutical care competencies grew as students progressed through the curriculum. The students also appreciated the importance of the various pharmaceutical care competencies. They agreed/strongly agreed that the major barriers to the integration of pharmaceutical care into practice were lack of private counseling areas or inappropriate pharmacy layout (95.2%, lack of pharmacist time (83.3%, organizational obstacles (82.6%, and pharmacists’ physical separation from patient care areas (82.6%. Conclusion: Pharmacy students’ attitudes and perceived preparedness can serve as needs assessment tools to guide curricular change and improvement. Student pharmacists at Kuwait University

  16. Supply Chain Management in Zhendong Pharmaceutical Company

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Yan

    2011-01-01

    Medicines are special commodity related to people’s lives and health, therefore, pharmaceutical distribution is an industry affecting the national economy and the people's livelihood. With health care reform, changeable pharmaceutical policy and fiercely increasing competition in the medical industry, pharmaceutical distribution companies should improve their level of logistics operations and reduce overall logistics management costs in order to gain a leading position in the competition. In ...

  17. [Fourcroy and pharmaceutical journals].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnemain, Bruno

    2011-04-01

    Cadet de Gassicourt wrote a brief Eloge of Fourcroy in January 1810 as he died in December of 1809. Fourcroy had a major role concerning the new ideas on the place of pharmacy at the beginning of the 19th century. Fourcroy has had a key influence for the start of several pharmaceutical journals that wanted to emphasize the link between the new chemistry and pharmacy. None of these journals created with him will survive and one has to wait for 1909 to see the creation, without Fourcroy, of a new pharmaceutical journal, the "Journal de Pharmacie" that will become "Journal de Pharmacie et des Sciences accessoires", then "Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie", before taking the name of"Annales Pharmaceutiques Françaises", the present official journal of the French Academy of Pharmacy. In spite of the essential role of Fourcroy at the start of pharmaceutical journals, Cadet did not even mention it in his Eloge of 1810.

  18. NMR imaging and pharmaceutical sciences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beall, P.T.; Good, W.R.

    1986-01-01

    Described is the technique of NMR-imaging in diagnostic medicine. Proton and phosphorus NMR in diagnosis of abnormal tissue pathology. Discussed is the value of NMR to the pharmaceutical sciences. NMR may play an important role in monitoring the response of tissues to drugs, determining the localization of drugs, performing real time pharmacokinetics and testing the use of NMR contrast pharmaceuticals

  19. Bioremediation Kinetics of Pharmaceutical Industrial Effluent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Šabić

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, concerns about the occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals that could be present in water and wastewater has gained increasing attention. With the public’s enhanced awareness of eco-safety, environmentally benign methods based on microorganisms have become more accepted methods of removing pollutants from aquatic systems. This study investigates bioremediation of pharmaceutical wastewater from pharmaceutical company Pliva Hrvatska d.o.o., using activated sludge and bioaugmented activated sludge with isolated mixed bacterial culture. The experiments were conducted in a batch reactor in submerged conditions, at initial concentration of organic matter in pharmaceutical wastewater, expressed as COD, 5.01 g dm–3 and different initial concentrations of activated sludge, which ranged from 1.16 to 3.54 g dm–3. During the experiments, the COD, pH, concentrations of dissolved oxygen and biomass were monitored. Microscopic analyses were performed to monitor the quality of activated sludge. Before starting with the bioremediation in the batch reactor, toxicity of the pharmaceutical wastewater was determined by toxicity test using bacteria Vibrio fischeri. The obtained results showed that the effective concentration of the pharmaceutical wastewater was EC50 = 17 % and toxicity impact index was TII50 = 5.9, meaning that the untreated pharmaceutical industrial effluent must not be discharged into the environment before treatment. The results of the pharmaceutical wastewater bioremediation process in the batch reactor are presented in Table 1. The ratio γXv ⁄ γX maintained high values throughout all experiments and ranged from 0.90 and 0.95, suggesting that the concentrations of biomass remained unchanged during the experiments. The important kinetic parameters required for performance of the biological removal process, namely μmax, Ks, Ki, Y and kd were calculated from batch experiments (Table 2. Figs. 1 and 2 show the experimental

  20. Radiation decontamination of pharmaceutical raw materials as an integral part of the good pharmaceutical manufacturing practice (GPMP)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Razem, D; Katusin-Razem, B [Institut Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb (Yugoslavia); Starcevic, M; Galekovic, B [PLIVA Pharmaceutical Works, Zagreb (Yugoslavia)

    1990-01-01

    The microbiological quality of many raw materials used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and adjuvants often fails to meet the standards set by the pharmaceutical industry. Raw materials of biological provenience are particularly susceptible to contamination. This work describes the present situation regarding the microbial load of corn starch. Given the accepted microbiological criteria, irradiation treatment is proposed as integral to Good Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practice (GPMP). The use of total viable count as a guide for specifying microbial limits for non-sterile materials is supported. Criteria for the choice of dose are discussed. (author).

  1. Radiation decontamination of pharmaceutical raw materials as an integral part of the good pharmaceutical manufacturing practice (GPMP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Razem, D.; Katusin-Razem, B.; Starcevic, M.; Galekovic, B.

    1990-01-01

    The microbiological quality of many raw materials used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and adjuvants often fails to meet the standards set by the pharmaceutical industry. Raw materials of biological provenience are particularly susceptible to contamination. This work describes the present situation regarding the microbial load of corn starch. Given the accepted microbiological criteria, irradiation treatment is proposed as integral to Good Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practice (GPMP). The use of total viable count as a guide for specifying microbial limits for non-sterile materials is supported. Criteria for the choice of dose are discussed. (author)

  2. Financial relationships in economic analyses of targeted therapies in oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valachis, Antonis; Polyzos, Nikolaos P; Nearchou, Andreas; Lind, Pehr; Mauri, Davide

    2012-04-20

    A potential financial relationship between investigators and pharmaceutical manufacturers has been associated with an increased likelihood of reporting favorable conclusions about a sponsor's proprietary agent in pharmacoeconomic studies. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is an association between financial relationships and outcome in economic analyses of new targeted therapies in oncology. We searched PubMed (last update June 2011) for economic analyses of targeted therapies (including monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors) in oncology. The trials were qualitatively rated regarding the cost assessment as favorable, neutral, or unfavorable on the basis of prespecified criteria. Overall, 81 eligible studies were identified. Economic analyses that were funded by pharmaceutical companies were more likely to report favorable qualitative cost estimates (28 [82%] of 34 v 21 [45%] of 47; P = .003). The presence of an author affiliated with manufacturer was not associated with study outcome. Furthermore, if only studies including a conflict of interest statement were included (66 of 81), studies that reported any financial relationship with manufacturers (author affiliation and/or funding and/or other financial relationship) were more likely to report favorable results of targeted therapies compared with studies without financial relationship (32 [71%] of 45 v nine [43%] of 21; P = .025). Our study reveals a potential threat for industry-related bias in economic analyses of targeted therapies in oncology in favor of analyses with financial relationships between authors and manufacturers. A more balanced funding of economic analyses from other sources may allow greater confidence in the interpretation of their results.

  3. Nurse practitioners' perceptions and participation in pharmaceutical marketing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crigger, Nancy; Barnes, Kristen; Junko, Autumn; Rahal, Sarah; Sheek, Casey

    2009-03-01

    This paper reports on a study conducted to describe family nurse practitioners' perceptions towards and participation in pharmaceutical marketing and to explore the relationships among related variables. The pharmaceutical industry's intense global marketing strategies have resulted in widespread concern in healthcare professionals and professional groups, sectors of the public in many countries, and in the World Health Organization. Research on healthcare providers' participation in pharmaceutical marketing indicates that these relationships are conflicts of interests and compromise healthcare providers' prescribing practices and trust. Nursing, as a discipline, appears to be slow to address the impact of pharmaceutical marketing on nursing practice. Questionnaires about perceptions and participation in pharmaceutical marketing were completed by a random sample of 84 licensed family nurse practitioners in the United States of America in 2007. Family nurse practitioners viewed pharmaceutical company marketing uncritically as educational and beneficial. They also perceived other providers but not themselves as influenced by pharmaceutical marketing. The findings supported those found in previous research with nurses and physicians. Lack of education, participation in marketing and psychological and social responses may impede family nurse practitioners' ability to respond critically and appropriately to marketing strategies and the conflict of interest it creates.

  4. PNAUM: integrated approach to Pharmaceutical Services, Science, Technology and Innovation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gadelha, Carlos Augusto Grabois; Costa, Karen Sarmento; Nascimento, José Miguel do; Soeiro, Orlando Mário; Mengue, Sotero Serrate; Motta, Márcia Luz da; Carvalho, Antônio Carlos Campos de

    2016-12-01

    This paper describes the development process of the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos (PNAUM - National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines) based on an integrated approach to pharmaceutical services, science, technology and innovation. It starts by contextualizing health and development in Brazil and features elements of the National Policy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Health in Brazil and the National Policy for Pharmaceutical Services. On presenting pharmaceutical policy guidelines, it stresses the lack of nationwide data. This survey, commissioned by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, has two components: household survey and evaluation of pharmaceutical services in primary care. The findings point to perspectives that represent, besides the enhancement of public policy for pharmaceutical services and public health, results of government action aimed at developing the economic and industrial health care complex to improve the health conditions of the Brazilian population. RESUMO O artigo apresenta o processo de construção da Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamento a partir de uma concepção integradora da Assistência Farmacêutica, Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação. Inicia-se contextualizando a saúde e o desenvolvimento no País e apresenta elementos da Política Nacional de Ciência Tecnologia e Inovação em Saúde no Brasil e da Política Nacional de Assistência Farmacêutica. Ao apresentar as diretrizes das Políticas Farmacêuticas, destaca-se a carência de dados de abrangência nacional. A presente pesquisa, encomendada pelo Ministério da Saúde, foi estruturada em dois componentes: inquérito domiciliar e avaliação dos serviços de assistência farmacêutica na atenção básica. As perspectivas dos resultados representam, além do incremento das políticas públicas farmacêuticas e de saúde p

  5. Pharmaceutical drug detailing in primary care: extent and methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schramm, Jesper

    The dimension and methods of pharmaceutical marketing towards 47 danish general practitioners is described. Conclusions: Pharmaceutical drug detailing possesses a huge potential to influence the prescription pattern of GP's.......The dimension and methods of pharmaceutical marketing towards 47 danish general practitioners is described. Conclusions: Pharmaceutical drug detailing possesses a huge potential to influence the prescription pattern of GP's....

  6. An Estimation of the Potential Utilization in Iranian Pharmaceutical Industry Involved in the Stock Exchange, 2008-2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annabi, Majid; Kebriaeezadeh, Abbas; Mohammadi, Timor; Marashi Shoshtari, Seyed Nasrolah; Abedin Dorkoosh, Farid; Pourreza, Abolghasem; Heydari, Hassan

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to measure the potential of production and the capacity used in the pharmaceutical industry. Capacity use is the actual production rate to the potential output, which reflects the gap between actual production and production capacity. Through econometric methods, translog cost function in the short run along with functions of share cost of production factors is estimated through seemingly unrelated repeated regression (SURE) as a multivariate regression analysis provided by zeller. During the study the capacity used is decreasing. The capacity used, which calculated by weighted average, also decreased and the amount during the study period is much less than the simple average of the industry. Average capacity utilization in the industry over five years of study is equal to 57% while the average capacity used calculated by the weighted of industry average is 37%. To enhance the economic potential requires a proper use of resources, creation of favorable economic structure and productivity of the industry. Due to the large amount of unused capacity in the pharmaceutical industry there is no need to invest anymore unless in new grounds and it is obvious that more investment will change using capacity. PMID:29552074

  7. An Estimation of the Potential Utilization in Iranian Pharmaceutical Industry Involved in the Stock Exchange, 2008-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annabi, Majid; Kebriaeezadeh, Abbas; Mohammadi, Timor; Marashi Shoshtari, Seyed Nasrolah; Abedin Dorkoosh, Farid; Pourreza, Abolghasem; Heydari, Hassan

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to measure the potential of production and the capacity used in the pharmaceutical industry. Capacity use is the actual production rate to the potential output, which reflects the gap between actual production and production capacity . Through econometric methods, translog cost function in the short run along with functions of share cost of production factors is estimated through seemingly unrelated repeated regression (SURE) as a multivariate regression analysis provided by zeller. During the study the capacity used is decreasing. The capacity used, which calculated by weighted average, also decreased and the amount during the study period is much less than the simple average of the industry. Average capacity utilization in the industry over five years of study is equal to 57% while the average capacity used calculated by the weighted of industry average is 37%. To enhance the economic potential requires a proper use of resources, creation of favorable economic structure and productivity of the industry. Due to the large amount of unused capacity in the pharmaceutical industry there is no need to invest anymore unless in new grounds and it is obvious that more investment will change using capacity.

  8. EU pharmaceutical expenditure forecast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbinati, Duccio; Rémuzat, Cécile; Kornfeld, Åsa; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aballéa, Samuel; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    With constant incentives for healthcare payers to contain their pharmaceutical budgets, forecasting has become critically important. Some countries have, for instance, developed pharmaceutical horizon scanning units. The objective of this project was to build a model to assess the net effect of the entrance of new patented medicinal products versus medicinal products going off-patent, with a defined forecast horizon, on selected European Union (EU) Member States' pharmaceutical budgets. This model took into account population ageing, as well as current and future country-specific pricing, reimbursement, and market access policies (the project was performed for the European Commission; see http://ec.europa.eu/health/healthcare/key_documents/index_en.htm). In order to have a representative heterogeneity of EU Member States, the following countries were selected for the analysis: France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. A forecasting period of 5 years (2012-2016) was chosen to assess the net pharmaceutical budget impact. A model for generics and biosimilars was developed for each country. The model estimated a separate and combined effect of the direct and indirect impacts of the patent cliff. A second model, estimating the sales development and the risk of development failure, was developed for new drugs. New drugs were reviewed individually to assess their clinical potential and translate it into commercial potential. The forecast was carried out according to three perspectives (healthcare public payer, society, and manufacturer), and several types of distribution chains (retail, hospital, and combined retail and hospital). Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were carried out. According to the model, all countries experienced drug budget reductions except Poland (+€41 million). Savings were expected to be the highest in the United Kingdom (-€9,367 million), France (-€5,589 million), and, far behind them

  9. Doctors and pharmaceutical industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beran, Roy G

    2009-09-01

    The pharmaceutical industry is seen as seducing doctors by providing expensive gifts, subsidising travel and underwriting practice expenses in return for those doctors prescribing products that otherwise they would not use. This paints doctors in a very negative light; suggests doctors are available to the highest bidder; implies doctors do not adequately act as independent agents; and that doctors are driven more by self-interest than by patient needs. Similar practices, in other industries, are accepted as normal business behaviour but it is automatically assumed to be improper if the pharmaceutical industry supports doctors. Should the pharmaceutical industry withdraw educational grants then there would be: fewer scientific meetings; reduced attendance at conferences; limited post graduate education; and a depreciated level of maintenance of professional standards. To suggest that doctors prescribe inappropriately in return for largesse maligns their integrity but where there is no scientific reason to choose between different treatments then there can be little argument against selecting the product manufactured by a company that has invested in the doctor and the question arises as to whether this represents bad medicine? This paper will examine what constitutes non-professional conduct in response to inducements by the pharmaceutical industry. It will review: conflict of interest; relationships between doctors and pharma and the consequences for patients; and the need for critical appraisal before automatically decrying this relationship while accepting that there remain those who do not practice ethical medicine.

  10. The Impact of Biotechnology on Pharmaceutics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Block, Lawrence H.

    1990-01-01

    The emergence of bioactive peptides and proteins as new drug species poses formidable problems for the pharmaceutical scientist. Implications for revision or change in undergraduate and graduate pharmaceutics curricula derive from the biopharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic, and physiochemical aspects of the new drug species, which differ from…

  11. Pharmaceutical counseling: Between evidence-based medicine and profits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egorova, S N; Akhmetova, T

    2015-01-01

    The number of pharmacies, which produce drug formulations locally, has recently considerably reduced in Russia. Pharmacies mainly operate as retailers of industrially manufactured drugs.Pharmaceutical consultation of customers at pharmacies aimed at responsible self-medication is the most popular and accessible feature of pharmaceutical care. In Russia there is a significant list of medicines approved for sale in pharmacies on a non-prescription basis that is specified in the product label. In this regard, the role of pharmacists in public health in Russia increases. Pharmacist, working directly with population, is an important figure for the rational use of medicines. This type of work requires high level of professional training and appropriate ethics. To explore the current status of pharmaceutical counseling in Russia. Situation analysis, surveys of pharmacists. Our experience in the system of postgraduate professional education, the results of the survey of pharmacists, and the long-term dialogue with pharmacists allowed us to identify several unresolved issues in the work of a pharmacist selling non-prescription drugs.Lack of differentiation in the functions of a pharmacist with a higher education and pharmaceutical technologist: In production/industrial pharmacy technicians are engaged in manufacturing of pharmaceutical formulations. However, due to the loss of production functions technologists had to move away from production laboratories of apothecaries to the sales area. Currently, the apothecary's assignment to receive prescriptions and dispense medications can be fulfilled by either a pharmacist or a pharmaceutical technician. It significantly discerns the pharmacy from the medical organization with clearly delineated functions of doctors and nurses. Russian regulations should consider the level of education required for high-quality pharmaceutical counseling.Contradiction between the pharmacist's special functions and trade procedure with the lack of

  12. Pharmaceutical grey water footprint: Accounting, influence of wastewater treatment plants and implications of the reuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Alcalá, Isabel; Pellicer-Martínez, Francisco; Fernández-López, Carmen

    2018-05-15

    Emerging pollutants, including pharmaceutical compounds, are producing water pollution problems around the world. Some pharmaceutical pollutants, which mainly reach ecosystems within wastewater discharges, are persistent in the water cycle and can also reach the food chain. This work addresses this issue, accounting the grey component of the water footprint (GWF P ) for four of the most common pharmaceutical compounds (carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DCF), ketoprofen (KTP) and naproxen (NPX)). In addition, the GWF C for the main conventional pollutants is also accounted (nitrate, phosphates and organic matter). The case study is the Murcia Region of southeastern Spain, where wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) purify 99.1% of the wastewater discharges and there is an important direct reuse of the treated wastewater in irrigation. Thus, the influence of WWTPs and reuse on the GWF is analysed. The results reveal that GWF P , only taking into account pharmaceutical pollutants, has a value of 301 m 3 inhabitant -1 year -1 ; considering only conventional pollutants (GWF C ), this value increases to 4718 m 3 inhabitant -1 year -1 . So, the difference between these values is such that in other areas with consumption habits similar to those of the Murcia Region, and without wastewater purification, conventional pollutants may well establish the value of the GWF. On average, the WWTPs reduce the GWF C by 90% and the GWF P by 26%. These different reductions of the pollutant concentrations in the treated effluents show that the GWF is not only due to conventional pollutants, and other contaminants can became critical, such as the pharmaceutical pollutants. The reuse further reduces the value of the GWF for the Murcia Region, by around 43.6%. However, the reuse of treated wastewater is controversial, considering the pharmaceutical contaminants and their possible consequences in the food chain. In these cases, the GWF of pharmaceutical pollutants can be used to provide a

  13. Methods for the comparative evaluation of pharmaceuticals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Busse, Reinhard

    2005-11-01

    preferred to surrogate parameters. Following the concept of community effectiveness, drug review institutions also explicitly favour RCT in a "natural" design, i.e. in daily routine and country specific care settings. The countries' requirements for pharmacoeconomic studies are similar despite some methodological inconsistencies, e.g. concerning cost calculation. Outcomes of clinical and pharmacoeconomic analyses are largely determined by the choice of comparator. Selecting an appropriate comparative treatment is therefore crucial. In theory, the best or most cost effective therapy is regarded as appropriate comparator for clinical and economic studies. Pragmatically however, institutions accept that the drug is compared to the treatment of daily routine or to the least expensive therapy. If a pharmaceutical offers several approved indications, in some countries all of them are assessed. Others only evaluate a drug's main indication. Canada is the only country which also considers a medicine's off-label use. It is well known that clinical trials and pharmacoeconomic studies directly comparing a drug with adequate competitors are lacking - in quantitative as well as in qualitative terms. This is specifically the case before or shortly after marketing authorisation. Yet there is the need to support reimbursement or pricing decisions by scientific evidence. In this situation review bodies are often forced to rely on observational studies or on other internally less valid data (including expert and consensus opinions. As a second option they use statistical approaches like indirect adjusted comparisons (in Australia and the United Kingdom and, commonly, economic modelling. However, there is consensus that results provided by these techniques need to be verified by valid head-to-head comparisons as soon as possible.ConclusionsIn the majority of countries reimbursement and pricing decisions are based on systematic and evidence-based evaluation comparing a drug's clinical and

  14. Methods for the comparative evaluation of pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zentner, Annette; Velasco-Garrido, Marcial; Busse, Reinhard

    2005-11-15

    of community effectiveness, drug review institutions also explicitly favour RCT in a "natural" design, i.e. in daily routine and country specific care settings. The countries' requirements for pharmacoeconomic studies are similar despite some methodological inconsistencies, e.g. concerning cost calculation. Outcomes of clinical and pharmacoeconomic analyses are largely determined by the choice of comparator. Selecting an appropriate comparative treatment is therefore crucial. In theory, the best or most cost effective therapy is regarded as appropriate comparator for clinical and economic studies. Pragmatically however, institutions accept that the drug is compared to the treatment of daily routine or to the least expensive therapy. If a pharmaceutical offers several approved indications, in some countries all of them are assessed. Others only evaluate a drug's main indication. Canada is the only country which also considers a medicine's off-label use. It is well known that clinical trials and pharmacoeconomic studies directly comparing a drug with adequate competitors are lacking - in quantitative as well as in qualitative terms. This is specifically the case before or shortly after marketing authorisation. Yet there is the need to support reimbursement or pricing decisions by scientific evidence. In this situation review bodies are often forced to rely on observational studies or on other internally less valid data (including expert and consensus opinions). As a second option they use statistical approaches like indirect adjusted comparisons (in Australia and the United Kingdom) and, commonly, economic modelling. However, there is consensus that results provided by these techniques need to be verified by valid head-to-head comparisons as soon as possible. In the majority of countries reimbursement and pricing decisions are based on systematic and evidence-based evaluation comparing a drug's clinical and economic characteristics to daily treatment routine. However

  15. [The aspects of pricing policy in Azerbaijan pharmaceutical sector].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzhalilova, K I; Alieva, K Ia

    2012-01-01

    The effect of macro-, middle- and microeconomic factors on price formation in Azerbaijan pharmaceutical market has been studied. Worldwide pharmaceutical leaders have the goals to become leader on the pharmaceutical market of Azerbaijan and maximize their market share. Non-leaders pharmaceutical companies use different strategies of price formation: prime cost plus markup, or price formation on the base of current prices. It was revealed that domestic pharmaceutical market has high demand elasticity. Future market development is related to stimulation of product development, and hard penetration to the market through realization of price formation strategy. Non-state pharmaceutical organizations to achieve the purpose of survive in conditions of high competition should take in to account the factor perceptions of assortment by customers.

  16. Uptake and depuration of pharmaceuticals in aquatic invertebrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meredith-Williams, Melanie; Carter, Laura J.; Fussell, Richard; Raffaelli, David; Ashauer, Roman; Boxall, Alistair B.A.

    2012-01-01

    The uptake and depuration of a range of pharmaceuticals in the freshwater shrimp (Gammarus pulex) and the water boatman (Notonecta glauca) was studied. For one compound, studies were also done using the freshwater snail Planobarius corneus. In G. pulex, bioconcentration factors (BCFs) ranged from 4.6 to 185,900 and increased in the order moclobemide < 5-fluoruracil < carbamazepine < diazepam < carvedilol < fluoxetine. In N. glauca BCFs ranged from 0.1 to 1.6 and increased in the order 5-fluorouracil < carbamazepine < moclobemide < diazepam < fluoxetine < carvedilol. For P. corneus, the BCF for carvedilol was 57.3. The differences in degree of uptake across the three organisms may be due to differences in mode of respiration, behaviour and the pH of the test system. BCFs of the pharmaceuticals for each organism were correlated to the pH-corrected liposome–water partition coefficient of the pharmaceuticals. - Highlights: ► One of the first studies exploring the uptake of pharmaceuticals into aquatic invertebrates. ► Data presented on uptake, depuration rates and bioconcentration for a range of pharmaceuticals. ► Uptake is correlated with the pH-corrected liposome–water partition coefficient. ► Findings can be used to better predict impacts of pharmaceuticals on the aquatic environment. - The factors affecting the degree of uptake of pharmaceuticals into aquatic invertebrates were studied. The results indicate that species traits such as respiration and behaviour of the organisms and pH-corrected liposome–water partition coefficients are important factors in determining pharmaceutical uptake.

  17. Determinants of Iran’s Bilateral Intra-industry Trade in Pharmaceutical Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghlmand, Siamak; Rahimi, Bahlol; Farrokh-Eslamlou, Hamidreza; Nabilou, Bahram; Yusefzadeh, Hassan

    2018-01-01

    Among non-oil and in trade arena, drug has always been strategic importance and most government especially industrialized countries pay special attention to its production and trade issues. Thus, having a comprehensive view from economic perspective to this section is essential for suggesting intervention. This was a descriptive-analytical and panel study. In this study, gravity model is used to estimate Iran’s bilateral intra-industry trade in pharmaceutical products in the 2001-2012 periods. To illustrate the extent of pharmaceutical’s intra-industry trade between Iran and its major trading partners, the explanatory variables of market size, income, factor endowments, distance, cultural contributions, and similarities and also special trade arrangements have been applied. Analysis of factors affecting Iran’s bilateral intra-industry trade in pharmaceutical industry showed that the average GDP and cultural similarities had a significant positive impact on Iran’s bilateral IIT, while the difference in GDP has a negative and significant effect. Coefficients obtained for the geographical distance and the average ratio of total capital to the labor force is not consistent with theoretical expectations. Special trade arrangements did not have significant impact on the extent of bilateral intra-industry trade between Iran and its trading partners. The knowledge of the intra-industry trade between Iran and its trade partners make integration between the countries. Factors affecting this type of trade pattern underlie its development in trade relationship. Therefore, the findings of this study would be useful in helping to develop and implement policies for the expansion of the pharmaceutical trade. PMID:29881438

  18. Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing Sector (NAICS 3254)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Find environmental regulatory and compliance information for the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, including essential uses of CFCs, NESHAP for pharmaceutical production, effluent guidelines for wastewater and management of hazardous waste.

  19. A model of the prescription-pharmaceutical sales process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Stros

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors in marketing most relevant to achieving pharmaceutical sales success and their interrelations, as well as providing a prescription-pharmaceuticals sales process model. This will enable scholars to obtain a better understanding of the marketing process for prescription pharmaceuticals, as well as enabling marketers to apply more efficient marketing approaches. The study uses a unique data set, combining primary data and secondary data from the Swiss prescription-pharmaceuticals market. The data is analysed using a multiple-regression based model. A multi-level data structure is found, suggesting that factors concerning the specific brand and also the pharmaceutical substance itself are relevant to sales success. It is revealed that the factors most relevant to sales success are: order of market entry, perceived product-quality, average price, and marketing expenditures, leading to practical recommendations for scholars and marketing professionals. The study focuses only on the Swiss prescription-pharmaceuticals market, investigating five medical drug classes. The assumption is made that these results can be generalised to similar markets and drug classes. The study develops a conceptual prescription-pharmaceuticals sales-process model; offers practical guidelines and a good basis for further scholarly research are provided; and identifies several research gaps by giving proposals for future research.

  20. SUBSTANTIATION OF THE NEED AND POSSIBILITIES FOR OPTIMIZATION ON PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPORT FOR WOMEN WITH THYTOID GLAND PATHOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. T. Glembotskaya

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Last decades the amount of people with thynoid gland diseases has increased significantly all over the globe. This disease has more negative consequences for women organism during all aging hormonal changes. Similarity of symptoms of thynoid glands diseases and a range of aging hormonal changes complicates the problem. At that the question of pharmaceutical assistance for women with this pathology was not the object of organizational and economical researches in the Russian Federation, despite their relevance. The purpose is the study of a degree of scientific development of the mentioned problem and representation of the elements of problem situation in the chosen segment of medical and pharmaceutical assistance consumers. Based on the analysis of literature and statistic data, content analysis of rules and regulations, concerning procedures and the relations in the pharmaceutical assistance system, and the results of the conducted sociological survey, we have formed the elements of a problem situation in the chosen segment of medical and pharmaceutical support consumers. Sociological, graphic, logic, contentanalysis were used as methods of the study. We have substantiated a scientific and practice need in development of methodological principals of pharmaceutical support optimization for women with thynoid gland pathology; we have reasoned the opportunities and principal directions of specialized pharmaceutical assistance to the given segment of drug consumers. We have proved the timeliness of the study for organization of pharmaceutical assistance for women with thynoid gland pathology due to its specifically negative consequences during all aging hormonal changes in an organism. We have revealed the presence of risk factors and exceptionally low awareness of women in thynoid gland pathology against the background of excessive occupation of women in active working ages. We have determined a niche in formation of informational mass with

  1. Toward a Regional Research Agenda on Pharmaceutical ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    African policymakers are pushing for local pharmaceutical manufacturing as a ... Africa Development Community Pharmaceutical Business Plan (2007-2013) and ... IDRC congratulates first cohort of Women in Climate Change Science Fellows.

  2. Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Pharmaceutical Industry. An ENERGY STAR Guide for Energy and Plant Managers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Galitsky, Christina; Galitsky, Christina; Chang, Sheng-chieh; Worrell, Ernst; Masanet, Eric

    2008-03-01

    The U.S. pharmaceutical industry consumes almost $1 billion in energy annually. Energy efficiency improvement is an important way to reduce these costs and to increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. There are a variety of opportunities available at individual plants in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner. This Energy Guide discusses energy efficiency practices and energy efficient technologies that can be implemented at the component, process, system, and organizational levels. A discussion of the trends, structure, and energy consumption characteristics of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry is provided along with a description of the major process steps in the pharmaceutical manufacturing process. Expected savings in energy and energy-related costs are given for many energy efficiency measures, based on case study data from real-world applications in pharmaceutical and related facilities worldwide. Typical measure payback periods and references to further information in the technical literature are also provided, when available. The information in this Energy Guide is intended to help energy and plant managers reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner while meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining the quality of products manufactured. At individual plants, further research on the economics of the measures?as well as their applicability to different production practices?is needed to assess potential implementation of selected technologies.

  3. Modelling of drying processes of pharmaceutical granules. Pharmaceutical Sciences for the Future of Medicines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortier, S.T.F.C.; Vedantam, S.; De Beer, T.

    Tablets are conventionally produced via consecutive batch process steps. Recent introduction of continuous process equipment is gaining industrial importance in pharmaceutics. Transition to continuous production requires improved understanding of all operations, necessitating the development...... of mechanistic models of multi‐phase systems which in the end allow process control. This contribution focuses on continuous fluidized bed drying of pharmaceutical wet granules. A stepwise approach is used in model development, starting with the drying behaviour of single granules. Experiments to determine...

  4. Pharmaceutical product cross-contamination: industrial and clinical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    problems. Pharmaceutical product cross-contamination is a serious problem which has been detected as an obstacle ... In the pharmaceutical care of patients in developed countries, cross-contamination ..... neonatal intensive care units.

  5. Quality Systems Implementation in the Pharmaceutical Industry

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nafiisah

    quality standards imposed on local pharmaceutical manufacturers. Keywords: Quality/ .... GMP is concerned with both production and quality control. It is aimed ... in the European pharmaceutical industry in designing their quality systems:.

  6. Female Progress and Discrimination. An Economic Perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Sandra E. Black

    2005-01-01

    In the last 20 years, women’s economic progress has been staggering; this progress is particularly startling given that this has also been a period of marked increases in income inequality overall, declining relative wages of blacks, and declining real wages of low-skilled workers. Recent work has proposed a number of possible explanations for the progress of women, including changing social norms (in part facilitated by technological/pharmaceutical advances), increasing skill acquisition, ch...

  7. Cost benefit of investment on quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing: WHO GMP pre- and post-certification of a Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anyakora, Chimezie; Ekwunife, Obinna; Alozie, Faith; Esuga, Mopa; Ukwuru, Jonathan; Onya, Steve; Nwokike, Jude

    2017-09-18

    Pharmaceutical companies in Africa need to invest in both facilities and quality management systems to achieve good manufacturing practice (GMP) compliance. Compliance to international GMP standards is important to the attainment of World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification. However, most of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing companies may be deterred from investing in quality because of many reasons, ranging from financial constraints to technical capacity. This paper primarily evaluates benefits against the cost of investing in GMP, using a Nigerian pharmaceutical company, Chi Pharmaceuticals Limited, as a case study. This paper also discusses how to drive more local manufacturers to invest in quality to attain GMP compliance; and proffers practical recommendations for local manufacturers who would want to invest in quality to meet ethical and regulatory obligations. The cost benefit of improving the quality of Chi Pharmaceuticals Limited's facilities and system to attain WHO GMP certification for the production of zinc sulfate 20-mg dispersible tablets was calculated by dividing the annual benefits derived from quality improvement interventions by the annual costs of implementing quality improvement interventions, referred to as a benefit-cost ratio (BCR). Cost benefit of obtaining WHO GMP certification for the production of zinc sulfate 20-mg dispersible tablets was 5.3 (95% confidence interval of 5.0-5.5). Investment in quality improvement intervention is cost-beneficial for local manufacturing companies. Governments and regulators in African countries should support pharmaceutical companies striving to invest in quality. Collaboration of local manufacturing companies with global companies will further improve quality. Local pharmaceutical companies should be encouraged to key into development opportunities available for pharmaceutical companies in Africa.

  8. Green chemistry volumetric titration kit for pharmaceutical formulations: Econoburette

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Man Singh

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Stopcock SC and Spring Sp models of Econoburette (Calibrated, RTC (NR, Ministry of Small Scale Industries, Government of India, developed for semimicro volumetric titration of pharmaceutical formulations are reported. These are economized and risk free titration where pipette is replaced by an inbuilt pipette and conical flask by inbuilt bulb. A step of pipetting of stock solution by mouth is deleted. It is used to allow solution exposure to user’s body. This risk is removed and even volatile and toxic solutions are titrated with full proof safety. Econoburette minimizes use of materials and time by 90 % and prevent discharge of polluting effluent to environment. Few acid and base samples are titrated and an analysis of experimental expenditure is described in the papers.

  9. A new e-beam application in the pharmaceutical industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadat, Theo; Malcolm, Fiona

    2005-01-01

    The paper presents a new electron beam application in the pharmaceutical industry: an in-line self-shielded atropic transfer system using electron beam for surface decontamination of products entering a pharmaceutical filling line. The unit was developed by Linac Technologies in response to the specifications of a multi-national pharmaceutical company, to solve the risk of microbial contamination entering a filling line housed inside an isolator. In order to fit the sterilization unit inside the pharmaceutical plant, a 'miniature' low-energy (200 keV) electron beam accelerator and e-beam tunnel were designed, all conforming to the pharmaceutical good manufacturing practice (GMP) regulations. Process validation using biological indicators is described, with reference to the regulations governing the pharmaceutical industry. Other industrial applications of a small-sized self-shielded electron beam sterilization unit are mentioned

  10. Applying health economics for policy decision making: do devices differ from drugs?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorenson, Corinna; Tarricone, Rosanna; Siebert, Markus; Drummond, Michael

    2011-05-01

    Medical devices pose unique challenges for economic evaluation and associated decision-making processes that differ from pharmaceuticals. We highlight and discuss these challenges in the context of cardiac device therapy, based on a systematic review of relevant economic evaluations. Key challenges include practical difficulties in conducting randomized clinical trials, allowing for a 'learning curve' and user characteristics, accounting for the wider organizational impacts of introducing new devices, and allowing for variations in product characteristics and prices over time.

  11. Pharmaceutical regulation in 15 European countries review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panteli, Dimitra; Arickx, Francis; Cleemput, Irina; Dedet, Guillaume; Eckhardt, Helen; Fogarty, Emer; Gerkens, Sophie; Henschke, Cornelia; Hislop, Jennifer; Jommi, Claudio; Kaitelidou, Daphne; Kawalec, Pawel; Keskimaki, Ilmo; Kroneman, Madelon; Lopez Bastida, Julio; Pita Barros, Pedro; Ramsberg, Joakim; Schneider, Peter; Spillane, Susan; Vogler, Sabine; Vuorenkoski, Lauri; Wallach Kildemoes, Helle; Wouters, Olivier; Busse, Reinhard

    2016-10-01

    In the context of pharmaceutical care, policy-makers repeatedly face the challenge of balancing patient access to effective medicines with affordability and rising costs. With the aim of guiding the health policy discourse towards questions that are important to actual and potential patients, this study investigates a broad range of regulatory measures, spanning marketing authorization to generic substitution and resulting price levels in a sample of 16 European health systems (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Sweden). All countries employ a mix of regulatory mechanisms to contain pharmaceutical expenditure and ensure quality and efficiency in pharmaceutical care, albeit with varying configurations and rigour. This variation also influences the extent of publicly financed pharmaceutical costs. Overall, observed differences in pharmaceutical expenditure should be interpreted in conjunction with the differing volume and composition of consumption and price levels, as well as dispensation practices and their impact on measurement of pharmaceutical costs. No definitive evidence has yet been produced on the effects of different cost-containment measures on patient outcomes. Depending on the foremost policy concerns in each country, different levers will have to be used to enable the delivery of appropriate care at affordable prices. World Health Organization 2016 (acting as the host organization for, and secretariat of, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies).

  12. Radiation sterilization of some pharmaceutical preparations and medical products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tashmetov, M.Yu.; Makhkamov, Sh.M.; Urinov, Sh.S.; Turaev, A.S.; Sultanov, M.S.; Inagomov, Kh.S.

    2006-01-01

    Full text: In connection with intensive development of pharmacology and medical techniques, use of the products contacting to blood, with the internal environment of an organism, with wound surface, with mucous membranes and skin there were high requirements to sterility of pharmaceutical preparations and medical products. Traditional methods of sterilization (heat treatment, gas processing and processing the ferry) have some restrictions in application, and not insufficient degree of sterilization required for pharmaceutical preparations and medical products. Thermal processing can lead to degradation of structure (medicine), mechanical changes and loss of medical properties. Besides, it is impossible to carry out sterilization of many pharmaceutical preparations by a method of heat treatment. Sterilization of products in packing is very complicated, because sterilization temperature of packing and a product is different. Gas processing is basically applied to sterilization of medical products (syringes, bandage, cotton wools, etc.). However, the degree of sterility is low, because of rather low ability and heterogeneity of sterilizing substance. Sterilization in packing represents special difficulty and demands additional charges related with delivery of the purified gas from abroad. Last years alongside with known technological methods of sterilization of medical products and pharmaceutical preparations radiating methods of processing have found wide application. Use of electronic bunches with the moderate energy and various isotopes became a basis for formation and development of a new direction in the medicine, called by 'radiation sterilization'. The radiation technology is highly harmless and economic, not polluting substance and surrounding space. Unlike the specified traditional methods, radiating processing of products by the isotope 60 Co, radiating the gamma quantum, has unique opportunities - high penetrability in substance, providing uniformity of

  13. Pharmaceutical services and health promotion: how far have we gone and how are we faring? Scientific output in pharmaceutical studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carina Akemi Nakamura

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the scientific output on health promotion within the pharmaceutical field and its relation with the development of pharmaceutical services within health systems. A comprehensive review of published scientific articles from the Medline and Lilacs databases was carried out. The review comprised articles published until December 2011, and used combinations of the terms 'health promotion' or 'health education' and 'pharmacy', 'pharmacist' or 'pharmaceutical'. The articles were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 170 full texts and 87 indexed abstracts were analyzed, evidencing that most described actions of health promotion in community pharmacies and other services. Following the Ottawa Charter, most of the studies dealt with new guidance of the service and the supply of pharmaceutical information and services. It was concluded that there is a lack of theoretical background on health promotion in the pharmaceutical field to sustain the professional education and practice required by the health system and the population.

  14. East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences An ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An Approach to Effective Disinfection of Salon Items [clippers, combs and scissors]. O.S. OLONITOLA'*, P.F. OLURINOLA~ ... 2~epartment of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical. Sciences, Ahmadu Bello ... antimicrobial products with increased value over those currently available.

  15. The use of atomic spectroscopy in the pharmaceutical industry for the determination of trace elements in pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewen, Nancy

    2011-06-25

    The subject of the analysis of various elements, including metals and metalloids, in the pharmaceutical industry has seen increasing importance in the last 10-15 years, as modern analytical instrumentation has afforded analysts with the opportunity to provide element-specific, accurate and meaningful information related to pharmaceutical products. Armed with toxicological data, compendial and regulatory agencies have revisited traditional approaches to the testing of pharmaceuticals for metals and metalloids, and analysts have begun to employ the techniques of atomic spectroscopy, such as flame- and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS, Flame AA or FAA and GFAAS), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), to meet their analytical needs. Newer techniques, such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Ablation ICP-MS (LAICP-MS) are also beginning to see wider applications in the analysis of elements in the pharmaceutical industry.This article will provide a perspective regarding the various applications of atomic spectroscopy in the analysis of metals and metalloids in drug products, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API's), raw materials and intermediates. The application of atomic spectroscopy in the analysis of metals and metalloids in clinical samples, nutraceutical, metabolism and pharmacokinetic samples will not be addressed in this work. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Excavating treasure from the amber of the prior art: why the public benefit doctrine is ill-suited to the pharmaceutical sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, Robert Alan

    2011-01-01

    This paper explores incongruities between patents and regulation as applied to the pharmaceutical industry in the United States. Research, development and marketing of a new pharmaceutical agent generally requires large, high-risk investments. The time and expense of conducting clinical trials to obtain pre-market approval from the Food and Drug Administration provides an additional barrier to entry. The patent system stimulates such investment by providing a legal barrier to appropriation of these investments by free-riders and increasing the likelihood of capital return on these investments. These two barriers are intertwined. For the most part, firms only attempt to clear the regulatory barrier when patent protection is certain. As a result of the uniquely challenging economic situation presented by the regulatory barrier, a common line of reasoning in patent policy and jurisprudence, that inventions which are barred from patenting benefit the public, is flawed. To the contrary, the patent/regulatory system forever traps pharmaceutical inventions, once placed in the public domain. Pharmaceutical companies cannot afford to invest the resources needed to clear the regulatory barrier if the investment is quickly appropriated by a free-riding manufacturer. Various implications of, and solutions to, this policy artifact are explored.

  17. Pharmaceutical policy and the lay public

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Traulsen, Janine Marie; Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna

    2005-01-01

    Almost every national and supranational health policy document accords high importance to the need to listen to and 'empower' patients. The relationship between pharmaceutical policy and the lay public is not direct but mediated by several actors, including health care workers, patient organisati......Almost every national and supranational health policy document accords high importance to the need to listen to and 'empower' patients. The relationship between pharmaceutical policy and the lay public is not direct but mediated by several actors, including health care workers, patient...... organisations, industry and, most recently, the media. Although the overall aim of health and pharmaceutical policy is to address the needs of all citizens, there are only a few, well organised groups who are actually consulted and involved in the policymaking process, often with the support of the industry....... The reasons for this lack of citizen involvement in health and pharmaceutical policymaking are many, for example: there is no consensus about what public involvement means; there is a predominance of special interest groups with narrow, specific agendas; not all decision makers welcome lay participation...

  18. Pharmaceutical care in the Netherlands. History, definition and projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Mil, J.W F

    1996-01-01

    The evolving concept of Pharmaceutical Care knows different interpretations in a different countries. In the Netherlands community pharmacists already perform several functions which may be part of the Pharmaceutical Care concept. The Dutch concept of Pharmaceutical care is tested in the TOM and

  19. Care ideologies reflected in 4 conceptions of pharmaceutical care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Björkman, Ingeborg K; Bernsten, Cecilia B; Sanner, Margareta A

    2008-12-01

    Different ways to practice pharmaceutical care have been developed. One expression of this fact is the existence of many different classification systems to document drug-related problems (DRPs). Evidence suggests that classification systems have different characteristics and that these characteristics reflect different conceptions of pharmaceutical care. To increase the understanding of conceptions of pharmaceutical care, underlying values and beliefs (ideologies) can be explored. To explore various conceptions of pharmaceutical care to identify the care ideologies on which these conceptions are based. Representatives of 4 selected conceptions of pharmaceutical care were interviewed in face-to-face meetings. During the interviews, 4 basic questions were asked. Three were focused on pharmaceutical care and 1 on DRPs. Interview transcripts were analyzed by an inductive method inspired by grounded theory. The conceptions studied were Strand, Granada-II, PCNE v5.0, and Apoteket. In Strand, patients are given a more active role in the pharmaceutical care process, as compared to Granada-II, PCNE v5.0, and Apoteket. Pharmacists in all the conceptions of pharmaceutical care assume they have special knowledge that patients benefit from. However, they use their knowledge in different ways in the various pharmaceutical care conceptions. In Strand, individual goals of drug therapy are established together with the patient, whereas in Granada-II, PCNE, and Apoteket goals are not explicitly discussed. The identified differences correspond to different care ideologies. The pharmaceutical care conceptions are based on different care ideologies. The ideology is expressed in how therapy goals are set and patient needs defined. Strand is based on a patient-centered ideology; patient therapy goals and needs are defined by the patient together with the practitioners. Granada-II, PCNE, and Apoteket are based on an evidence-based medicine approach; patient therapy goals and needs are

  20. Cell-Based Veterinary Pharmaceuticals - Basic Legal Parameters Set by the Veterinary Pharmaceutical Law and the Genetic Engineering Law of the European Union.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faltus, Timo; Brehm, Walter

    2016-01-01

    Cell-based therapies have been in use in veterinary medicine for years. However, the legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are not as well developed as the respective requirements of chemical pharmaceuticals. Cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are medicinal products in the sense of the pharmaceutical law of the European Union (EU). For that reason, such medicinal products principally require official approval for their manufacture and an official marketing authorization for their placement on the market before being used by the veterinarian. The manufacture, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals without manufacturing approval and marketing authorization is permitted only in certain exceptional cases determined by EU and individual Member State law. Violations of this requirement may have consequences for the respective veterinarian under criminal law and under the code of professional conduct in the respective Member State. The regular use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the scope of a therapeutic emergency as well as the import of such veterinary pharmaceuticals from non-European countries for use in the EU are currently out of the question in the EU because of a lack of legal bases. Here, we review the general legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the EU and point out different implementations of EU law within the different Member States.

  1. Supercritical fluid technology: concepts and pharmaceutical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deshpande, Praful Balavant; Kumar, G Aravind; Kumar, Averineni Ranjith; Shavi, Gopal Venkatesh; Karthik, Arumugam; Reddy, Meka Sreenivasa; Udupa, Nayanabhirama

    2011-01-01

    In light of environmental apprehension, supercritical fluid technology (SFT) exhibits excellent opportunities to accomplish key objectives in the drug delivery sector. Supercritical fluid extraction using carbon dioxide (CO(2)) has been recognized as a green technology. It is a clean and versatile solvent with gas-like diffusivity and liquid-like density in the supercritical phase, which has provided an excellent alternative to the use of chemical solvents. The present commentary provides an overview of different techniques using supercritical fluids and their future opportunity for the drug delivery industry. Some of the emerging applications of SFT in pharmaceuticals, such as particle design, drug solubilization, inclusion complex, polymer impregnation, polymorphism, drug extraction process, and analysis, are also covered in this review. The data collection methods are based on the recent literature related to drug delivery systems using SFT platforms. SFT has become a much more versatile and environmentally attractive technology that can handle a variety of complicated problems in pharmaceuticals. This cutting-edge technology is growing predominantly to surrogate conventional unit operations in relevance to the pharmaceutical production process. Supercritical fluid technology has recently drawn attention in the field of pharmaceuticals. It is a distinct conception that utilizes the solvent properties of supercritical fluids above their critical temperature and pressure, where they exhibit both liquid-like and gas-like properties, which can enable many pharmaceutical applications. For example, the liquid-like properties provide benefits in extraction processes of organic solvents or impurities, drug solubilization, and polymer plasticization, and the gas-like features facilitate mass transfer processes. It has become a much more versatile and environmentally attractive technology that can handle a variety of complicated problems in pharmaceuticals. This review is

  2. A strategy to improve skills in pharmaceutical supply management in East Africa: the regional technical resource collaboration for pharmaceutical management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minzi Omary

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background International initiatives such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the President's Malaria Initiative have significantly increased availability and access to medicines in some parts of the developing world. Despite this, however, skills remain limited on quantifying needs for medications and ordering, receiving and storing medications appropriately; recording medications inventories accurately; distributing medications for use appropriately; and advising patients on how to use medications appropriately. The Regional Technical Resource Collaboration for Pharmaceutical Management (RTRC has been established to help address the problem of skills shortage in pharmaceutical management in East Africa. Methods The initiative brings together academic institutions from four East African countries to participate in skills-building activities in pharmaceutical supply management. The initiative targeted the institutions' ability to conduct assessments of pharmaceutical supply management systems and to develop and implement effective skills-building programmes for pharmaceutical supply chain management. Results Over a two-year period, the RTRC succeeded in conducting assessments of pharmaceutical supply management systems and practices in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. In 2006, the RTRC participated in a materials-development workshop in Kampala, Uganda, and contributed to the development of comprehensive HIV/AIDS pharmaceutical management training materials; these materials are now widely available in all four countries. In Tanzania and Uganda the RTRC has been involved with the training of health care workers in HIV/AIDS pharmaceutical management. In Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda the RTRC has been conducting operations research to find solutions to their countries' skills-shortage problems. Some of the interventions tested include applying and evaluating the

  3. Internet pharmaceutical sales: attributes, concerns, and future forecast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruckel, Katy; Capozzoli, Ernest A

    2003-01-01

    Internet pharmaceutical sales continue to skyrocket as healthcare providers and consumers are increasingly relying on the efficiencies and convenience that is available via such transactions. Managed care companies, increasing demands to reduce healthcare inefficiencies while maximizing the quality of patient care is a significant contributing factor to the expanding utilization and success of online pharmaceutical sales. However, with the expansion of Internet pharmaceutical sales, healthcare providers, pharmacy benefit management and insurance companies, and consumers realize new opportunities and risks. This paper will review the attributes and concerns associated with online pharmaceutical sales, discussing current and pending legislation intended to more effectively manage these parameters.

  4. The ethics of the medical-pharmaceutical relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vashi, Neelam A; Latkowski, Jo-Ann M

    2012-01-01

    Physician interaction with the pharmaceutical industry raises many ethical concerns. This relationship is complex, owing to a pluralism of beliefs held by physicians, patients, and third parties. As a result, determining whether physicians fulfill their responsibilities to both the professional and public communities is an arduous endeavor. In an effort to clarify the situation and provide transparency to this complex relationship, medical and pharmaceutical organizations have enacted their own respective codes and guidelines. Even with adherence to these guidelines, questions remain regarding the codependent relationship that interweaves the pharmaceutical industry with the medical community. Owing to the ever-changing landscape enmeshing product development, scientific advancement, corporate realities and patient care, the proper choice for physicians is rarely obvious; however, to operate to the highest standards, those in the medical community must be candid about relations with the pharmaceutical industry and transparent in their financial interests. Further undertakings should focus not on the eradication of physician-pharmaceutical interaction, but instead on the education of physicians about industry marketing strategies and the delineation of boundaries of these interactions to benefit not the individual physician, but our patients. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Pharmaceutical care in smoking cessation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marín Armero A

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Alicia Marín Armero,1 Miguel A Calleja Hernandez,2 Sabina Perez-Vicente,3 Fernando Martinez-Martinez4 1Community Pharmacy, Murcia, Spain; 2Hospital Pharmacy, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain; 3Result Evaluation Unit, Institute of Biomedicine, Sevilla, Spain; 4Research Unit in Pharmaceutical Care, University of Granada, Granada, Spain Abstract: As a determining factor in various diseases and the leading known cause of preventable mortality and morbidity, tobacco use is the number one public health problem in developed countries. Facing this health problem requires authorities and health professionals to promote, via specific programs, health campaigns that improve patients’ access to smoking cessation services. Pharmaceutical care has a number of specific characteristics that enable the pharmacist, as a health professional, to play an active role in dealing with smoking and deliver positive smoking cessation interventions. The objectives of the study were to assess the efficacy of a smoking cessation campaign carried out at a pharmaceutical care center and to evaluate the effects of pharmaceutical care on patients who decide to try to stop smoking. The methodology was an open, analytical, pre–post intervention, quasi-experimental clinical study performed with one patient cohort. The results of the study were that the promotional campaign for the smoking cessation program increased the number of patients from one to 22, and after 12 months into the study, 43.48% of the total number of patients achieved total smoking cessation. We can conclude that advertising of a smoking cessation program in a pharmacy increases the number of patients who use the pharmacy’s smoking cessation services, and pharmaceutical care is an effective means of achieving smoking cessation. Keywords: community pharmacy, health campaign, tobacco cessation, nicotine replacement therapy

  6. Synthetic biology advances for pharmaceutical production

    OpenAIRE

    Breitling, Rainer; Takano, Eriko

    2015-01-01

    Synthetic biology enables a new generation of microbial engineering for the biotechnological production of pharmaceuticals and other high-value chemicals. This review presents an overview of recent advances in the field, describing new computational and experimental tools for the discovery, optimization and production of bioactive molecules, and outlining progress towards the application of these tools to pharmaceutical production systems.

  7. Pricing and Reimbursement in U.S. Pharmaceutical Markets

    OpenAIRE

    Newhouse, Joseph Paul; Berndt, Ernst R.

    2010-01-01

    In this survey chapter on pricing and reimbursement in U.S. pharmaceutical markets, we first provide background information on important federal legislation, institutional details regarding distribution channel logistics, definitions of alternative price measures, related historical developments, and reasons why price discrimination is highly prevalent among branded pharmaceuticals. We then present a theoretical framework for the pricing of branded pharmaceuticals, without and then in the pre...

  8. Assessing the assessments: Pharmaceuticals in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Enick, O.V.; Moore, M.M.

    2007-01-01

    The relatively new issue of pharmaceutical contamination of the environment offers the opportunity to explore the application of values to the construction, communication and management of risk. The still-developing regulatory policies regarding environmental contamination with pharmaceuticals provide fertile ground for the introduction of values into the definition and management of risk. In this report, we summarize the current knowledge regarding pharmaceutical contamination of the environment and discuss specific attributes of pharmaceuticals that require special consideration. We then present an analysis showing that if values are incorporated into assessing, characterizing and managing risk, the results of risk assessments will more accurately reflect the needs of various stakeholders. Originating from an acknowledgement of the inherent uncertainty and value-laden nature of risk assessment, the precautionary principle (and later, the multi-criteria, integrated risk assessment), provides a direction for further research and policy development

  9. 42 CFR 416.48 - Condition for coverage-Pharmaceutical services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition for coverage-Pharmaceutical services. 416... Coverage § 416.48 Condition for coverage—Pharmaceutical services. The ASC must provide drugs and... direction of an individual designated responsible for pharmaceutical services. (a) Standard: Administration...

  10. Value of pharmaceuticals: ensuring the future of research and development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serajuddin, Hamida K; Serajuddin, Abu T M

    2006-01-01

    To analyze the current situation under which the pharmaceutical industry is criticized for the production of drugs with potential adverse effects, the high prices of medicines, and aggressive marketing practices, and to provide a proposal to rectify the situation. Published books, pharmaceutical journals, Web of Science database using the search terms pharmaceutical, research, development, marketing, cost, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Web site. Most breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases and prolongation of lives have come about through pharmaceuticals discovered and developed by the pharmaceutical industry. While the process of discovering and developing new pharmaceuticals is lengthy, costly, and lacking any assurance of success, investment in research and development by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry has increased progressively, reaching 51.3 billion dollars in 2005. Yet the annual number of FDA approvals of new molecular entities (NMEs) has gradually decreased over the past 10 years. Additionally, a large part of the patent life of a successful NME is consumed during this lengthy development phase. Few businesses, if any, have such long product gestation lives and risks. For these reasons, the pharmaceutical industry is often in a rush to recoup its investment before the product's patent expires, and this is the root cause of many criticisms against the pharmaceutical industry. To rectify the current situation, a new system is proposed under which innovator pharmaceutical companies would be allowed royalties for their products after the expiration of patents, in a manner similar to the way in which other intellectual properties (such as books, music, films) are protected by copyright. Such a system would allow pharmaceutical companies to continue research on new pharmaceutical products unimpeded by the patent clock. Given appropriate legislative or other facilitatory actions, a royalty-based system for the marketing of generic products after

  11. [The pharmaceutical industry in the industrial chemical group: the National Union of Chemical-Pharmaceutical Laboratories (1919-1936)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nozal, Raúl Rodríquez

    2011-01-01

    The pharmaceutical industry associations, as it happened with other businesses, had a significant rise during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera and II Republic. The 'Cámara Nacional de Industrias Químicas', in Barcelona, represented the national chemical industry to its ultimate assimilation by the 'Organización Sindical' in 1939. In this association, matters relating to pharmaceutical products -- which we will especially deal with in this work -- were managed by the 'Unión Nacional de Laboratorios Químico-Farmacéuticos', which defended the interests of pharmaceutical companies in the presence of government authorities, using the resources and mechanisms also managed by business pressure groups. The inclusion of industrial pharmacy in the Chemical lobby separated the pharmaceutical industry from traditional exercise and its corporate environment. this created ups and downs, conflicts of interests and finally, love and hate relationships with their colleagues of the pharmacy work placement and, of course, with the association that represented them: the 'Unión Farmacéutica Nacional'.

  12. Case histories in pharmaceutical risk management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormick, Cynthia G; Henningfield, Jack E; Haddox, J David; Varughese, Sajan; Lindholm, Anders; Rosen, Susan; Wissel, Janne; Waxman, Deborah; Carter, Lawrence P; Seeger, Vickie; Johnson, Rolley E

    2009-12-01

    The development and implementation of programs in the U.S. to minimize risks and assess unintended consequences of new medications has been increasingly required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since the mid 1990s. This paper provides four case histories of risk management and post-marketing surveillance programs utilized recently to address problems associated with possible abuse, dependence and diversion. The pharmaceutical sponsors of each of these drugs were invited to present their programs and followed a similar template for their summaries that are included in this article. The drugs and presenting companies were OxyContin, an analgesic marketed by Purdue Pharma L.P., Daytrana and Vyvanse, ADHD medications marketed by Shire Pharmaceuticals, Xyrem for narcolepsy marketed by Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and Subutex and Suboxone for opioid dependence marketed by Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc. These case histories and subsequent discussions provide invaluable real-world examples and illustrate both the promise of risk management programs in providing a path to market and/or for keeping on the market drugs with serious potential risks. They also illustrate the limitations of such programs in actually controlling unintended consequences, as well as the challenge of finding the right balance of reducing risks without posing undue barriers to patient access. These experiences are highly relevant as the FDA increasingly requires pharmaceutical sponsors to develop and implement the more formalized and enforceable versions of the risk management term Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS).

  13. Pharmaceutical care in smoking cessation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín Armero, Alicia; Calleja Hernandez, Miguel A; Perez-Vicente, Sabina; Martinez-Martinez, Fernando

    2015-01-01

    As a determining factor in various diseases and the leading known cause of preventable mortality and morbidity, tobacco use is the number one public health problem in developed countries. Facing this health problem requires authorities and health professionals to promote, via specific programs, health campaigns that improve patients' access to smoking cessation services. Pharmaceutical care has a number of specific characteristics that enable the pharmacist, as a health professional, to play an active role in dealing with smoking and deliver positive smoking cessation interventions. The objectives of the study were to assess the efficacy of a smoking cessation campaign carried out at a pharmaceutical care center and to evaluate the effects of pharmaceutical care on patients who decide to try to stop smoking. The methodology was an open, analytical, pre-post intervention, quasi-experimental clinical study performed with one patient cohort. The results of the study were that the promotional campaign for the smoking cessation program increased the number of patients from one to 22, and after 12 months into the study, 43.48% of the total number of patients achieved total smoking cessation. We can conclude that advertising of a smoking cessation program in a pharmacy increases the number of patients who use the pharmacy's smoking cessation services, and pharmaceutical care is an effective means of achieving smoking cessation.

  14. [Written pharmaceutical advertising--still unreliable?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gladsø, Kristin Haugen; Garberg, Hedda Rosland; Spigset, Olav; Slørdal, Lars

    2014-09-02

    Marketing by the pharmaceutical industry affects doctors' prescribing habits. All pharmaceutical advertising received by nine doctors in two GP offices over a period of three months was collected. The advertising material was sorted by compound. For each compound, the advert with the highest number of references was selected. The cited references were obtained, and the claims in the adverts were assessed in terms of their consistency with the source data based on the provisions in the Norwegian regulations on pharmaceuticals. The references were also assessed with regard to the incidence of conflicts of interest among authors. The doctors received a total of 270 shipments of advertising for 46 different compounds. Altogether 95% of the 173 references cited in the 46 selected adverts could be obtained. The adverts contained a total of 156 claims. Of these, 56% were assessed as correct when compared to the source data and as having clinical relevance. Altogether 75% of the journal articles reported relevant conflicts of interest for the authors. About half the claims in the adverts were found to be correct and clinically relevant. These results concur with those from a methodologically identical study based on advertising material collected in 2004. The cited literature was of varying quality and often funded by the pharmaceutical companies. The findings indicate that the target group should be sceptical of this type of marketing.

  15. Globalisation and Its Impact on Competitiveness: the Case of the British and German Pharmaceutical Industry

    OpenAIRE

    Christel Lane; Jocelyn Probert

    2003-01-01

    This paper assesses the degree of financial and economic globalisation of British and German pharmaceutical companies during 1990 and 2001 and explores the changing balance between globalisation and national embeddedness. It tries to explain both the much lower degree of globalisation of German as compared to British companies in 1990, as well as their catching up at the beginning of the 21st century. The paper suggests that the lesser degree of globalisation of German firms during most of th...

  16. Cost-containment as part of pharmaceutical policy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna; Traulsen, Janine Marie

    2005-01-01

    and profit controls; 2) reimbursement system charges; 3) other fiscal measures; 4) quality measures. Pharmaceuticals policy has suffered from the pervasive misunderstanding that drugs are like any other commodity; resulting in policy makers viewing pharmaceuticals expenditures without thinking about drugs...

  17. Information sources and utilization patterns of pharmaceutical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study investigated the adequacy of pharmaceutical scientists' information environment in feeding their occupational activities. Data was collected through observation and through questionnaire administration to all the twenty-seven scientists in two large pharmaceutical companies in Lagos, Nigeria. Findings revealed ...

  18. Pharmaceutical penetration of new drug and pharmaceutical market structure in Taiwan: hospital-level prescription of thiazolidinediones for diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Yi-Wen; Wen, Yu-Wen; Huang, Weng-Foung; Kuo, Ken N; Chen, Pei-Fen; Shih, Hsin-Wei; Lee, Yue-Chune

    2010-06-01

    This study used Taiwan's National Health Insurance claim database (years 2000-2005) to examine how thiazolidinediones (TZD), a new class of drugs for diabetes, penetrated into Taiwan's hospitals, and its association with the concentration of all diabetes drugs at the hospital level. We collected 72 monthly summaries of diabetes prescriptions from all hospitals in Taiwan. Hospital-level pharmaceutical concentration was measured by penetration of TZD, defined as monthly market share of TZD in each hospital. Concentration of diabetes drugs was measured by Herfindahl-Hirschman indices. We found a negative association (coefficient = -0.3610) between TZD penetration and concentration of diabetes drug but a positive association between penetration of TZD and the volume of prescribed diabetes drugs (coefficient = 0.4088). In conclusion, hospital characteristics and volume of services determined the concentration of pharmaceuticals at the institution level, reflecting the heterogeneous competition between pharmaceutical companies within each hospital. Institution-level pharmaceutical concentration influences the adoption and penetration of new drugs.

  19. Rational Use of Medicines in Relation to Pharmaceutical Supply ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pharmaceutical management involves a set of practices aiming at ensuring timely availability and appropriate use of safe, effective and quality pharmaceuticals and services in any health care setting. Rational use of medicines is often associated with efficiency of pharmaceutical supply system that operates in the health ...

  20. The politics of health sector reform in developing countries: three cases of pharmaceutical policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reich, M R

    1995-01-01

    This paper examines the political dynamics of health sector reform in poor countries, through a comparative study of pharmaceutical policy reform in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. The paper first reviews five reasons why policy reform is political. It then presents three political economic models of the policy reform process: the political will, political factions, and political survival models. Next, the paper describes the three cases of national pharmaceutical policy reform, and identifies common conditions that made these reforms politically feasible. The paper's analysis suggests that health sector reform is feasible at certain definable, and perhaps predictable, political moments, especially in the early periods of new regimes. The most important and manipulable political factors are: political timing, which provides opportunities for policy entrepreneurs to introduce their ideas into public debate, and political management of group competition, which allows leaders to control the political effects of distributional consequences and protect the regime's stability. A strong and narrow political coalition improves the capacity of political leaders to resist the pressures of concentrated economic costs (both inside and outside national boundaries). The paper argues that for reform to succeed, policy-makers need effective methods to analyze relevant political conditions and shape key political factors in favor of policy reform. The method of Political Mapping is briefly introduced as a technique that can help policy-makers in analyzing and managing the political dimensions of policy reform and in improving the political feasibility of reform.

  1. Membrane Bioprocesses for Pharmaceutical Micropollutant Removal from Waters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthias de Cazes

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this review work is to give an overview of the research reported on bioprocesses for the treatment of domestic or industrial wastewaters (WW containing pharmaceuticals. Conventional WW treatment technologies are not efficient enough to completely remove all pharmaceuticals from water. Indeed, these compounds are becoming an actual public health problem, because they are more and more present in underground and even in potable waters. Different types of bioprocesses are described in this work: from classical activated sludge systems, which allow the depletion of pharmaceuticals by bio-degradation and adsorption, to enzymatic reactions, which are more focused on the treatment of WW containing a relatively high content of pharmaceuticals and less organic carbon pollution than classical WW. Different aspects concerning the advantages of membrane bioreactors for pharmaceuticals removal are discussed, as well as the more recent studies on enzymatic membrane reactors to the depletion of these recalcitrant compounds.

  2. Prioritizing veterinary pharmaceuticals for aquatic environment in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Younghee; Jung, Jinyong; Kim, Myunghyun; Park, Jeongim; Boxall, Alistair B A; Choi, Kyungho

    2008-09-01

    Pharmaceutical residues may have serious impacts on nontarget biological organisms in aquatic ecosystems, and have therefore precipitated numerous investigations worldwide. Many pharmaceutical compounds available on the market need to be prioritized based on their potential ecological and human health risks in order to develop sound management decisions. We prioritized veterinary pharmaceuticals in Korea by their usage, potential to enter the environment, and toxicological hazard. Twenty compounds were identified in the top priority class, most of which were antibiotics. Among these compounds, 8 were identified as deserving more immediate attention: amoxicillin, enramycin, fenbendazole, florfenicol, ivermectin, oxytetracycline, tylosin, and virginiamycin. A limitation of this study is that we initially screened veterinary pharmaceuticals by sales tonnage for veterinary use only. However, this is the first attempt to prioritize veterinary pharmaceuticals in Korea, and it provides important concepts for developing environmental risk management plans for such contaminants in aquatic systems. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Ozonation for degradation of pharmaceutical in hospital wastewater

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bester, Kai; Hansen, Kamilla S; Spiliotopoulou, Aikaterini

    -pollutants (Antoniou et al., 2013). In the present work, ozonation of biological treated hospital wastewater spiked with pharmaceuticals were performed to determine the required ozone dose for 90 % removal of the investigated pharmaceuticals. Effluents with different DOC level were used to investigate the effect...... of DOC on the removal of the pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the effect of pH on ozone decomposition was investigated in relevant pH range....

  4. The behaviour of pharmaceuticals in anaerobic digester sludge

    OpenAIRE

    Campbell, Alison

    2013-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals are biologically active compounds that may be consumed in hundreds of tonnes per year, and which are excreted into municipal sewerage systems. Many pharmaceuticals persist during sewage treatment, and significant environmental risk has been linked to incomplete removal of pharmaceuticals. Evaluation of this risk is important and should be as representative as possible, taking into consideration all significant exposure routes and removal processes. Sludge treatment processes a...

  5. Greek National E-Prescribing System: Preliminary Results of a Tool for Rationalizing Pharmaceutical Use and Cost.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polyzos, Nikolaos; Kastanioti, Catherine; Zilidis, Christos; Mavridoglou, George; Karakolias, Stefanos; Litsa, Panagiota; Menegakis, Valantis; Kani, Chara

    2016-10-01

    In Greece, due to the ongoing economic crisis a number of measures aiming at rationalising expenditure implemented. A new e-prescribing system, under a unified healthcare fund was the main pillar of these reforms focus on monitoring and auditing prescribing patterns. Main objective of this study was to document the Greek experience with the new national e-prescribing system. We analyse the dispensed prescriptions over the period 2013-2014, stratified into four levels: therapeutic subgroup, patent status, physician's specialty and geographical region. Data analysis offered a comprehensive insight into pharmaceutical expenditure over the timeframe and revealed discrepancies regarding composition of spending, brand-generic substitution within certain therapeutic subgroups, physicians' prescribing behaviour based on medical specialty, therapeutic subgroup as well as regional per capita measures. E-prescribing system is a valuable tool providing sound information to health policymakers in order to monitor and rationalize pharmaceutical expenditure, in value and volume terms.

  6. Pharmaceutical policies: effects of financial incentives for prescribers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashidian, Arash; Omidvari, Amir-Houshang; Vali, Yasaman; Sturm, Heidrun; Oxman, Andrew D

    2015-08-04

    The proportion of total healthcare expenditures spent on drugs has continued to grow in countries of all income categories. Policy-makers are under pressure to control pharmaceutical expenditures without adversely affecting quality of care. Financial incentives seeking to influence prescribers' behaviour include budgetary arrangements at primary care and hospital settings (pharmaceutical budget caps or targets), financial rewards for target behaviours or outcomes (pay for performance interventions) and reduced benefit margin for prescribers based on medicine sales and prescriptions (pharmaceutical reimbursement rate reduction policies). This is the first update of the original version of this review. To determine the effects of pharmaceutical policies using financial incentives to influence prescribers' practices on drug use, healthcare utilisation, health outcomes and costs (expenditures). We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (searched 29/01/2015); MEDLINE, Ovid SP (searched 29/01/2015); EMBASE, Ovid SP (searched 29/01/2015); International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) Bibliography (searched 29/01/2015); National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database (searched 29/01/2015); EconLit - ProQuest (searched 02/02/2015); and Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index, Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Knowledge (citation search for included studies searched 10/02/2015). We screened the reference lists of relevant reports and contacted study authors and organisations to identify additional studies. We included policies that intend to affect prescribing by means of financial incentives for prescribers. Included in this category are pharmaceutical budget caps or targets, pay for performance and drug reimbursement rate reductions and other financial policies, if they were specifically targeted at prescribing or drug utilisation. Policies in this review were defined as laws, rules

  7. Synthetic biology advances for pharmaceutical production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breitling, Rainer; Takano, Eriko

    2015-01-01

    Synthetic biology enables a new generation of microbial engineering for the biotechnological production of pharmaceuticals and other high-value chemicals. This review presents an overview of recent advances in the field, describing new computational and experimental tools for the discovery, optimization and production of bioactive molecules, and outlining progress towards the application of these tools to pharmaceutical production systems. PMID:25744872

  8. Microbial Evaluation of Some Non-sterile Pharmaceutical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To determine the type and incidence of predominant microorganisms in certain non-sterile pharmaceuticals immediately after collection and one year later. Methods: All pharmaceutical samples were subjected to the following examinations: total bacterial count and presence of microbial pathogens, using ...

  9. Review on Physicochemical, Chemical, and Biological Processes for Pharmaceutical Wastewater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhenchen; Yang, Ping

    2018-02-01

    Due to the needs of human life and health, pharmaceutical industry has made great progress in recent years, but it has also brought about severe environmental problems. The presence of pharmaceuticals in natural waters which might pose potential harm to the ecosystems and humans raised increasing concern worldwide. Pharmaceuticals cannot be effectively removed by conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) owing to the complex composition, high concentration of organic contaminants, high salinity and biological toxicity of pharmaceutical wastewater. Therefore, the development of efficient methods is needed to improve the removal effect of pharmaceuticals. This review provides an overview on three types of treatment technologies including physicochemical, chemical and biological processes and their advantages and disadvantages respectively. In addition, the future perspectives of pharmaceutical wastewater treatment are given.

  10. Information flow in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousefi, Nazila; Alibabaei, Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Managing the supply chain plays an important role in creating competitive advantages for companies. Adequate information flow in supply chain is one of the most important issues in SCM. Therefore, using certain Information Systems can have a significant role in managing and integrating data and information within the supply chain. Pharmaceutical supply chain is more complex than many other supply chains, in the sense that it can affect social and political perspectives. On the other hand, managing the pharmaceutical supply chain is difficult because of its complexity and also government regulations in this field. Although, Iran has progressed a lot in pharmaceutical manufacturing, still there are many unsolved issues in managing the information flow in the pharmaceutical supply chain. In this study, we reviewed the benefits of using different levels of an integrated information system in the supply chain and the possible challenges ahead.

  11. Pharmaceutical marketing research and the prescribing physician.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greene, Jeremy A

    2007-05-15

    Surveillance of physicians' prescribing patterns and the accumulation and sale of these data for pharmaceutical marketing are currently the subjects of legislation in several states and action by state and national medical associations. Contrary to common perception, the growth of the health care information organization industry has not been limited to the past decade but has been building slowly over the past 50 years, beginning in the 1940s when growth in the prescription drug market fueled industry interest in understanding and influencing prescribing patterns. The development of this surveillance system was not simply imposed on the medical profession by the pharmaceutical industry but was developed through the interactions of pharmaceutical salesmen, pharmaceutical marketers, academic researchers, individual physicians, and physician organizations. Examination of the role of physicians and physician organizations in the development of prescriber profiling is directly relevant to the contemporary policy debate surrounding this issue.

  12. Funding pharmaceutical innovation through direct tax credits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lybecker, Kristina M; Freeman, Robert A

    2007-07-01

    Rising pharmaceutical prices, increasing demand for more effective innovative drugs and growing public outrage have heightened criticism of the pharmaceutical industry. The public debate has focused on drug prices and access. As a consequence, the patent system is being reexamined as an efficient mechanism for encouraging pharmaceutical innovation and drug development. We propose an alternative to the existing patent system, instead rewarding the innovating firm with direct tax credits in exchange for marginal cost pricing. This concept is based on the fundamental assumption that innovation that benefits society at large may be financed publicly. As an industry which produces a social good characterized by high fixed costs, high information and regulatory costs, and relatively low marginal costs of production, pharmaceuticals are well-suited to such a mechanism. Under this proposal, drug prices fall, consumer surplus increases, access is enhanced, and the incentives to innovate are preserved.

  13. Design, analysis and presentation of multinational economic studies: the need for guidance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Francis

    2002-01-01

    Over the last decade, there has been a proliferation in the number of economic evaluations of pharmaceuticals to meet the growing demand for information about the economic benefits of healthcare technologies. The majority of these studies have been commissioned by pharmaceutical companies for the purposes of drawing attention to the resource and quality-of-life aspects of new or existing products. Such information has become important in overcoming a new obstacle, namely the demonstration of cost effectiveness (the so-called 'fourth hurdle'), in addition to the three well-established criteria of quality, tolerability and efficacy. To ensure the maintenance of standards, guidance for economic evaluations has emerged lately in the form of guidelines, regulations, principles, policies and positions. Drummond outlined three purposes of these guidelines, as follows: as a requirement prior to reimbursement, as statements of methodological standards, and as a statement of ethical standards. Such guidelines are designed to assist both the economic analyst and the decision-maker. In laying out the state of the art regarding the methodology of economic evaluation, guidelines assist the analyst in performing high-quality, scientifically valid studies, and assist the decision-maker in properly interpreting and assessing their quality. In response to these growing requirements for cost-effectiveness data globally, it has become increasingly common for economic evaluations to be conducted on an international scale. However, the recommendations in pharmacoeconomics guidelines regarding the manner in which these multinational economic evaluations should be designed, analysed and presented are too limited to be of any real value. This article examines the various issues that must be taken into consideration when conducting multinational studies, and provides a review of the techniques and approaches that have been suggested to date. It concludes with recommendations for potential

  14. [Pharmaceutical product quality control and good manufacturing practices].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiyama, Yukio

    2010-01-01

    This report describes the roles of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in pharmaceutical product quality control. There are three keys to pharmaceutical product quality control. They are specifications, thorough product characterization during development, and adherence to GMP as the ICH Q6A guideline on specifications provides the most important principles in its background section. Impacts of the revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (rPAL) which became effective in 2005 on product quality control are discussed. Progress of ICH discussion for Pharmaceutical Development (Q8), Quality Risk Management (Q9) and Pharmaceutical Quality System (Q10) are reviewed. In order to reconstruct GMP guidelines and GMP inspection system in the regulatory agencies under the new paradigm by rPAL and the ICH, a series of Health Science studies were conducted. For GMP guidelines, product GMP guideline, technology transfer guideline, laboratory control guideline and change control system guideline were written. For the GMP inspection system, inspection check list, inspection memo and inspection scenario were proposed also by the Health Science study groups. Because pharmaceutical products and their raw materials are manufactured and distributed internationally, collaborations with other national authorities are highly desired. In order to enhance the international collaborations, consistent establishment of GMP inspection quality system throughout Japan will be essential.

  15. Global risk of pharmaceutical contamination from highly populated developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehman, Muhammad Saif Ur; Rashid, Naim; Ashfaq, Muhammad; Saif, Ameena; Ahmad, Nasir; Han, Jong-In

    2015-11-01

    Global pharmaceutical industry has relocated from the west to Asian countries to ensure competitive advantage. This industrial relocation has posed serious threats to the environment. The present study was carried out to assess the possible pharmaceutical contamination in the environment of emerging pharmaceutical manufacturing countries (Bangladesh, China, India and Pakistan). Although these countries have made tremendous progress in the pharmaceutical sector but most of their industrial units discharge wastewater into domestic sewage network without any treatment. The application of untreated wastewater (industrial and domestic) and biosolids (sewage sludge and manure) in agriculture causes the contamination of surface water, soil, groundwater, and the entire food web with pharmaceutical compounds (PCs), their metabolites and transformed products (TPs), and multidrug resistant microbes. This pharmaceutical contamination in Asian countries poses global risks via product export and international traveling. Several prospective research hypotheses including the development of new analytical methods to monitor these PCs/TPs and their metabolites, highly resistant microbial strains, and mixture toxicity as a consequence of pharmaceutical contamination in these emerging pharmaceutical exporters have also been proposed based on the available literature. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Metrology in Pharmaceutical Industry - A Case Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuvamoto, Priscila D.; Fermam, Ricardo K. S.; Nascimento, Elizabeth S.

    2016-01-01

    Metrology is recognized by improving production process, increasing the productivity, giving more reliability to the measurements and consequently, it impacts in the economy of a country. Pharmaceutical area developed GMP (Good Manufacture Practice) requeriments, with no introduction of metrological concepts. However, due to Nanomedicines, it is expected this approach and the consequent positive results. The aim of this work is to verify the level of metrology implementation in a Brazilian pharmaceutical industry, using a case study. The purpose is a better mutual comprehension by both areas, acting together and governmental support to robustness of Brazilian pharmaceutical area. (paper)

  17. Pharmaceuticals as indictors of sewage-influenced groundwater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Beate; Scheytt, Traugott; Asbrand, Martin; de Casas, Andrea Mross

    2012-09-01

    A set of human pharmaceuticals enables identification of groundwater that is influenced by sewage and provides information on the time of recharge. As the consumption rates of the investigated pharmaceuticals have changed over time, so too has the composition of the sewage. At the study area, south of Berlin (Germany), irrigation was performed as a method of wastewater clean-up at sewage irrigation farms until the early 1990s. Today, treated wastewater is discharged into the surface-water-stream Nuthegraben. Groundwater and surface-water samples were analyzed for the pharmaceutical substances clofibric acid, bezafibrate, diclofenac, carbamazepine and primidone, the main ions and organic carbon. The pharmaceutical substances were detected at concentrations up to microgram-per-liter level in groundwater and surface-water samples from the Nuthegraben Lowland area and from the former irrigation farms. Concentrations detected in groundwater are generally much lower than in surface water and there is significant variation in the distribution of pharmaceutical concentrations in groundwater. Groundwater influenced by the irrigation of sewage water shows higher primidone and clofibric-acid concentrations. Groundwater influenced by recent discharge of treated sewage water into the surface water shows high carbamazepine concentrations while concentrations of primidone and clofibric acid are low.

  18. [Case Study - A Successful Outpatient Design of Cross-Professional Pharmaceutical Cooperation in Home Health Care - Reduction of Financial and Care-Related Burden by Shifting to R-Compound Enteral Semisolid Formulation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeda, Namihiro; Hamana, Tomoko; Oka, Toyoka; Matsuyama, Narihisa; Hirohara, Masayoshi; Kushida, Kazuki

    2015-12-01

    Among patients who receive enteral nutrition through a gastric fistula, some are concomitantly administered viscosity modifiers to avoid aspiration pneumonitis caused by gastroesophageal reflux. These patients(and families)often bear the high economic and care burdens associated with enteral nutritional management. We developed an outpatient-based pharmacy service through multidisciplinary cooperation, facilitating a shift from enteral nutrition to semi-solid formula. This shift is expected to reduce the economic burden by approximately 120 thousand yen, and the hours of care by about 550 hours annually. Owing to family circumstances or economic conditions, some patients(and families)do not receive at-home guidance of pharmaceutical management by pharmacists. The family members of such patients visit the pharmacy to obtain the prescribed medications. Such patients and families could be supported within the outpatient-based pharmacy services, through proactively participating in home health care daily(collaborative relationship with the local community)and re-counting experiences of providing home guidance of pharmaceutical management.

  19. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal. Journal Home > Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  20. Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal. Journal Home > Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: About this journal. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  1. Cell-Based Veterinary Pharmaceuticals – Basic Legal Parameters Set by the Veterinary Pharmaceutical Law and the Genetic Engineering Law of the European Union

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faltus, Timo; Brehm, Walter

    2016-01-01

    Cell-based therapies have been in use in veterinary medicine for years. However, the legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are not as well developed as the respective requirements of chemical pharmaceuticals. Cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are medicinal products in the sense of the pharmaceutical law of the European Union (EU). For that reason, such medicinal products principally require official approval for their manufacture and an official marketing authorization for their placement on the market before being used by the veterinarian. The manufacture, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals without manufacturing approval and marketing authorization is permitted only in certain exceptional cases determined by EU and individual Member State law. Violations of this requirement may have consequences for the respective veterinarian under criminal law and under the code of professional conduct in the respective Member State. The regular use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the scope of a therapeutic emergency as well as the import of such veterinary pharmaceuticals from non-European countries for use in the EU are currently out of the question in the EU because of a lack of legal bases. Here, we review the general legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the EU and point out different implementations of EU law within the different Member States. PMID:27965965

  2. The Pharmaceutical Industry and the Canadian Government: Folie à Deux.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lexchin, Joel

    2017-08-01

    The interest of the pharmaceutical industry is in achieving a profit for its shareholders while the interest of the Canadian government should be in protecting public health. However, over the course of the past few decades the actions of the Canadian government have been tilted in favour of industry in two areas. The first is in the relationship between industry and Health Canada and is manifested in the regulation of clinical trials, the drug approval system, drug safety and promotion. The second is in economic policy as it applies to policies about patent protection, the price of medications and measures taken to incentivize research and development. The problems in the relationship are structural and will only be solved through systemic changes. Copyright © 2017 Longwoods Publishing.

  3. Pharmacoligaclly Active: Clinical Trials and the Pharmaceuticals ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Multinational pharmaceutical companies ('pharmas') import and produce pharmaceuticals and also conduct clinical trials which are an important aspect of research and development (R&D). This may raise the question: Is South Africa a guinea pig for the pharmas? The Department of Trade and Industry National Industrial ...

  4. Pharmaceutical crystallography: is there a devil in the details?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bond, A. D.

    2012-01-01

    Modern instruments for small-molecule crystallography continue to become more sophisticated and more automated. This technical progress provides a basis for frontier research in chemical and pharmaceutical crystallography, but it also encourages analytical crystallographers to become more...... are presented for pharmaceutical compounds, and the potential importance of the "details" in pharmaceutical crystallography is discussed....

  5. Effects of soil properties on the uptake of pharmaceuticals into earthworms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carter, Laura J.; Ryan, Jim J.; Boxall, Alistair B.A.

    2016-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals can enter the soil environment when animal slurries and sewage sludge are applied to land as a fertiliser or during irrigation with contaminated water. These pharmaceuticals may then be taken up by soil organisms possibly resulting in toxic effects and/or exposure of organisms higher up the food chain. This study investigated the influence of soil properties on the uptake and depuration of pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diclofenac, fluoxetine and orlistat) in the earthworm Eisenia fetida. The uptake and accumulation of pharmaceuticals into E. fetida changed depending on soil type. Orlistat exhibited the highest pore water based bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and displayed the largest differences between soil types with BCFs ranging between 30.5 and 115.9. For carbamazepine, diclofenac and fluoxetine BCFs ranged between 1.1 and 1.6, 7.0 and 69.6 and 14.1 and 20.4 respectively. Additional analysis demonstrated that in certain treatments the presence of these chemicals in the soil matrices changed the soil pH over time, with a statistically significant pH difference to control samples. The internal pH of E. fetida also changed as a result of incubation in pharmaceutically spiked soil, in comparison to the control earthworms. These results demonstrate that a combination of soil properties and pharmaceutical physico-chemical properties are important in terms of predicting pharmaceutical uptake in terrestrial systems and that pharmaceuticals can modify soil and internal earthworm chemistry which may hold wider implications for risk assessment. - Highlights: • Uptake of pharmaceuticals into earthworms is influenced by soil parameters. • Presence of pharmaceuticals in the terrestrial environment influences soil pH. • Uptake of pharmaceuticals by earthworms changes internal earthworm pH. - The uptake of pharmaceuticals into soil invertebrates is dependent on the complex interplay between pharmaceutical physico-chemical properties and soil

  6. Pharmaceutical care: the PCNE definition 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allemann, Samuel S; van Mil, J W Foppe; Botermann, Lea; Berger, Karin; Griese, Nina; Hersberger, Kurt E

    2014-06-01

    Twenty-three years after Hepler and Strand published their well-known definition of Pharmaceutical Care (PhC), confusion remains about what the term includes and how to differentiate it from other terms. The board of the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) felt the need to redefine PhC and to answer the question: "What is Pharmaceutical Care in 2013". The aims of this paper were to review existing definitions of PhC and to describe the process of developing a redefined definition. A literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE database (1964-January 2013). Keywords included "Pharmaceutical Care", "Medication (Therapy) Management", "Medicine Management", and "Pharmacist Care" in the title or abstract together with the term "defin*". To ease comparison between definitions, we developed a standardised syntax to paraphrase the definitions. During a dedicated meeting, a moderated discussion about the definition of PhC was organised. The initial literature search produced 186 hits, with eight unique PhC definitions. Hand searching identified a further 11 unique definitions. These 19 definitions were paraphrased using the standardised syntax (provider, recipient, subject, outcome, activities). Fourteen members of PCNE and 10 additional experts attended the moderated discussion. Working groups of increasing size developed intermediate definitions, which had similarities and differences to those retrieved in the literature search. At the end of the session, participants reached a consensus on a "PCNE definition of Pharmaceutical Care" reading: "Pharmaceutical Care is the pharmacist's contribution to the care of individuals in order to optimize medicines use and improve health outcomes". It was possible to paraphrase definitions of PhC using a standardised syntax focusing on the provider, recipient, subject, outcomes, and activities included in PhC practice. During a one-day workshop, experts in PhC research agreed on a definition, intended to be applicable for the

  7. Mergers and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comanor, William S; Scherer, F M

    2013-01-01

    Conflicting trends confound the pharmaceutical industry. The productivity of pharmaceutical innovation has declined in recent years. At the same time, the cohort of large companies who are the leading engines of pharmaceutical R&D has become increasingly concentrated. The concurrent presence of these trends is not sufficient to determine causation. In response to lagging innovation prospects, some companies have sought refuge in mergers and acquisitions to disguise their dwindling prospects or gain R&D synergies. On the other hand, the increased concentration brought on by recent mergers may have contributed to the declining rate of innovation. In this paper, we consider the second of these causal relationships: the likely impact of the recent merger wave among the largest pharmaceutical companies on the rate of innovation. In other words, have recent mergers, which may have been taken in response to lagging innovation, represented a self-defeating strategy that only made industry outcomes worse? Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Financing pharmaceuticals in transition economies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanavos, P

    1999-06-01

    This paper (a) provides a methodological taxonomy of pricing, financing, reimbursement, and cost containment methodologies for pharmaceuticals; (b) analyzes complex agency relationships and the health versus industrial policy tradeoff; (c) pinpoints financing measures to balance safety and effectiveness of medicines and their affordability by publicly funded systems in transition; and (d) highlights viable options for policy-makers for the financing of pharmaceuticals in transition. Three categories of measures and their implications for pharmaceutical policy cost containing are analyzed: supply-side measures, targeting manufacturers, proxy demand-side measures, targeting physicians and pharmacists, and demand-side measures, targeting patients. In pursuing supply side measures, we explore free pricing for pharmaceuticals, direct price controls, cost-plus and cost pricing, average pricing and international price comparisons, profit control, reference pricing, the introduction of a fourth hurdle, positive and negative lists, and other price control measures. The analysis of proxy-demand measures includes budgets for physicians, generic policies, practice guidelines, monitoring the authorizing behavior of physicians, and disease management schemes. Demand-side measures explore the effectiveness of patient co-payments, the impact of allowing products over-the-counter and health promotion programs. Global policies should operate simultaneously on the supply, the proxy demand, and the demand-side. Policy-making needs to have a continuous long-term planning. The importation of policies into transition economy may require extensive and expensive adaptation, and/or lead to sub-optimal policy outcomes.

  9. New perspectives for visual characterization of pharmaceutical solids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laitinen, Niklas; Antikainen, Osmo; Rantanen, Jukka

    2004-01-01

    The utilization of descriptive image information in pharmaceutical powder technology is rather limited. Consequently, the development of this discipline is a challenge within physical characterization of pharmaceutical solids. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an inventive visual...... in particle size analysis also enabling the evaluation of the further product quality in the end of the granulation process. The idea of characterization of bulk surface images opens new perspectives for characterization of pharmaceutical solids....

  10. On radiation treatment of pharmaceutical products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zukov, V.; Mende, V.

    1976-01-01

    The progress made in the GDR over the past decade in the field of radiosterilization of products of the medical industry, has naturally raised the question of radiosterilization in pharmaceutics. However, because of the diversity and complicated nature of pharmaceutical products and, consequently, longer periods of time required for preliminary studies, their radiosterilization has not yet been applied on an industrial scale, in contrast to the situation in the medical industry. The studies carried out so far have been mainly concerned with ascertaining the permissibility and effectiveness of radiosterilization of individual products under particular conditions rather than with laying down a broad theoretical basis. Accordingly, the present paper does not describe results of special studies but presents a brief rewiev of some studies on radiation treatment of pharmaceutical products undertaken in the GDR. (author)

  11. Developing a suitable model for supplier selection based on supply chain risks: an empirical study from Iranian pharmaceutical companies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Rajabzadeh Gatari, Ali; Morakabati, Mohadese; Vatanpour, Hossein

    2012-01-01

    The supply chain represents the critical link between the development of new product and the market in pharmaceutical industry. Over the years, improvements made in supply chain operations have focused largely on ways to reduce cost and gain efficiencies in scale. In addition, powerful regulatory and market forces have provided new incentives for pharmaceutical firms to basically rethink the way they produce and distribute products, and also to re-imagine the role of the supply chain in driving strategic growth, brand differentiation and economic value in the health continuum. The purpose of this paper is to formulate basic factors involved in risk analysis of pharmaceutical industry, and also determine the effective factors involved in suppliers selection and their priorities. This paper is based on the results of literature review, experts' opinion acquisition, statistical analysis and also using MADM models on data gathered from distributed questionnaires. The model consists of the following steps and components: first factors involved in to supply chain risks are determined. Based on them a framework is considered. According the result of statistical analysis and MADM models the risk factors are formulated. The paper determines the main components and influenceial factors involving in the supply chain risks. Results showed that delivery risk can make an important contribution to mitigate the risk of pharmaceutical industry.

  12. Developing a Suitable Model for Supplier Selection Based on Supply Chain Risks: An Empirical Study from Iranian Pharmaceutical Companies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Rajabzadeh Gatari, Ali; Morakabati, Mohadese; Vatanpour, Hossein

    2012-01-01

    The supply chain represents the critical link between the development of new product and the market in pharmaceutical industry. Over the years, improvements made in supply chain operations have focused largely on ways to reduce cost and gain efficiencies in scale. In addition, powerful regulatory and market forces have provided new incentives for pharmaceutical firms to basically rethink the way they produce and distribute products, and also to re-imagine the role of the supply chain in driving strategic growth, brand differentiation and economic value in the health continuum. The purpose of this paper is to formulate basic factors involved in risk analysis of pharmaceutical industry, and also determine the effective factors involved in suppliers selection and their priorities. This paper is based on the results of literature review, experts’ opinion acquisition, statistical analysis and also using MADM models on data gathered from distributed questionnaires. The model consists of the following steps and components: first factors involved in to supply chain risks are determined. Based on them a framework is considered. According the result of statistical analysis and MADM models the risk factors are formulated. The paper determines the main components and influenceial factors involving in the supply chain risks. Results showed that delivery risk can make an important contribution to mitigate the risk of pharmaceutical industry. PMID:24250442

  13. Pharmaceutical cocrystals, salts and polymorphs: Advanced characterization techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pindelska, Edyta; Sokal, Agnieszka; Kolodziejski, Waclaw

    2017-08-01

    The main goal of a novel drug development is to obtain it with optimal physiochemical, pharmaceutical and biological properties. Pharmaceutical companies and scientists modify active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which often are cocrystals, salts or carefully selected polymorphs, to improve the properties of a parent drug. To find the best form of a drug, various advanced characterization methods should be used. In this review, we have described such analytical methods, dedicated to solid drug forms. Thus, diffraction, spectroscopic, thermal and also pharmaceutical characterization methods are discussed. They all are necessary to study a solid API in its intrinsic complexity from bulk down to the molecular level, gain information on its structure, properties, purity and possible transformations, and make the characterization efficient, comprehensive and complete. Furthermore, these methods can be used to monitor and investigate physical processes, involved in the drug development, in situ and in real time. The main aim of this paper is to gather information on the current advancements in the analytical methods and highlight their pharmaceutical relevance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Approaches to education of pharmaceutical biotechnology in faculties of pharmacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calis, S; Oner, F; Kas, S; Hincal, A A

    2001-06-01

    Pharmaceutical biotechnology is developing rapidly both in academic institutions and in the biopharmaceutical industry. For this reason, FIP Special Interest Group of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology decided to develop a questionnaire concerning pharmaceutical biotechnology education. After preliminary studies were completed, questionnaires were sent to the leading scientists in academia and research directors or senior managers of various Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Companies in order to gather their views about how to create a satisfactory program. The objectives of this study were as follows: -To review all of the graduate and undergraduate courses which are presently available worldwide on pharmaceutical biotechnology in Faculties of Pharmacy. -To review all of the text books, references and scientific sources available worldwide in the area of pharmaceutical biotechnology. When replying to the questionnaires, the respondents were asked to consider the present status of pharmaceutical biotechnology education in academia and future learning needs in collaboration with the biotechnology industry. The data from various pharmacy faculties and biotechnology industry representatives from Asia, Europe and America were evaluated and the outcome of the survey showed that educational efforts in training qualified staff in the rapidly growing field of pharmaceutical biotechnology is promising. Part of the results of this questionnaire study have already been presented at the 57th International Congress of FIP Vancouver, Canada in 1997.

  15. The pharmaceutical quality revolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jordi Botet

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceutical products are patient-oriented. If they had a deficient quality they might put live at risk. Ensuring their quality is not, however, a straightforward task and this is why different approaches have been used along the way. This article analyzes them and shows how our present approach, if well implemented, is very effective in ensuring quality.Methods. This article analyzes the current pharmaceutical quality system as described by international guidances in the light of practical experience gathered by the author as an international GMP-consultant.Result. Nowadays we have come to understand that as quality is a global concept in terms of time and of requirements, it has to be assured in a global way too. This is why quality assurance is a permanent process that starts during the development of a product and goes on during its manufacturing life. Manufacturing should be performed within a pharmaceutical quality system which ensures GMP compliance. Decisions should be science and risk-based. Products and processes are monitored by means of critical variables.Conclusions. The approach followed in the 21st century for ensuring quality is very effective and allows for a progressive reduction of the level of quality risk. However, this quality system is either comprehensive or there is no quality

  16. PHARMACEUTICAL PARTNERSHIPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PHARMACEUTICALS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. L. Bulgakov

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the causes for creating alliances between manufacturers and drug developers. The attention has also been paid to the classification of such partnerships depending on the level of integration. The classification is necessary for further study of relations in the alliances. It is important to understand how economically effective and justified such partnerships are. The aim of the study is to determine the reasons for creating partnerships between drug developers and manufacturers, and to work out a classification of partnerships in the field of pharmacology. Materials and methods. The study analyzes existing alliances, partnerships of Big Pharma companies such as Bayer AG, Merck & Co, Pfizer. Results and discussion. The variety of forms of partnerships allows all participants in this market to get from cooperation the benefits they need. Some seek to reduce risk, others look forward to gaining access to new research opportunities, the third seek to share knowledge for greater productivity. However, there is always the opposite side, they have to sacrifice something to get a market advantage. For example, increased integration leads to a reduction in the risk of drug creation, but also leads to a decrease in the company’s independence. Conclusion. The results of this study can be used later in the study of the financial effectiveness of pharmaceutical partnerships, as well as in exploring the causes of alliances’ collapses. Any partnership has its value and can be considered as an intangible asset of the company. However, at the moment, there is no universal way of assessing this type of active assets, therefore, classification is a key step in creating a model for determining the value of a partnership. 

  17. influence of manufacturing practices on quality of pharmaceutical

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hi-tech

    2004-06-01

    Jun 1, 2004 ... PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED IN KENYA. J. A. ORWA, L. K. ... Design: Cross-sectional study. ... of good manufacturing practices has been used in the production of each pharmaceutical product by ...

  18. Radiation sterilization of pharmaceuticals and biomedical products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blackburn, R.; Iddon, B.; Moore, J.S.; Phillips, G.O.; Power, D.M.; Woodward, T.W.

    1975-01-01

    Sterilization of pharmaceuticals by radiation is accompanied by chemical degradation which must be eliminated or minimised if the method is to be successfully applied. In order to devise ways in which the pharmaceutical can be protected it is necessary to know the yield and nature of the decomposition products, the mechanisms by which degradation occurs, and the rate constants for the reactions involved. We have obtained such data for a variety of pharmaceutical compounds, viz. vitamin B12, benzyl penicillin, sulphonamides, indoles, heparin, alginates and phenylmercurics, both in the solid state and in aqueous solution. The scope and limitations of radiation sterilization are discussed in the light of these results. (author)

  19. Decomposition of persistent pharmaceuticals in wastewater by ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, Atsushi; Osawa, Misako; Taguchi, Mitsumasa

    2012-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals in wastewater were treated by the combined method of activated sludge and ionizing radiation in laboratory scale. Oseltamivir, aspirin, and ibuprofen at 5 μmol dm −3 in wastewater were decomposed by the activated sludge at reaction time for 4 h. Carbamazepine, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, clofibric acid, and diclofenac were not biodegraded completely, but were eliminated by γ-ray irradiation at 2 kGy. The rate constants of the reactions of these pharmaceuticals with hydroxyl radicals were estimated by the competition reaction method to be 4.0–10×10 9 mol −1 dm 3 s −1 . Decompositions of the pharmaceuticals in wastewater by ionizing radiation were simulated by use of the rate constants and the amount of total organic carbon as parameters. Simulation curves of concentrations of these pharmaceuticals as a function of dose described the experimental data, and the required dose for the elimination of them in wastewater by ionizing radiation can be estimated by this simulation. - Highlights: ► We treat pharmaceuticals in wastewater by activated sludge and ionizing radiation. ► Activated sludge decreases the amounts of total organic carbons in wastewater. ► Pharmaceuticals were decomposed by γ-ray irradiation at 2 kGy. ► We construct simulation for treatment of pharmaceuticals by ionizing radiation.

  20. The pharmaceutical sector inquiry: 'Hamlet' in a nutshell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    den Exter, André

    2010-03-01

    In July 2009, the European Commission (DG Competition) published a Communication on the pharmaceutical sector. This inquiry was launched because there were some indications that competition in the pharmaceutical market in the European Union might not be working well. The report examines the reasons for the observed delay. This article analyses the outcomes from a critical standpoint, arguing in favour of enhanced 'soft law' accountability mechanisms in the pharmaceutical sector, defending conditional patenting and the introduction of a Community patent.

  1. Polymers in life sciences: Pharmaceutical and biomedical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barba, Anna Angela; Dalmoro, Annalisa; d'Amore, Matteo; Lamberti, Gaetano; Cascone, Sara; Titomanlio, Giuseppe

    2015-12-01

    This paper deals with the work done by prof. Titomanlio and his group in the fields of pharmaceutical and biomedical applications of polymers. In particular, the main topics covered are: i) controlled drug release from pharmaceuticals based on hydrogel for oral delivery of drugs; ii) production and characterization of micro and nanoparticles based on stimuli-responsive polymers; iii) use of polymers for coronary stent gel-paving; iv) design and realization of novel methods (in-vitro and in-silico) to test polymer-based pharmaceuticals.

  2. Drivers of peak sales for pharmaceutical brands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fischer, Marc; Leeflang, Peter S. H.; Verhoef, Peter C.

    2010-01-01

    Peak sales are an important metric in the pharmaceutical industry. Specifically, managers are focused on the height-of-peak-sales and the time required achieving peak sales. We analyze how order of entry and quality affect the level of peak sales and the time-to-peak-sales of pharmaceutical brands.

  3. SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF ACETYLCYSTEINE IN PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS USING 2,3-DICHLORO-1,4-NAPTHOQUINONE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. O. Donchenko

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of research was the development and validation ofspectrophotometric method foracetylcysteine assay in pharmaceutical formulations.Тhe proposed method is based on the reaction with 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone and the formation of colored products that exhibit absorption maxima at 425 nm. Introduction Many analytical methods have been published for acetylcysteine assay in pharmaceutical formulations as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC, fluorimetry and chemiluminescence. Some of these methods are time consuming or require expensive equipment. Other published methods suffer from lack of selectivity and sensitivity. Spectrophotometry is the most widely used technique in pharmaceutical analysis because it is simple, economic, and easily available to most quality control laboratories. In the present work, we propose a simple and accurate spectrophotometric method for acetylcysteine assay in pharmaceutical formulations. Materials and Methods Reagents: Reference standard acetylcysteinesubstance; 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone. All chemicals and solvents were of analytical grade. DMFA was used as a solvent. Pharmaceutical preparations:powder for oral solution «ACC 200» 200 mgseries number50026151 (Salutas Pharma CmbH, Germany; effervescent tablets «Fluimucil» 600 mg (Zambon S.P.A., Italy and «ACC LONG» 600 mg (Salutas Pharma CmbH, Germany series numbers 321284 and DH2740; solution for injections «Fluimucil» 100 mg/ml (Zambon S.P.A., Italyseries number28002492. Solutions: Acetylcysteine stock solution (0,16%; DMFAsolution of 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone (4%. Equipment Analytical balance (ABT-120-5DM; UV-VIS spectrophotometer (Specord 200; water bath (MemmertWNB 7-45;quartz cells. Results Acetylcysteine was determined using a spectrophotometric method based on the reaction with 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone to form yellow colored reaction products with absorption maxima at 425 nm. The effect of reaction time and

  4. The economic burden of schizophrenia in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teoh SL

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Siew Li Teoh,1 Huey Yi Chong,1 Salina Abdul Aziz,2 Norliza Chemi,2 Abdul Razak Othman,2 Nurzuriana Md Zaki,2 Possatorn Vanichkulpitak,3 Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk1,4–6 1School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, 2Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, 4Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand; 5School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 6Health and Well-being Cluster, Global Asia in the 21st Century (GA21 Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, MalaysiaIntroduction: Schizophrenia (SCZ is a highly debilitating disease despite its low prevalence. The economic burden associated with SCZ is substantial and mainly attributed to productivity loss. To improve the understanding of economic burden of SCZ in the low- and middle-income country regions, we aimed to determine the economic burden of SCZ in Malaysia.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using a prevalence-based approach from a societal perspective in Malaysia with a 1 year period from 2013. We used micro-costing technique with bottom-up method and included direct medical cost, direct non-medical cost, and indirect cost. The main data source was medical chart review which was conducted in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL. The medical charts were identified electronically by matching the unique patient’s identification number registered under the National Mental Health Schizophrenia Registry and the list of patients in HKL in 2013. Other data sources were government documents, literatures, and local websites. To ensure robustness of result, probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted.Results: The total estimated number of treated SCZ cases in Malaysia in 2015 was 15,104 with the total economic burden of USD 100 million

  5. Health risks of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    ten Ham, Martijn

    2003-01-01

    Pharmaceutical products are not exempt from the practice of counterfeiting. In recent years, many reports have become available demonstrating the presence of fake medicines on the market. Several studies have demonstrated that they are quite often of bad quality. It is estimated that 5% of all world trade in branded goods is counterfeit, leading to huge financial losses for the pharmaceutical industry. But much more important, from a public health point of view, is that history has shown that such products may lead to a great health risk. The essence of counterfeit products and the reason they are so dangerous is the complete absence of quality control, since they are often indistinguishable from the genuine product. The existence of counterfeit drugs has long been ignored both by the pharmaceutical industry and by drug regulatory authorities. At present initiatives are being taken, nationally and internationally, to curb counterfeiting. It is now realised that a strong regulatory agency is essential, but the initiatives can only be successful if all parties concerned actively co-operate.

  6. RESEARCH OF CONDITION OF PUBLIC DRUG ASSISTANCE DURING INDEPENDENCE YEARS OF UKRAINE - FORMATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. O. Boryshchuk

    2015-10-01

    . Self-treatment is widespread today: 82 % of Ukrainians prescribe medicines by themselves even when they feel a little unwell. Among all examined 75 drugstores in different regions (Zakarpattya, Rivne, Khmelnytsk, Kherson etc. people can get drugs without prescription. During 2014 the pharmaceutical market in comparison with previous year rose by 14 % and its income made up 36 billion UAH. Drug producers perform aggressive marketing and break rules of drugs advertising. Among important problems that require the improvement of legislative and regulatory base at governmental level concerning the economic drug assistance for all population groups.

  7. Marketing concepts for pharmaceutical service development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grauer, D W

    1981-02-01

    Marketing concepts as a mechanism to help pharmacy develop, communicate, and sell future pharmaceutical services to consumers are discussed. Pharmacy as a profession must define itself broadly to take advantage of future growth opportunities. These growth opportunities will be realized from unmet health-care needs and changing consumer life style trends and values. New services must therefore be oriented toward consumers (i.e., patients, health professionals, and third-party agencies) to gain acceptance. Dispensing and drug-knowledge-distribution pharmaceutical services are reviewed by a product life cycle analysis of sales profits versus time. A marketing mix for new pharmaceutical services is developed consisting of service, price, distribution, and promotion strategies. Marketing can encompass those key elements necessary to meet the organizational goals of pharmacy and provide a systematic, disciplined approach for presenting a new service to consumers.

  8. Adsorptive removal of selected pharmaceuticals by mesoporous silica SBA-15

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bui, Tung Xuan; Choi, Heechul

    2009-01-01

    The removal of five selected pharmaceuticals, viz., carbamazepine, clofibric acid, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and ketoprofen was examined by batch sorption experiments onto a synthesized mesoporous silica SBA-15. SBA-15 was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N 2 adsorption-desorption measurement, and point of zero charge (PZC) measurement. Pharmaceutical adsorption kinetics was rapid and occurred on a scale of minutes, following a pseudo-second-order rate expression. Adsorption isotherms were best fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model. High removal rates of individual pharmaceuticals were achieved in acidic media (pH 3-5) and reached 85.2% for carbamazepine, 88.3% for diclofenac, 93.0% for ibuprofen, 94.3% for ketoprofen, and 49.0% for clofibric acid at pH 3 but decreased with increase in pH. SBA-15 also showed high efficiency for removal of a mixture of 5 pharmaceuticals. Except for clofibric acid (35.6%), the removal of pharmaceuticals in the mixture ranged from 75.2 to 89.3%. Based on adsorption and desorption results, the mechanism of the selected pharmaceuticals was found to be a hydrophilic interaction, providing valuable information for further studies to design materials for the purpose. The results of this study suggest that mesoporous-silica-based materials are promising adsorbents for removing pharmaceuticals from not only surface water but also wastewater of pharmaceutical industrial manufactures.

  9. Adsorptive removal of selected pharmaceuticals by mesoporous silica SBA-15

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bui, Tung Xuan, E-mail: bxtung@gist.ac.kr [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 261 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Heechul, E-mail: hcchoi@gist.ac.kr [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 261 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-09-15

    The removal of five selected pharmaceuticals, viz., carbamazepine, clofibric acid, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and ketoprofen was examined by batch sorption experiments onto a synthesized mesoporous silica SBA-15. SBA-15 was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption measurement, and point of zero charge (PZC) measurement. Pharmaceutical adsorption kinetics was rapid and occurred on a scale of minutes, following a pseudo-second-order rate expression. Adsorption isotherms were best fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model. High removal rates of individual pharmaceuticals were achieved in acidic media (pH 3-5) and reached 85.2% for carbamazepine, 88.3% for diclofenac, 93.0% for ibuprofen, 94.3% for ketoprofen, and 49.0% for clofibric acid at pH 3 but decreased with increase in pH. SBA-15 also showed high efficiency for removal of a mixture of 5 pharmaceuticals. Except for clofibric acid (35.6%), the removal of pharmaceuticals in the mixture ranged from 75.2 to 89.3%. Based on adsorption and desorption results, the mechanism of the selected pharmaceuticals was found to be a hydrophilic interaction, providing valuable information for further studies to design materials for the purpose. The results of this study suggest that mesoporous-silica-based materials are promising adsorbents for removing pharmaceuticals from not only surface water but also wastewater of pharmaceutical industrial manufactures.

  10. Pharmaceutical Distribution Market Channels in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Woś

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Distribution on the pharmaceutical market in Poland is interesting and the most difficult sphere to manage. Numerous varied and specialized companies operating on the market cause that the processes of choosing middlemen in distribution channels are very complex. The hereby article presents the role and location of the companies operating within distribution channels on the pharmaceutical market. It draws attention to the development of non-pharmacy and non-wholesale sales channels.

  11. Pharmaceutical cocrystals: walking the talk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolla, Geetha; Nangia, Ashwini

    2016-06-28

    Pharmaceutical cocrystals belong to a sub-class of cocrystals wherein one of the components is a drug molecule (or an active pharmaceutical ingredient, API) and the second is a benign food or drug grade additive (generally regarded as safe, GRAS). The two components are hydrogen-bonded in a fixed stoichiometric ratio in the crystal lattice. In the past decade, pharmaceutical cocrystals have demonstrated significant promise in their ability to modify the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of drug substances, such as the solubility and dissolution rate, bioavailability, particle morphology and size, tableting and compaction, melting point, physical form, biochemical and hydration stability, and permeability. In this feature review, we highlight some prominent examples of drug cocrystals which exhibit variable hardness/softness and elasticity/plasticity depending on coformer selection, improvement of solubility and permeability in the same cocrystal, increase of the melting point for solid formulation, enhanced color performance, photostability and hydration stability, and a longer half-life. Cocrystals of flavanoids and polyphenols can make improved pharmaceuticals and also extend to the larger class of nutraceuticals. The application of crystal engineering to assemble ternary cocrystals expands this field to drug-drug cocrystals which may be useful in multi-drug resistance, mitigating side effects of drugs, or attenuating/enhancing drug action synergistically by rational selection. The advent of new techniques for structural characterization beyond the standard X-ray diffraction will provide a better understanding of drug phases which are at the borderline of crystalline-amorphous nature and even newer opportunities in the future.

  12. Temporal variation of pharmaceuticals in an urban and agriculturally influenced stream

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veach, Allison M.; Bernot, Melody J.

    2011-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals have become ubiquitous in the aquatic environment. Previous studies consistently demonstrate the prevalence of pharmaceuticals in freshwater but we do not yet know how concentrations vary over time within a given system. Two sites in central Indiana with varying land use in the surrounding watershed (suburban and agricultural) were sampled monthly for pharmaceutical concentrations and stream physiochemical parameters. Sediment samples were also collected at each sampling event for measurement of δ 15 N natural abundance and sediment organic content. Across sites and sampling events, twelve pharmaceuticals were detected including acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, cotinine, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, triclosan, and trimethoprim. Sulfathiazole, lincomycin, and tylosin were not detected at either site at any time. The agriculturally-influenced site had comparable pharmaceutical concentrations to the urban-influenced site. In general, pharmaceutical concentrations increased during winter at both sites and decreased during spring and summer. Multiple regression analyses indicated that water column dissolved oxygen, the number of days since precipitation, and solar radiation influenced total pharmaceutical concentration in the urban-influenced site; whereas pH, chlorophyll a concentration, and total amount of rainfall in the previous 10 days influenced total pharmaceutical concentrations in the agriculturally-influenced site. Pharmaceutical concentrations were not correlated with sediment δ 15 N across or within sites. However, sediment in the urban-influenced site had higher mean δ 15 N signatures relative to sediment in the agriculturally-influenced site. These data indicate pharmaceuticals are persistent in aquatic ecosystems influenced by both agricultural and suburban activity. Pharmaceuticals are designed to have a physiological effect; therefore, it is

  13. Pharmaceutical strategic purchasing requirements in Iran: Price interventions and the related effective factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastani, Peivand; Dinarvand, Rasoul; SamadBeik, Mahnaz; Pourmohammadi, Kimia

    2016-01-01

    Pharmaceutical access for the poor is an essential factor in developing countries that can be improved through strategic purchasing. This study was conducted to identify the elements affecting price in order to enable insurance organizations to put strategic purchasing into practice. This was a qualitative study conducted through content analysis with an inductive approach applying a five-stage framework analysis (familiarization, identifying a thematic framework, indexing, mapping, and interpretation). Data analysis was started right after transcribing each interview applying ATLAS.ti. Data were saturated after 32 semi-structured interviews by experts. These key informants were selected purposefully and through snowball sampling. Findings showed that there are four main themes as Pharmaceutical Strategic Purchasing Requirements in Iran as follows essential and structural factors, international factors, economical factors, and legal factors. Moreover, totally 14 related sub-themes were extracted in this area as the main effective variables. It seems that paying adequate attention to the four present themes and 14 sub-themes affecting price can enable health system policy-makers of developing countries like Iran to make the best decisions through strategic purchasing of drugs by the main insurers in order to improve access and health in the country.

  14. A review of near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics in pharmaceutical technologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roggo, Yves; Chalus, Pascal; Maurer, Lene; Lema-Martinez, Carmen; Edmond, Aurélie; Jent, Nadine

    2007-07-27

    Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast and non-destructive analytical method. Associated with chemometrics, it becomes a powerful tool for the pharmaceutical industry. Indeed, NIRS is suitable for analysis of solid, liquid and biotechnological pharmaceutical forms. Moreover, NIRS can be implemented during pharmaceutical development, in production for process monitoring or in quality control laboratories. This review focuses on chemometric techniques and pharmaceutical NIRS applications. The following topics are covered: qualitative analyses, quantitative methods and on-line applications. Theoretical and practical aspects are described with pharmaceutical examples of NIRS applications.

  15. Recent trends and future of pharmaceutical packaging technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nityanand Zadbuke

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The pharmaceutical packaging market is constantly advancing and has experienced annual growth of at least five percent per annum in the past few years. The market is now reckoned to be worth over $20 billion a year. As with most other packaged goods, pharmaceuticals need reliable and speedy packaging solutions that deliver a combination of product protection, quality, tamper evidence, patient comfort and security needs. Constant innovations in the pharmaceuticals themselves such as, blow fill seal (BFS vials, anti-counterfeit measures, plasma impulse chemical vapor deposition (PICVD coating technology, snap off ampoules, unit dose vials, two-in-one prefilled vial design, prefilled syringes and child-resistant packs have a direct impact on the packaging. The review details several of the recent pharmaceutical packaging trends that are impacting packaging industry, and offers some predictions for the future.

  16. Recent trends and future of pharmaceutical packaging technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zadbuke, Nityanand; Shahi, Sadhana; Gulecha, Bhushan; Padalkar, Abhay; Thube, Mahesh

    2013-04-01

    The pharmaceutical packaging market is constantly advancing and has experienced annual growth of at least five percent per annum in the past few years. The market is now reckoned to be worth over $20 billion a year. As with most other packaged goods, pharmaceuticals need reliable and speedy packaging solutions that deliver a combination of product protection, quality, tamper evidence, patient comfort and security needs. Constant innovations in the pharmaceuticals themselves such as, blow fill seal (BFS) vials, anti-counterfeit measures, plasma impulse chemical vapor deposition (PICVD) coating technology, snap off ampoules, unit dose vials, two-in-one prefilled vial design, prefilled syringes and child-resistant packs have a direct impact on the packaging. The review details several of the recent pharmaceutical packaging trends that are impacting packaging industry, and offers some predictions for the future.

  17. Impacts of international sanctions on Iranian pharmaceutical market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheraghali, Abdol Majid

    2013-07-31

    Iran in recent decade faced several regional and international sanctions in foreign trade, financial and banking services. Iran national pharmaceutical industry has always played a major role in providing medicines to the Iranian patients. However, following the sanctions it has faced profound difficulties for importing of both finished products and pharmaceutical raw materials. Although medicines are exempted from sanctions, due to restriction on money transaction and proper insurance Iranian pharmaceutical companies have to pay cash in advance for imports of medicines and raw materials or to secure offshore funds at very high risks. Current situation in Iran pharmaceutical market confirms that the sanctions against Iran are affecting ordinary citizens and national health sector which resulted to reduction of availability of lifesaving medicines in the local market and has caused increasing pain and suffering for Iranian patients.

  18. Recent trends and future of pharmaceutical packaging technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zadbuke, Nityanand; Shahi, Sadhana; Gulecha, Bhushan; Padalkar, Abhay; Thube, Mahesh

    2013-01-01

    The pharmaceutical packaging market is constantly advancing and has experienced annual growth of at least five percent per annum in the past few years. The market is now reckoned to be worth over $20 billion a year. As with most other packaged goods, pharmaceuticals need reliable and speedy packaging solutions that deliver a combination of product protection, quality, tamper evidence, patient comfort and security needs. Constant innovations in the pharmaceuticals themselves such as, blow fill seal (BFS) vials, anti-counterfeit measures, plasma impulse chemical vapor deposition (PICVD) coating technology, snap off ampoules, unit dose vials, two-in-one prefilled vial design, prefilled syringes and child-resistant packs have a direct impact on the packaging. The review details several of the recent pharmaceutical packaging trends that are impacting packaging industry, and offers some predictions for the future. PMID:23833515

  19. Attitudes and beliefs regarding direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs: an exploratory comparison of physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Steven A; Broekemier, Gregory M; Burkink, Tim J

    2014-01-01

    Even with many changes in regulation in recent years, direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of pharmaceutical drugs remains a complicated and contentious issue. Many in our society argue for increased legislation of DTCA while others believe that DTCA serves a useful purpose and should not be overregulated. This study was designed to compare attitudes and beliefs regarding DTCA held by two key stakeholder groups, physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives. A questionnaire was created, pretested, and administered to 30 physicians and 30 pharmaceutical sales representatives to investigate these issues. Significant differences between these two groups were found and implications for DTCA are discussed.

  20. Pharmaceuticals as Groundwater Tracers - Applications and Limitations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheytt, T. J.; Mersmann, P.; Heberer, T.

    2003-12-01

    Pharmaceutically active substances and metabolites are found at concentrations up to the microgram/L-level in groundwater samples from the Berlin (Germany) area and from several other places world wide. Among the compounds detected in groundwater are clofibric acid, propyphenazone, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and carbamazepine. Clofibric acid, the active metabolite of clofibrate and etofibrate (blood lipid regulators) is detected in groundwater at maximum concentrations of 7300 ng/L. Among the most important input paths of drugs are excretion and disposal into the sewage system. Groundwater contamination is likely to be due to leaky sewage systems, influent streams, bank filtration, and irrigation with effluent water from sewage treatment plants. There are no known natural sources of the above mentioned pharmaceuticals. The use of pharmaceuticals as tracers may include: (a) Quantification of infiltration from underground septic tanks (b) Detection of leaky sewage systems / leaky sewage pipes (c) Estimation of the effectiveness of sewage treatment plants (d) Identification of transport pathways of other organic compounds (e) Quantification of surface water / groundwater interaction (f) Characterization of the biodegradation potential. The use of pharmaceuticals as tracers is limited by variations in input. These variations depend on the amount of drugs prescribed and used in the study area, the social structure of the community, the amount of hospital discharge, and temporal concentration variations. Furthermore, the analysis of trace amounts of pharmaceuticals is sophisticated and expensive and may therefore limit the applicability of pharmaceuticals as tracers. Finally, the transport and degradation behavior of pharmaceuticals is not fully understood. Preliminary experiments in the laboratory were conducted using sediment material and groundwater from the Berlin area to evaluate the transport and sorption behavior of selected drugs. Results of the column experiments

  1. Why regulatory indifference towards pharmaceutical pollution of the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Unlike other environmental contaminants, pharmaceutical pollutants are not yet regulated globally, simply because acute risk assessments show insignificant human health hazard. But the pitfalls of pharmaceutical pollutants extend beyond acute effects to delayed effects from bioaccumulation, amplified effects from ...

  2. Unlicensed pharmaceutical preparations for clinical patient care: Ensuring safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Wilde, Sofieke; de Jong, Maria G H; Le Brun, Paul P H; Guchelaar, Henk-Jan; Schimmel, Kirsten J M

    2018-01-01

    Most medicinal products dispensed to patients have marketing authorization (MA) to ensure high quality of the product, safety, and efficacy. However, in daily practice, to treat patients adequately, there is a medical need for drugs that do not hold MA. To meet this medical need, medicinal products are used in clinical care without MA (unlicensed), such as products prepared by (local) pharmacies: the pharmaceutical preparations. Three types of pharmaceutical preparations are distinguished: (i) reconstitution in excess of summary of product characteristics; (ii) adaptation of a licensed medicinal product (outside its official labeling); (iii) medicinal products from an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Although unlicensed, patients may expect the same quality for these unlicensed pharmaceutical preparations as for the licensed medicinal products. To assure this quality, a proper risk-benefit assessment and proper documentation in (centralized) patient registries and linking to a national pharmacovigilance database should be in place. Based on a risk assessment matrix, requirements for quality assurance can be determined, which has impact on the level of documentation of a pharmaceutical preparation. In this paper, the approach for good documentation including quality assurance and benefit-risk assessment will be discussed and possibilities for patient registries are described to make these crucial preparations available for regular patient care. KEY POINTS Ensuring pharmaceutical quality and performing a proper benefit-risk assessment will guarantee safe use of pharmaceutical preparations. Good documentation of (ultra-)orphan treatments can be collected in centralized patient registries and should be combined with existing information in (inter)national databases and self-reflection of patients. Linking patient registries to a centralized database for adverse drug events is highly recommended as it increases safety control of the (ultra) orphan pharmaceutical

  3. Pharmaceutical supply chain risks: a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Supply of medicine as a strategic product in any health system is a top priority. Pharmaceutical companies, a major player of the drug supply chain, are subject to many risks. These risks disrupt the supply of medicine in many ways such as their quantity and quality and their delivery to the right place and customers and at the right time. Therefore risk identification in the supply process of pharmaceutical companies and mitigate them is highly recommended. Objective In this study it is attempted to investigate pharmaceutical supply chain risks with perspective of manufacturing companies. Methods Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science bibliographic databases and Google scholar scientific search engines were searched for pharmaceutical supply chain risk management studies with 6 different groups of keywords. All results found by keywords were reviewed and none-relevant articles were excluded by outcome of interests and researcher boundaries of study within 4 steps and through a systematic method. Results Nine articles were included in the systematic review and totally 50 main risks based on study outcome of interest extracted which classified in 7 categories. Most of reported risks were related to supply and supplier issues. Organization and strategy issues, financial, logistic, political, market and regulatory issues were in next level of importance. Conclusion It was shown that the majority of risks in pharmaceutical supply chain were internal risks due to processes, people and functions mismanagement which could be managed by suitable mitigation strategies. PMID:24355166

  4. 'Linkage' pharmaceutical evergreening in Canada and Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faunce, Thomas A; Lexchin, Joel

    2007-01-01

    'Evergreening' is not a formal concept of patent law. It is best understood as a social idea used to refer to the myriad ways in which pharmaceutical patent owners utilise the law and related regulatory processes to extend their high rent-earning intellectual monopoly privileges, particularly over highly profitable (either in total sales volume or price per unit) 'blockbuster' drugs. Thus, while the courts are an instrument frequently used by pharmaceutical brand name manufacturers to prolong their patent royalties, 'evergreening' is rarely mentioned explicitly by judges in patent protection cases. The term usually refers to threats made to competitors about a brand-name manufacturer's tactical use of pharmaceutical patents (including over uses, delivery systems and even packaging), not to extension of any particular patent over an active product ingredient. This article focuses in particular on the 'evergreening' potential of so-called 'linkage' provisions, imposed on the regulatory (safety, quality and efficacy) approval systems for generic pharmaceuticals of Canada and Australia, by specific articles in trade agreements with the US. These 'linkage' provisions have also recently appeared in the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUSFTA). They require such drug regulators to facilitate notification of, or even prevent, any potential patent infringement by a generic pharmaceutical manufacturer. This article explores the regulatory lessons to be learnt from Canada's and Australia's shared experience in terms of minimizing potential adverse impacts of such 'linkage evergreening' provisions on drug costs and thereby potentially on citizen's access to affordable, essential medicines. PMID:17543113

  5. Pharmaceutical supply chain risks: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaberidoost, Mona; Nikfar, Shekoufeh; Abdollahiasl, Akbar; Dinarvand, Rassoul

    2013-12-19

    Supply of medicine as a strategic product in any health system is a top priority. Pharmaceutical companies, a major player of the drug supply chain, are subject to many risks. These risks disrupt the supply of medicine in many ways such as their quantity and quality and their delivery to the right place and customers and at the right time. Therefore risk identification in the supply process of pharmaceutical companies and mitigate them is highly recommended. In this study it is attempted to investigate pharmaceutical supply chain risks with perspective of manufacturing companies. Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science bibliographic databases and Google scholar scientific search engines were searched for pharmaceutical supply chain risk management studies with 6 different groups of keywords. All results found by keywords were reviewed and none-relevant articles were excluded by outcome of interests and researcher boundaries of study within 4 steps and through a systematic method. Nine articles were included in the systematic review and totally 50 main risks based on study outcome of interest extracted which classified in 7 categories. Most of reported risks were related to supply and supplier issues. Organization and strategy issues, financial, logistic, political, market and regulatory issues were in next level of importance. It was shown that the majority of risks in pharmaceutical supply chain were internal risks due to processes, people and functions mismanagement which could be managed by suitable mitigation strategies.

  6. Temporal variation of pharmaceuticals in an urban and agriculturally influenced stream

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Veach, Allison M., E-mail: amveach@k-state.edu; Bernot, Melody J., E-mail: mjbernot@bsu.edu

    2011-10-01

    Pharmaceuticals have become ubiquitous in the aquatic environment. Previous studies consistently demonstrate the prevalence of pharmaceuticals in freshwater but we do not yet know how concentrations vary over time within a given system. Two sites in central Indiana with varying land use in the surrounding watershed (suburban and agricultural) were sampled monthly for pharmaceutical concentrations and stream physiochemical parameters. Sediment samples were also collected at each sampling event for measurement of {delta}{sup 15}N natural abundance and sediment organic content. Across sites and sampling events, twelve pharmaceuticals were detected including acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, cotinine, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, triclosan, and trimethoprim. Sulfathiazole, lincomycin, and tylosin were not detected at either site at any time. The agriculturally-influenced site had comparable pharmaceutical concentrations to the urban-influenced site. In general, pharmaceutical concentrations increased during winter at both sites and decreased during spring and summer. Multiple regression analyses indicated that water column dissolved oxygen, the number of days since precipitation, and solar radiation influenced total pharmaceutical concentration in the urban-influenced site; whereas pH, chlorophyll a concentration, and total amount of rainfall in the previous 10 days influenced total pharmaceutical concentrations in the agriculturally-influenced site. Pharmaceutical concentrations were not correlated with sediment {delta}{sup 15}N across or within sites. However, sediment in the urban-influenced site had higher mean {delta}{sup 15}N signatures relative to sediment in the agriculturally-influenced site. These data indicate pharmaceuticals are persistent in aquatic ecosystems influenced by both agricultural and suburban activity. Pharmaceuticals are designed to have a physiological

  7. Pharmaceutical expenditure forecast model to support health policy decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rémuzat, Cécile; Urbinati, Duccio; Kornfeld, Åsa; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aballéa, Samuel; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    With constant incentives for healthcare payers to contain their pharmaceutical budgets, modelling policy decision impact became critical. The objective of this project was to test the impact of various policy decisions on pharmaceutical budget (developed for the European Commission for the project 'European Union (EU) Pharmaceutical expenditure forecast' - http://ec.europa.eu/health/healthcare/key_documents/index_en.htm). A model was built to assess policy scenarios' impact on the pharmaceutical budgets of seven member states of the EU, namely France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. The following scenarios were tested: expanding the UK policies to EU, changing time to market access, modifying generic price and penetration, shifting the distribution chain of biosimilars (retail/hospital). Applying the UK policy resulted in dramatic savings for Germany (10 times the base case forecast) and substantial additional savings for France and Portugal (2 and 4 times the base case forecast, respectively). Delaying time to market was found be to a very powerful tool to reduce pharmaceutical expenditure. Applying the EU transparency directive (6-month process for pricing and reimbursement) increased pharmaceutical expenditure for all countries (from 1.1 to 4 times the base case forecast), except in Germany (additional savings). Decreasing the price of generics and boosting the penetration rate, as well as shifting distribution of biosimilars through hospital chain were also key methods to reduce pharmaceutical expenditure. Change in the level of reimbursement rate to 100% in all countries led to an important increase in the pharmaceutical budget. Forecasting pharmaceutical expenditure is a critical exercise to inform policy decision makers. The most important leverages identified by the model on pharmaceutical budget were driven by generic and biosimilar prices, penetration rate, and distribution. Reducing, even slightly, the prices of

  8. Electrochemical treatment of pharmaceutical and industrial wastewater by anodic oxidation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Menapace, H. M.; Fellerer, M.; Treschnitzer, M.

    2009-01-01

    In modern medicine pharmaceuticals play a decisive role: because of an increased life expectancy and intensive care medicine an increasing amount of pharmaceuticals is produced. thus these substances are consumed in a mass of tons per year in industrialized countries. Wastewater effluents from sewage treatment plants (STP) are important point sources for residues of pharmaceuticals and complexing agents in the aquatic environment. For this reason a research project, which started in December 2006, was established to eliminate pharmaceutical substances and complexing agents found in wastewater as micropollutants. (Author)

  9. ETHICAL ASPECTS OF THE COOPERATION BETWEEN PHYSICIAN AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jože Drinovec

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Background. It is not possible to isolated ethical aspects and norms in the work of physician from the professional and scientific ones. The physician will not act contrary to ethical principles if he will work for the interests of the patient and in accordance with scientific knowledge.Present situation and possible solutions. Every physician, especially if working in university institution is co-operating with pharmaceutical industry, at least he is makes the prescriptions and chooses one drug of the possible ones. There are also other aspects of co-operation: clinical trials, writing expertise and lectures at scientific meetings, sponsored by pharmaceutical industry. There are guidelines and codex in Western countries for more than ten years, which regulate the relation between physician and pharmaceutical industry. The most important ones are those from World Health Organisation, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries’ Associations’, and International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations’. Scientific independence of lecturers and writers is tried to be achieved by disclosure of relevant financial relation with pharmaceutical corporation in advance.Conclusions. Physician working with pharmaceutical industry has o follow the guidelines of international professional associations. He/she has to be independent relaying only upon scientific and professional principles seeing primary the benefit of the patient.

  10. Pharmaceutical market in Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veselin Tima Dickov

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Marketing concept formed around the focus on the consumers, their needs, wants and demands, evolves in the case of pharmaceutical into a care of the complex interest of constituents generating demand on this market and #8211; pres scribers whose role is to select therapies, pharmacists who dispense drugs within a specialized distribution channel to the final consumer -patient, alongside the payers and #8211; the state and or insurance companies refund a part of or total costs of the pharmaceutical product. A special challenge that the subject raises is the existence of controversy generated from two sources. Marketing controversy stems from criticism leveled at the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing activities and the debatable ethical code of conduct. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2012; 1(1.000: 44-51

  11. Current Status and Issues in Basic Pharmaceutical Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuhara, Tomohisa

    2017-01-01

    Basic research in pharmaceutical sciences has a long and successful history. Researchers in this field have long given prime importance to the knowledge they have gained through their pharmaceutical education. The transition of pharmacy education to a 6-year course term has not only extended its duration but also placed more emphasis on practical clinical education. The School Education Act (in article 87, second paragraph) determines that "the term of the course, whose main purpose is to cultivate practical ability in clinical pharmacy, shall be six years" (excerpt). The 6-year pharmacy education is an exception to the general 4-year university term determined by the School Education Act. Therefore, the purpose of the 6-year course in pharmacy is clearly proscribed. This is true of the basic course in pharmaceutical education as well; hence, the basic course must be oriented toward developing "practical ability in clinical" education, too. The 6-year pharmacy course, starting from practice (Do), has evolved with the development of a syllabus that includes a model core curriculum (Plan). Furthermore, improvement in the course can be seen by the promoted development of faculty (Act). Now, evidence-based education research will be introduced (Check). This is how the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle in pharmaceutical education is expected to work. Currently, pedagogy research in pharmacy education has just begun, so it is difficult to evaluate at this time whether basic pharmaceutical education does in fact contribute to enhancing the "practical clinical ability" component of pharmaceutical education.

  12. Quality in the pharmaceutical industry - A literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haleem, Reham M; Salem, Maissa Y; Fatahallah, Faten A; Abdelfattah, Laila E

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this study is to:a.Highlight the most important guidelines and practices of quality in the pharmaceutical industry.b.Organize such guidelines and practices to create a guide to pave the way for other researchers who would like to dig deeper into these guidelines and practices. A review was conducted of 102 publications; 56 publications were concerned with the pharmaceutical quality directly while 46 publications were concerned with the general quality practices. The content of those sources was analyzed and the following themes were identified:a.Research theme 1: Guidelines of the pharmaceutical quality.b.Research theme 2: General practices recently applied in the pharmaceutical industry. The following guidelines were identified and reviewed: WHO guidelines, FDA guidelines, EU guidelines and ICH guidelines in the research theme I. In research theme II; the following topics were identified and reviewed: quality risk management, quality by design, corrective actions and preventive actions, process capability analysis, Six Sigma, process analytical technology, lean manufacturing, total quality management, ISO series and HACCP. Upon reviewing the previously highlighted guidelines and the practices that are widely applied in the pharmaceutical industry, it was noticed that there is an abundant number of papers and articles that explain the general guidelines and practices but the literature lack those describing application; case studies of the pharmaceutical factories applying those guidelines and significance of those guidelines and practices. It is recommended that the literature would invest more in the area of application and significance of guidelines and practices. New case studies should be done to prove the feasibility of such practices.

  13. La economía del la salud: ¿debe ser de interés para el campo sanitario? Health economics: should it concern the health sector?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Collazo Herrera

    2002-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper addresses the most important features of health economics, especially its scope and applications within the sphere of health. Health economics is a field of study which allows countries to gear their health policies toward making more rational use of their resources and expanding and improving their health care services. Such policies should, on the other hand, aim to generate strategies for adequately managing human, technical, economic, and financial resources so as to reap the finest health benefits possible. A knowledge of how economics can be applied to health will enable health professionals to introduce an economics culture into their daily work. In other words, it will allow them to keep in mind the scope of their various working tools¾health planning, national health accounts and accounting, and economic assessment methods, which include health and pharmaceutical technology assessment and pharmacoeconomics¾as well as the place that economics has in health research. Hopefully, a knowledge of these aspects of economic analysis will provide decision-makers with one more tool they can apply in selecting more efficient options and attaining the highest health benefits at the lowest possible cost for the national health system.

  14. The development of a self-sufficient pharmaceutical industry in autarchic Spain: between need, utopia and fracoist propaganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raúl Rodríguez Nozal

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The history of the Spanish pharmaceutical industry is conditioned by its ascription to a Mediterranean model, with small economic impact and a high presence of artisan and professional elements. The industry of organic and fermentative raw materials did not appear until the Franco dictatorship. During the autarchy period, an interest to stimulate the sector seems to have arose: first, by continuing the long going investment on industries of natural products to obtain medical active principles, hence preventing their import; secondly, aimed at long term, by establishing an integral organic chemistry industry to obtain drugs from coal; and finally, by promoting the development of an industry of penicillin synthesis. However, there were a number of elements that hindered the development of the chemical-pharmaceutical industry, including the inherent limitations of the autarchic policies, the excessive number of laboratories and commercialized products, the poor capitalization and lack of research programs of these companies and the insufficient technical and scientific abilities required for these activities.

  15. Fate of pharmaceuticals in full-scale source separated sanitation system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butkovskyi, A; Hernandez Leal, L; Rijnaarts, H H M; Zeeman, G

    2015-11-15

    Removal of 14 pharmaceuticals and 3 of their transformation products was studied in a full-scale source separated sanitation system with separate collection and treatment of black water and grey water. Black water is treated in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor followed by oxygen-limited autotrophic nitrification-denitrification in a rotating biological contactor and struvite precipitation. Grey water is treated in an aerobic activated sludge process. Concentration of 10 pharmaceuticals and 2 transformation products in black water ranged between low μg/l to low mg/l. Additionally, 5 pharmaceuticals were also present in grey water in low μg/l range. Pharmaceutical influent loads were distributed over two streams, i.e. diclofenac was present for 70% in grey water, while the other compounds were predominantly associated to black water. Removal in the UASB reactor fed with black water exceeded 70% for 9 pharmaceuticals out of the 12 detected, with only two pharmaceuticals removed by sorption to sludge. Ibuprofen and the transformation product of naproxen, desmethylnaproxen, were removed in the rotating biological contactor. In contrast, only paracetamol removal exceeded 90% in the grey water treatment system while removal of other 7 pharmaceuticals was below 40% or even negative. The efficiency of pharmaceutical removal in the source separated sanitation system was compared with removal in the conventional sewage treatment plants. Furthermore, effluent concentrations of black water and grey water treatment systems were compared with predicted no-effect concentrations to assess toxicity of the effluent. Concentrations of diclofenac, ibuprofen and oxazepam in both effluents were higher than predicted no-effect concentrations, indicating the necessity of post-treatment. Ciprofloxacin, metoprolol and propranolol were found in UASB sludge in μg/g range, while pharmaceutical concentrations in struvite did not exceed the detection limits. Copyright © 2015

  16. Capacity to deliver pharmaceutical care by community pharmacies ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pharmacy practice has transcended from largely a dispensary practice to pharmaceutical care practice. The capacity of community pharmacies to deliver pharmaceutical care was studied using pretested self survey methods. Ninety five percent (95%) of the respondents always educated customers on drug related needs, ...

  17. Potential Impacts of Pharmaceutical Uses of Transgenic Tobacco: The Case of Human Serum Albumin and Gaucher's Disease Treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Kostandini, Gentian

    2004-01-01

    This thesis examines the size and distribution of benefits from the use of transgenic tobacco as a production vehicle for pharmaceutical proteins. Ex-ante welfare benefits are estimated for the introduction of two biotech innovations. In both cases economic surplus model with imperfect competition is employed to assess the size and distribution of benefits from these alternative uses of tobacco. An introductory chapter presents an overview of the topic followed by chapters 2 and 3 which conta...

  18. RECENT TRENDS IN PACKAGING SYSTEMS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Dobrucka

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background:  In recent years, pharmaceutical packaging market was one of the fastest growing areas of the packaging industry. At the same time the packaging manufacturers put high demands on quality and safety. Methods: Review of innovations in packaging systems for pharmaceutical products was made including newest information of researches and achievements of recent years. Results and conclusion: Observed in recent years the development of pharmaceutical packaging market expanded due to with the huge technological advances that allow introduction of new packaging. Also, in this study presented intelligent packaging in pharmacy and innovation in child-resistance packaging.

  19. Pharmaceutical cocrystals: along the path to improved medicines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duggirala, Naga K; Perry, Miranda L; Almarsson, Örn; Zaworotko, Michael J

    2016-01-14

    Cocrystals, a long known but understudied class of crystalline solids, have attracted interest from crystal engineers and pharmaceutical scientists in the past decade and are now an integral part of the preformulation stage of drug development. This is largely because cocrystals that contain a drug molecule, pharmaceutical cocrystals, can modify physicochemical properties without the need for covalent modification of the drug molecule. This review presents a brief history of cocrystals before addressing recent advances in design, discovery and development of pharmaceutical cocrystals that have occurred since an earlier review published in 2004. We address four aspects of cocrystals: nomenclature; design using hydrogen-bonded supramolecular synthons; methods of discovery and synthesis; development of pharmaceutical cocrystals as drug products. Cocrystals can be classified into molecular cocrystals (MCCs) that contain only neutral components (coformers) and ionic cocrystals (ICCs), which are comprised of at least one ionic coformer that is a salt. That cocrystals, especially ICCs, offer much greater diversity in terms of composition and properties than single component crystal forms and are amenable to design makes them of continuing interest. Seven recent case studies that illustrate how pharmaceutical cocrystals can improve physicochemical properties and clinical performance of drug substances, including a recently approved drug product based upon an ICC, are presented.

  20. E-detailing: information technology applied to pharmaceutical detailing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montoya, Isaac D

    2008-11-01

    E-detailing can be best described as the use of information technology in the field of pharmaceutical detailing. It is becoming highly popular among pharmaceutical companies because it maximizes the time of the sales force, cuts down the cost of detailing and increases physician prescribing. Thus, the application of information technology is proving to be beneficial to both physicians and pharmaceutical companies. When e-detailing was introduced in 1996, it was limited to the US; however, numerous other countries soon adopted this novel approach to detailing and now it is popular in many developed nations. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the rapid growth of e-detailing in the field of pharmaceutical marketing. A review of e-detailing literature was conducted in addition to personal conversations with physicians. E-detailing has the potential to reduce marketing costs, increase accessibility to physicians and offer many of the advantages of face-to-face detailing. E-detailing is gaining acceptance among physicians because they can access the information of a pharmaceutical product at their own time and convenience. However, the drug safety aspect of e-detailing has not been examined and e-detailing remains a supplement to traditional detailing and is not yet a replacement to it.

  1. Valuing Trial Designs from a Pharmaceutical Perspective Using Value-Based Pricing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breeze, Penny; Brennan, Alan

    2015-11-01

    Our aim was to adapt the traditional framework for expected net benefit of sampling (ENBS) to be more compatible with drug development trials from the pharmaceutical perspective. We modify the traditional framework for conducting ENBS and assume that the price of the drug is conditional on the trial outcomes. We use a value-based pricing (VBP) criterion to determine price conditional on trial data using Bayesian updating of cost-effectiveness (CE) model parameters. We assume that there is a threshold price below which the company would not market the new intervention. We present a case study in which a phase III trial sample size and trial duration are varied. For each trial design, we sampled 10,000 trial outcomes and estimated VBP using a CE model. The expected commercial net benefit is calculated as the expected profits minus the trial costs. A clinical trial with shorter follow-up, and larger sample size, generated the greatest expected commercial net benefit. Increasing the duration of follow-up had a modest impact on profit forecasts. Expected net benefit of sampling can be adapted to value clinical trials in the pharmaceutical industry to optimise the expected commercial net benefit. However, the analyses can be very time consuming for complex CE models. © 2014 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Maintenance of Clinical Expertise and Clinical Research by the Clinical Professors at Gifu Pharmaceutical University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tachi, Tomoya; Noguchi, Yoshihiro; Teramachi, Hitomi

    2017-01-01

    The clinical professors at Gifu Pharmaceutical University (GPU) provide pharmaceutical services at GPU Pharmacy, Gifu University Hospital, and Gifu Municipal Hospital to keep their clinical skills up-to-date; they also perform clinical research in collaboration with many clinical institutes. The Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy is part of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, to which the clinical professors belong, and is composed of three clinical professors (a professor, an associate professor, and an assistant professor). The professor administers the GPU Pharmacy as its director, while the associate professor and assistant professor provide pharmaceutical services to patients at Gifu Municipal Hospital, and also provide practical training for students in the GPU Pharmacy. Collectively, they have performed research on such topics as medication education for students, clinical communication education, and analysis of clinical big data. They have also conducted research in collaboration with clinical institutes, hospitals, and pharmacies. Here, we introduce the collaborative research between the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Gifu Municipal Hospital. These studies include "Risk factors contributing to urinary protein expression resulting from bevacizumab combination chemotherapy", "Hyponatremia and hypokalemia as risk factors for falls", "Economic evaluation of adjustments of levofloxacin dosage by dispensing pharmacists for patients with renal dysfunction", and "Effect of patient education upon discharge for use of a medication notebook on purchasing over-the-counter drugs and health foods". In this symposium, we would like to demonstrate one model of the association and collaborative research between these clinical professors and clinical institutes.

  3. Pharmaceutical Cocrystals

    OpenAIRE

    Korotkova, Elena I.; Kratochvíl, B.

    2014-01-01

    Cocrystals are very interesting and useful product. In this paper the main information about cocrystals is presented. It is shown that cocrystals are solid substances, which consist of few components mixed together. There are a lot of ways of cocrystals production and application. It is shown that cocrystals can be applied in medicine and pharmaceutical industry for improving different properties such as dissolution rate, melting point, solubility, chemical stability etc. Another way of cocry...

  4. Do cost-sharing and entry deregulation curb pharmaceutical innovation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossmann, Volker

    2013-09-01

    This paper examines the role of both cost-sharing schemes in health insurance systems and the regulation of entry into the pharmaceutical sector for pharmaceutical R&D expenditure and drug prices. The analysis suggests that both an increase in the coinsurance rate and stricter price regulations adversely affect R&D spending in the pharmaceutical sector. In contrast, entry deregulation may lead to higher R&D spending of pharmaceutical companies. The relationship between R&D spending per firm and the number of firms may be hump-shaped. In this case, the number of rivals which maximizes R&D expenditure per firm is decreasing in the coinsurance rate and increasing in labor productivity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Corrosion inhibition of aluminum 6063 using some pharmaceutical compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fouda, A.S.; Al-Sarawy, A.A.; Ahmed, F.Sh.; El-Abbasy, H.M.

    2009-01-01

    The corrosion inhibition characteristics of some pharmaceutical compounds on aluminum 6063 in 0.5 mol l -1 H 3 PO 4 has been studied using weight loss and galvanostatic polarization techniques. Results showed that the inhibition occurs through adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on the metal surface. The inhibition efficiency increased with increasing inhibitor concentration, but decreased with increasing temperature. The adsorption of first group pharmaceutical compounds on the metal surface is found to obey Frumkin's adsorption isotherm, but the adsorption of second group pharmaceutical compounds is found to obey Temkin's adsorption isotherm. Thermodynamic parameters for adsorption process were determined. Galvanostatic polarization studies showed that first and second groups' pharmaceutical compounds are mixed-type inhibitors and the results obtained from the two techniques are in good agreement

  6. ANALYSIS OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES’ ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DIRECTED TO PHYSICIANS IN EGYPT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. Bahlol

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Pharmaceutical market is one of the largest world markets with its own conditions. In Middle East, Egypt is a major pharmaceutical emerging market and has geographical, historical and political effective leading role among Arab countries. This research aims to investigate pharmaceutical companies’ activities in Egypt directed to physicians.Methodology. Urveying through simple random probability sampling is the approach appropriate for broad and representative overview of situation in research. Therefore, a survey of 1068 physicians was conducted through interviews and establishing structured data collection questionnaire.Originality. This is the first empirical paper to investigate pharmaceutical companies’ activities directed to physicians in pharmaceutical market of Egypt. These activities include identifying pharmaceutical companies through visits of medical representatives, analysis of those visits, frequency of medical representatives’ visits, characteristics of information introduced by medical representatives to physicians, physicians’ trust in provided information, spending of pharmaceutical companies on physicians, promotional techniques applied by medical representatives. These findings are useful for managers in pharmaceutical industry. They can be also useful in other industries such as medical equipment.Findings. Pharmaceutical companies are employing medical representatives widely, as the most effective and widely-applied promotion tool in Egypt.Practical Implications. Coordinate marketing management vision with pharmaceutical market real context will lead to synergism effect in utilizing medical representatives’ activities.

  7. Microbial Removal of the Pharmaceutical Compounds Ibuprofen and Diclofenac from Wastewater

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Langenhoff, A.A.M.; Inderfurth, N.S.; Veuskens, T.; Schraa, G.; Blokland, M.; Kujawa-Roeleveld, K.; Rijnaarts, H.H.M.

    2013-01-01

    Studies on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals show that the widely used pharmaceuticals ibuprofen and diclofenac are present in relevant concentrations in the environment. A pilot plant treating hospital wastewater with relevant concentrations of these pharmaceuticals was evaluated for its

  8. Public awareness of Pharmaceutical care availability in community ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Furthermore, the awareness of availability of pharmaceutical care services in community pharmacies was 3% while 75% of the respondents believed a community pharmacy was just a place drugs can be obtained. As the profession and pharmacists endeavour to improve knowledge and skill to deliver pharmaceutical care ...

  9. East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences is dedicated to all aspects of Pharmaceutical Sciences research and is published in English. The scientific papers published in the Journal fall into three main categories: review papers, original research papers and short communications. Review papers in ...

  10. Scientific Knowledge and Technology, Animal Experimentation, and Pharmaceutical Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinter, Lewis B; DeGeorge, Joseph J

    2016-12-01

    Human discovery of pharmacologically active substances is arguably the oldest of the biomedical sciences with origins >3500 years ago. Since ancient times, four major transformations have dramatically impacted pharmaceutical development, each driven by advances in scientific knowledge, technology, and/or regulation: (1) anesthesia, analgesia, and antisepsis; (2) medicinal chemistry; (3) regulatory toxicology; and (4) targeted drug discovery. Animal experimentation in pharmaceutical development is a modern phenomenon dating from the 20th century and enabling several of the four transformations. While each transformation resulted in more effective and/or safer pharmaceuticals, overall attrition, cycle time, cost, numbers of animals used, and low probability of success for new products remain concerns, and pharmaceutical development remains a very high risk business proposition. In this manuscript we review pharmaceutical development since ancient times, describe its coevolution with animal experimentation, and attempt to predict the characteristics of future transformations. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Fate of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in fly larvae composting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lalander, C., E-mail: cecilia.lalander@slu.se [Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden); Senecal, J.; Gros Calvo, M. [Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden); Ahrens, L.; Josefsson, S.; Wiberg, K. [Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden); Vinnerås, B. [Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden)

    2016-09-15

    A novel and efficient organic waste management strategy currently gaining great attention is fly larvae composting. High resource recovery efficiency can be achieved in this closed-looped system, but pharmaceuticals and pesticides in waste could potentially accumulate in every loop of the treatment system and spread to the environment. This study evaluated the fate of three pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, roxithromycin, trimethoprim) and two pesticides (azoxystrobin, propiconazole) in a fly larvae composting system and in a control treatment with no larvae. It was found that the half-life of all five substances was shorter in the fly larvae compost (< 10% of control) and no bioaccumulation was detected in the larvae. Fly larvae composting could thus impede the spread of pharmaceuticals and pesticides into the environment. - Highlights: • Degradation of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in fly larvae composting (FLC). • Half-life considerably shorter in FLC than in control with no larvae. • Half-life of carbamazepine was less than two days in FLC. • No bioaccumulation in larvae detected. • FLC could impede the spreading of pharmaceuticals and pesticide in the environment.

  12. Fate of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in fly larvae composting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lalander, C.; Senecal, J.; Gros Calvo, M.; Ahrens, L.; Josefsson, S.; Wiberg, K.; Vinnerås, B.

    2016-01-01

    A novel and efficient organic waste management strategy currently gaining great attention is fly larvae composting. High resource recovery efficiency can be achieved in this closed-looped system, but pharmaceuticals and pesticides in waste could potentially accumulate in every loop of the treatment system and spread to the environment. This study evaluated the fate of three pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, roxithromycin, trimethoprim) and two pesticides (azoxystrobin, propiconazole) in a fly larvae composting system and in a control treatment with no larvae. It was found that the half-life of all five substances was shorter in the fly larvae compost (< 10% of control) and no bioaccumulation was detected in the larvae. Fly larvae composting could thus impede the spread of pharmaceuticals and pesticides into the environment. - Highlights: • Degradation of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in fly larvae composting (FLC). • Half-life considerably shorter in FLC than in control with no larvae. • Half-life of carbamazepine was less than two days in FLC. • No bioaccumulation in larvae detected. • FLC could impede the spreading of pharmaceuticals and pesticide in the environment.

  13. Multifaceted role of clay minerals in pharmaceuticals

    OpenAIRE

    Khurana, Inderpreet Singh; Kaur, Satvinder; Kaur, Harpreet; Khurana, Rajneet Kaur

    2015-01-01

    The desirable physical and physiochemical properties of clay minerals have led them to play a substantial role in pharmaceutical formulations. Clay minerals like kaolin, smectite and palygorskite-sepiolite are among the world's most valuable industrial minerals and of considerable importance. The elemental features of clay minerals which caused them to be used in pharmaceutical formulations are high specific area, sorption capacity, favorable rheological properties, chemical inertness, swelli...

  14. Medical ethics as output of economically motivated industrial objectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bode, U.H.; Geisler, E.P.

    2002-01-01

    Ethics and economics are not mutually exclusive, but rather related concepts that help the human rate in dealing with scarce resources. Safeguarding the resources employed and making a profit are general industrial objectives. Product-specific objectives, such as optimizing medicinal safety and creating benefits for the individual and society, are discussed. Healing disease, improving quality of life and prolonging length of life are very important considerations. The contributions of the pharmaceutical industry in fulfilling ethically based demands will be primarily treated as the careful use of resources (e.g. by renunciation of state support). Other ethical contributions are the early communication of research results for intersectoral use and a voluntary code of conduct to regulate the actions of pharmaceutical companies with regard to information and advertising. In the Third World pharmaceutical industry is mainly faced to potential waste of valuable medicines, due to insufficient infrastructure of logistics and distribution capacities in one region, given a shortage of these very medicines in other and better structured regions. The value of medicines is defined by a comparison of competing therapies (difference in consumption of resources). Possible ethical deficiencies arising from a lack of direct contact of the patient with industry and the quasi-penalization of patients because of faulty lifestyle are briefly discussed. (author)

  15. [E-commerce of pharmaceuticals].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shani, Segev

    2003-05-01

    The emergence of the Internet as a new communications and information technology caused major social and cultural changes. The dramatic increase in accessibility and availability of information empowered the consumer by closing the information gap between the consumer and different suppliers. The objective of this article is to review many new internet-supported applications related to the pharmaceutical market. E-commerce is divided into two major components: Business to Consumer (B to C), and Business to Business (B to B). The main applications in B to C are dissemination of medical and drug information, and the sale of drugs through the Internet. Medical information on the Internet is vast and very helpful for patients, however, its reliability is not guaranteed. Online pharmacies increase the accessibility and availability of drugs. Nevertheless, several obstacles such as security of the data provided (both financial and clinical) prevent the widespread use of online pharmacies. Another risk is the health authorities' inability to regulate Internet sites effectively. Therefore, unregulated sale of prescription drugs, fake or substandard, often occurs on the Internet. B to B relates to physicians, clinics, hospitals, HMO's and pharmaceutical companies. There is a vast number of applications ranging from clinical research, marketing and sales promotion, to drug distribution and logistics. In conclusion, the Internet is dynamic and has contributed to the development of numerous new applications in the field of pharmaceuticals. Regulatory authorities should be active in developing new policies that will deal with those new Internet-based applications.

  16. East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 1. Vol. 8(2) 40 - 42. Constituents of the Stem Bark of Dombeya Rotundifolia Hochst. S.N. NDWIGAH*', G.N. THOITHI', J.W. MWANGI~ AND 1.0. KIBWAGE'. 'Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi,. P. 0.

  17. Introductory Level Problems Illustrating Concepts in Pharmaceutical Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIver, Keith; Whitaker, Kathryn; De Delva, Vladimir; Farrell, Stephanie; Savelski, Mariano J.; Slater, C. Stewart

    2012-01-01

    Textbook style problems including detailed solutions introducing pharmaceutical topics at the level of an introductory chemical engineering course have been created. The problems illustrate and teach subjects which students would learn if they were to pursue a career in pharmaceutical engineering, including the unique terminology of the field,…

  18. Decomposition of persistent pharmaceuticals in wastewater by ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, A.; Taguchi, M.; Osawa, M.

    2011-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. The environmental movement and risk evaluation of some pharmaceuticals are studied recently, and the concentrations of the pharmaceuticals in the water environment increased gradually because of population growth and the diversification of advanced medical worldwide. Some anti-inflammatory medications, anticonvulsant drugs, antiviral drugs, antilipemic agents and so on were detected at the downstream of water treatment plant, and could not be decomposed by the activated sludge system completely. However, it is difficult to manage the environment risk of the pharmaceuticals having great benefits for human life. The development of new treatment method is required to minimized their risk. The purpose of this work is to treat the pharmaceuticals in combination of the activated sludge and the ionizing radiation. Oseltamivir, aspirin and ibuprofen at 5 μmol dm -3 in wastewater were decomposed by activated sludge at reaction time for 4 h. Carbamazepine, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, clofibric acid, and diclofenac were not biodegraded completely, but eliminated by γ-ray irradiation at 2 kGy. The rate constants of the reactions of these pharmaceuticals with hydroxyl radicals produced by water radiolysis were estimated by the competition reaction method to be 3.4 - 10 x 10 9 mol -1 dm 3 s -1 . Decompositions of the pharmaceuticals in wastewater by ionizing radiation were simulated using parameters of the obtained rate constants and the amount of total organic carbon. Simulation curves of concentrations of these pharmaceuticals as function of dose were responsible for the experimental data, and the required dose for the elimination of them in wastewater by ionizing radiation can be estimated by this simulation.

  19. Pharmaceutical expenditure forecast model to support health policy decision making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rémuzat, Cécile; Urbinati, Duccio; Kornfeld, Åsa; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aballéa, Samuel; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    Background and objective With constant incentives for healthcare payers to contain their pharmaceutical budgets, modelling policy decision impact became critical. The objective of this project was to test the impact of various policy decisions on pharmaceutical budget (developed for the European Commission for the project ‘European Union (EU) Pharmaceutical expenditure forecast’ – http://ec.europa.eu/health/healthcare/key_documents/index_en.htm). Methods A model was built to assess policy scenarios’ impact on the pharmaceutical budgets of seven member states of the EU, namely France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. The following scenarios were tested: expanding the UK policies to EU, changing time to market access, modifying generic price and penetration, shifting the distribution chain of biosimilars (retail/hospital). Results Applying the UK policy resulted in dramatic savings for Germany (10 times the base case forecast) and substantial additional savings for France and Portugal (2 and 4 times the base case forecast, respectively). Delaying time to market was found be to a very powerful tool to reduce pharmaceutical expenditure. Applying the EU transparency directive (6-month process for pricing and reimbursement) increased pharmaceutical expenditure for all countries (from 1.1 to 4 times the base case forecast), except in Germany (additional savings). Decreasing the price of generics and boosting the penetration rate, as well as shifting distribution of biosimilars through hospital chain were also key methods to reduce pharmaceutical expenditure. Change in the level of reimbursement rate to 100% in all countries led to an important increase in the pharmaceutical budget. Conclusions Forecasting pharmaceutical expenditure is a critical exercise to inform policy decision makers. The most important leverages identified by the model on pharmaceutical budget were driven by generic and biosimilar prices, penetration rate

  20. PRINTING TECHNIQUES: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamroz, Witold; Kurek, Mateusz; Lyszczarz, Ewelina; Brniak, Witold; Jachowicz, Renata

    2017-05-01

    In the last few years there has been a huge progress in a development of printing techniques and their application in pharmaceutical sciences and particularly in the pharmaceutical technology. The variety of printing methods makes it necessary to systemize them, explain the principles of operation, and specify the possibilities of their use in pharmaceutical technology. This paper aims to review the printing techniques used in a drug development process. The growing interest in 2D and 3D printing methods results in continuously increasing number of scientific papers. Introduction of the first printed drug Spritam@ to the market seems to be a milestone of the 3D printing development. Thus, a particular aim of this review is to show the latest achievements of the researchers in the field of the printing medicines.

  1. Pharmaceutical cocrystals:formation mechanisms, solubility behaviour and solid-state properties

    OpenAIRE

    Alhalaweh, Amjad

    2012-01-01

    The primary aim of pharmaceutical materials engineering is the successful formulation and process development of pharmaceutical products. The diversity of solid forms available offers attractive opportunities for tailoring material properties. In this context, pharmaceutical cocrystals, multicomponent crystalline materials with definite stoichiometries often stabilised by hydrogen bonding, have recently emerged as interesting alternative solid forms with potential for improving the physical a...

  2. Resumed Publication of Pharmaceuticals in 2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shu-Kun Lin

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available After a five year hiatus, we are pleased to announce the resumption of publication of the MDPI journal Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247. First launched in 2004, few suitable papers were submitted and only one was published [1], before our limited editorial resources at the time led us to temporarily discontinue publication. Several things have changed since then. First, there has been an explosive growth in the number of manuscripts submitted and published in MDPI’s various current journals [2], whose topics clearly fall within the intended scope of Pharmaceuticals and we feel that these manuscripts merit a dedicated forum. Second, the expansion of MDPI, now with Editorial Offices and staff in Basel (Switzerland and Beijing (China, allows us to provide Pharmaceuticals’ authors with all the services they could desire and deserve: a simple manuscript submission process, rigorous peer review, quick revision turnaround, Open Access publication on a new and attractive platform and coverage by all the major abstracting services. In addition, a new Editorial Board comprised of noted academic and industry scientists has been set up for Pharmaceuticals. Finally, to better focus the subject matter published in Pharmaceuticals on molecular medicines, we have also set up a special section in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS, ISSN 1422-0067 for papers on nutraceuticals or chemopreventives. We look forward to receiving and publishing your papers and as always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.

  3. Provision of pharmaceutical care by community pharmacists across Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Costa, Filipa A; Scullin, Claire; Al-Taani, Ghaith

    2017-01-01

    RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: Pharmaceutical care involves patient-centred pharmacist activity to improve medicines management by patients. The implementation of this service in a comprehensive manner, however, requires considerable organisation and effort, and indeed, it is often not fully...... implemented in care settings. The main objective was to assess how pharmaceutical care provision within community pharmacy has evolved over time in Europe. METHOD: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey of community pharmacies, using a modified version of the Behavioural Pharmaceutical Care Scale (BPCS......) was conducted in late 2012/early 2013 within 16 European countries and compared with an earlier assessment conducted in 2006. RESULTS: The provision of comprehensive pharmaceutical care has slightly improved in all European countries that participated in both editions of this survey (n = 8) with progress being...

  4. Cross-Linked Hydrogel for Pharmaceutical Applications: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rabinarayan parhi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogels are promising biomaterials because of their important qualities such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, hydrophilicity and non-toxicity. These qualities make hydrogels suitable for application in medical and pharmaceutical field. Recently, a tremendous growth of hydrogel application is seen, especially as gel and patch form, in transdermal drug delivery. This review mainly focuses on the types of hydrogels based on cross-linking and; secondly to describe the possible synthesis methods to design hydrogels for different pharmaceutical applications. The synthesis and chemistry of these hydrogels are discussed using specific pharmaceutical examples. The structure and water content in a typical hydrogel have also been discussed.

  5. Pharmaceutical packaging handbook

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bauer, Edward J

    2009-01-01

    ... of the modern world. Pharmaceutical products and health care in developing countries and remote parts of the world seems like magic. Diseases that were once fatal and chronic conditions that destroyed lives have slowly been conquered by modern medicine. Views of the body, unimaginable for most of the last century with X rays, are now possible with new i...

  6. Evaluation of the Financial and Operating Performance of Fertilizers and Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sectors of Indian Public Sector Enterprises After Disinvestment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DR. GAGAN SINGH

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available After 1991 the Government of India is following a policy of economic liberalisation and concept of disinvestment has been more or less accepted by at least all the parties whenever they are Government Disinvestment involves the sale of equity and bond capital invested by the government in PSUs. The failure of the public sector to fulfill the role assigned to it resulted in the protest become louder and more articulate. The main focus of the present paper is to examine the impact of disinvestment on the financial and operating performance of fertilizers and chemical & pharmaceutical sectors of Indian Public sector enterprises. April 2009 onwards, there are fourteen enterprises in which government has undertaken disinvestment recently. After partial disinvestment of both fertilizers and chemical & pharmaceutical sectors of Indian Public sector enterprises, their dependence on the outsiders’ funds has been increased+

  7. Healthcare systems, the State, and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignacio José Godinho Delgado

    Full Text Available Abstract: This article discusses the relations between healthcare systems and the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on state support for pharmaceutical innovation. The study highlights the experiences of the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, developed countries and paradigms of modern health systems (liberal, universal, and corporatist, in addition to Japan, a case of successful catching up. The study also emphasizes the experiences of China, India, and Brazil, large developing countries that have tried different catching up strategies, with diverse histories and profiles in their healthcare systems and pharmaceutical industries. Finally, with a focus on state forms of support for health research, the article addresses the mechanisms for linkage between health systems and the pharmaceutical industry, evaluating the possibilities of Brazil strengthening a virtuous interaction, favoring the expansion and consolidation of the Brazilian health system - universal but segmented ‒ and the affirmation of the innovative national pharmaceutical industry.

  8. Practices of pharmaceutical waste generation and discarding in households across Portugal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias-Ferreira, Celia; Valente, Susana; Vaz, João

    2016-10-01

    This work is the first nationwide study in Portugal on pharmaceutical waste generated at households, exploring people's attitudes and risk perception. The waste audit was carried out from September to November 2014, targeting pharmaceutical products kept by a sample of families (n = 244). This campaign was an assignment of VALORMED, the non-profit association that manages waste and packaging from expired and unused pharmaceutical products collected by the pharmacies. On average, each household kept at home 1097 g of pharmaceutical products, of which 20% were in use, 72% were not in use, and 8% were mostly expired products ready to discard. Face-to-face interviews with householders showed that 69% of the respondents claimed returning pharmaceutical waste to the local pharmacy. However, this figure is overrated, probably owing to a possible 'good answer' effect. The barriers identified to proper disposal were mainly established routines and lack of close disposal points. This study also provides an insight into the Portuguese awareness and daily practices concerning pharmaceutical waste, which is the cornerstone of any future strategy to reduce the release of active pharmaceutical ingredients into ecosystems. © The Author(s) 2016.

  9. 77 FR 16264 - Manufacturer of Controlled Substances, Notice of Registration; Johnson Matthey Pharmaceutical...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-20

    ..., Notice of Registration; Johnson Matthey Pharmaceutical Materials Inc. By Notice dated November 18, 2011... Pharmaceutical Materials Inc., Pharmaceutical Service, 25 Patton Road, Devens, Massachusetts 01434, made... Matthey Pharmaceutical Materials Inc. to manufacture the listed basic classes of controlled substances is...

  10. Elimination of micropollutants and hazardous substances at the source in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blöcher, C

    2007-01-01

    Industrial wastewater, especially from chemical and pharmaceutical production, often contains substances that need to be eliminated before being discharged into a biological treatment plant and following water bodies. This can be done within the production itself, in selected waste water streams or in a central treatment plant. Each of these approaches has certain advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, a variety of wastewater treatment processes exist that can be applied at each stage, making it a challenging task to choose the best one in economic and ecological terms. In this work a general approach for that and examples from practice are discussed.

  11. Process Analytical Technology for Crystallization of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Malwade, Chandrakant Ramkrishna; Qu, Haiyan

    2018-01-01

    Background: Pharmaceutical industry is witnessing increased pressure to introduce innovative and efficient processes for manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in order to be competitive as well as to meet the stringent product quality requirements set by regulatory authorities...... parameters and their impact on quality of APIs and subsequently the drug products assume great significance for pharmaceutical industry. Methods: This review paper focuses on application of PAT tools, an integral part of Quality by Design (QbD) approach, for better understanding, control, and design...

  12. Application of Incoherent Inelastic Neutron Scattering in Pharmaceutical Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bordallo, Heloisa N.; A. Zakharov, Boris; Boidyreva, E.V.

    2012-01-01

    This study centers on the use of inelastic neutron scattering as an alternative tool for physical characterization of solid pharmaceutical drugs. On the basis of such approach, relaxation processes in the pharmaceutical compound phenacetin (p-ethoxyacetanilide, C(10)H(13)NO(2)) were evidenced...... contributes to understanding the relationships between intermolecular hydrogen bonds, intramolecular dynamics, and conformational flexibility in pharmaceuticals on a molecular level, which can help in evaluating phase stability with respect to temperature variations on processing or on storage, and is related...

  13. Pharmaceutical health care and Inuit language communications in Nunavut, Canada

    OpenAIRE

    Romain, Sandra J.

    2013-01-01

    Background. Pharmaceutical communication is an essential component of pharmaceutical health care, optimally ensuring patients understand the proper administration and side effects of their medications. Communication can often be complicated by language and culture, but with pharmaceuticals, misunderstandings can prove particularly harmful. In Nunavut, to ensure the preservation and revitalization of Inuit languages, the Inuit Language Protection Act and Official Languages Act were passed requ...

  14. Preconditions of forming of loyalty management model in pharmaceutical institution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. O. Molodozhonova

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The first stage of the mechanism for implementing of two-level model of efficient management of loyalty was justified. It is based on the fundamental value systems of the formation of consumer commitment and institutional commitment of pharmaceutical professionals. The stage involves recruitment, selection and adaptation period for pharmaceutical professionals and pre-use of axiological questioning of consumers of pharmaceutic goods.

  15. Novel methodology for pharmaceutical expenditure forecast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aballéa, Samuel; Rémuzat, Cécile; Urbinati, Duccio; Kornfeld, Åsa; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    The value appreciation of new drugs across countries today features a disruption that is making the historical data that are used for forecasting pharmaceutical expenditure poorly reliable. Forecasting methods rarely addressed uncertainty. The objective of this project was to propose a methodology to perform pharmaceutical expenditure forecasting that integrates expected policy changes and uncertainty (developed for the European Commission as the 'EU Pharmaceutical expenditure forecast'; see http://ec.europa.eu/health/healthcare/key_documents/index_en.htm). 1) Identification of all pharmaceuticals going off-patent and new branded medicinal products over a 5-year forecasting period in seven European Union (EU) Member States. 2) Development of a model to estimate direct and indirect impacts (based on health policies and clinical experts) on savings of generics and biosimilars. Inputs were originator sales value, patent expiry date, time to launch after marketing authorization, price discount, penetration rate, time to peak sales, and impact on brand price. 3) Development of a model for new drugs, which estimated sales progression in a competitive environment. Clinical expected benefits as well as commercial potential were assessed for each product by clinical experts. Inputs were development phase, marketing authorization dates, orphan condition, market size, and competitors. 4) Separate analysis of the budget impact of products going off-patent and new drugs according to several perspectives, distribution chains, and outcomes. 5) Addressing uncertainty surrounding estimations via deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. This methodology has proven to be effective by 1) identifying the main parameters impacting the variations in pharmaceutical expenditure forecasting across countries: generics discounts and penetration, brand price after patent loss, reimbursement rate, the penetration of biosimilars and discount price, distribution chains, and the time

  16. Modeling of Pharmaceutical Biotransformation by Enriched Nitrifying Culture under Different Metabolic Conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xu, Yifeng; Chen, Xueming; Yuan, Zhiguo

    2018-01-01

    Pharmaceutical removal could be significantly enhanced through cometabolism during nitrification processes. To date, pharmaceutical biotransformation models have not considered the formation of transformation products associated with the metabolic type of microorganisms. Here we report a comprehe......Pharmaceutical removal could be significantly enhanced through cometabolism during nitrification processes. To date, pharmaceutical biotransformation models have not considered the formation of transformation products associated with the metabolic type of microorganisms. Here we report...... a comprehensive model to describe and evaluate the biodegradation of pharmaceuticals and the formation of their biotransformation products by enriched nitrifying cultures. The biotransformation of parent compounds was linked to the microbial processes via cometabolism induced by ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB......) growth, metabolism by AOB, cometabolism by heterotrophs (HET) growth, and metabolism by HET in the model framework. The model was calibrated and validated using experimental data from pharmaceutical biodegradation experiments at realistic levels, taking two pharmaceuticals as examples, i.e., atenolol...

  17. [The pharmaceutical industry and the sustainability of healthcare systems in developed countries and in Latin America].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iñesta, Antonio; Oteo, Luis Angel

    2011-06-01

    The global economic crisis and its impact on public finances in most developed countries are giving rise to cost-containment policies in healthcare systems. Prevailing legislation on medication requires the safety, quality, and efficacy of these products. A few countries include efficiency criteria, primarily for new medication that they wish to include in public financing. The appropriate use of generic and "biosimilar medication" is very important for maintaining the financial equilibrium of the Health Services. The problem in Latin America is that not all multisource products are bioequivalent and not all countries have the resources to conduct bioequivalence studies in vivo. The European Medicines Agency in 2005 adopted guidelines on "biosimilar medicines" and thirteen of them were subsequently approved for general release. Benchmarking of this model by other countries would be important. The influence of the pharmaceutical industry on political and administrative areas is enormous and control is necessary. The pharmaceutical companies claim that they act with corporate social responsibility, therefore, they must ensure this responsibility toward society.

  18. Informed consent: Enforcing pharmaceutical companies' obligations abroad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Stacey B

    2010-06-15

    The past several years have seen an evolution in the obligations of pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials abroad. Key players, such as international human rights organizations, multinational pharmaceutical companies, the United States government and courts, and the media, have played a significant role in defining these obligations. This article examines how such obligations have developed through the lens of past, present, and future recommendations for informed consent protections. In doing so, this article suggests that, no matter how robust obligations appear, they will continue to fall short of providing meaningful protection until they are accompanied by a substantive enforcement mechanism that holds multinational pharmaceutical companies accountable for their conduct. Issues of national sovereignty, particularly in the United States, will continue to prevent meaningful enforcement by an international tribunal or through one universally adopted code of ethics. This article argues that, rather than continuing to pursue an untenable international approach, the Alien Torts Statute (ATS) offers a viable enforcement mechanism, at least for US-based pharmaceutical companies. Recent federal appellate court precedent interpreting the ATS provides the mechanism for granting victims redress and enforcing accountability of sponsors (usually pharmaceutical companies and research and academic institutions) for informed consent misconduct. Substantive human rights protections are vital in order to ensure that every person can realize the "right to health." This article concludes that by building on the federal appellate court's ATS analysis, which grants foreign trial participants the right to pursue claims of human rights violations in US courts, a mechanism can be created for enforcing not only substantive informed consent, but also human rights protections.

  19. Studying and evaluating pharmaceutical policy--becoming a part of the policy and consultative process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna; Traulsen, Janine Marie

    2006-01-01

    In this last article in the series the authors focus on the issue of researching and evaluating pharmaceutical policy. The past five articles made an argument for why pharmaceutical policy is important and why it is different from health policy. The evidence base needed for pharmaceutical policym...... culture around pharmaceutical policy. They emphasize the importance of pharmaceutical specialists' (i.e., pharmacists') involvement in pharmaceutical policy analysis and the policy consultative process....

  20. Nano spray drying for encapsulation of pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arpagaus, Cordin; Collenberg, Andreas; Rütti, David; Assadpour, Elham; Jafari, Seid Mahdi

    2018-05-17

    Many pharmaceuticals such as pills, capsules, or tablets are prepared in a dried and powdered form. In this field, spray drying plays a critical role to convert liquid pharmaceutical formulations into powders. In addition, in many cases it is necessary to encapsulate bioactive drugs into wall materials to protect them against harsh process and environmental conditions, as well as to deliver the drug to the right place and at the correct time within the body. Thus, spray drying is a common process used for encapsulation of pharmaceuticals. In view of the rapid progress of nanoencapsulation techniques in pharmaceutics, nano spray drying is used to improve drug formulation and delivery. The nano spray dryer developed in the recent years provides ultrafine powders at nanoscale and high product yields. In this paper, after explaining the concept of nano spray drying and understanding the key elements of the equipment, the influence of the process parameters on the final powders properties, like particle size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading and release, will be discussed. Then, numerous application examples are reviewed for nano spray drying and encapsulation of various drugs in the early stages of product development along with a brief overview of the obtained results and characterization techniques. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The Purpose and Scope of Pedagogy in Pharmaceutical Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Akihiro

    2017-01-01

    The WHO and International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) introduced the concept of the "seven-star pharmacist" in which a pharmacist is described as a caregiver, communicator, decision-maker, teacher, lifelong learner, leader and manager. In six-year pharmaceutical education programs, which have been provided in schools of pharmacy since 2006, 5th year students participate in on-site practice experiences in hospitals and community pharmacies. Thus, Japanese pharmacists also began to have a role in pharmaceutical education as teachers in clinical settings. Not only pharmacists in clinical settings, but also faculty members of pharmacy schools, had not previously been familiar with evidence-based education, and therefore they often teach in the way they were taught. Since research on teaching and learning has not been well developed in Japanese pharmaceutical education, both the model core curriculum for six-year programs and the subject benchmark statement for four-year programs are based on insufficient scientific evidence. We should promote the scholarship of teaching and learning, which promotes teaching as a scholarly endeavor and a worthy subject for research. In this review, I will summarize the needs and expectations for the establishment of pedagogy in pharmaceutical education.

  2. Quantitative magnetic resonance micro-imaging methods for pharmaceutical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantle, M D

    2011-09-30

    The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a tool in pharmaceutical research is now well established and the current literature covers a multitude of different pharmaceutically relevant research areas. This review focuses on the use of quantitative magnetic resonance micro-imaging techniques and how they have been exploited to extract information that is of direct relevance to the pharmaceutical industry. The article is divided into two main areas. The first half outlines the theoretical aspects of magnetic resonance and deals with basic magnetic resonance theory, the effects of nuclear spin-lattice (T(1)), spin-spin (T(2)) relaxation and molecular diffusion upon image quantitation, and discusses the applications of rapid magnetic resonance imaging techniques. In addition to the theory, the review aims to provide some practical guidelines for the pharmaceutical researcher with an interest in MRI as to which MRI pulse sequences/protocols should be used and when. The second half of the article reviews the recent advances and developments that have appeared in the literature concerning the use of quantitative micro-imaging methods to pharmaceutically relevant research. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Fate of pharmaceutical compounds in hydroponic mesocosms planted with Scirpus validus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Dong Qing; Gersberg, Richard M.; Hua, Tao; Zhu, Junfei; Goyal, Manish Kumar; Ng, Wun Jern; Tan, Soon Keat

    2013-01-01

    A systematic approach to assess the fate of selected pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, naproxen, diclofenac, clofibric acid and caffeine) in hydroponic mesocosms is described. The overall objective was to determine the kinetics of depletion (from solution) and plant uptake for these compounds in mesocosms planted with S. validus growing hydroponically. The potential for translocation of these pharmaceuticals from the roots to the shoots was also assessed. After 21 days of incubation, nearly all of the caffeine, naproxen and diclofenac were eliminated from solution, whereas carbamazepine and clofibric acid were recalcitrant to both photodegradation and biodegradation. The fact that the BAFs for roots for carbamazepine and clofibric acid were greater than 5, while the BAFs for naproxen, diclofenac and caffeine were less than 5, implied that the latter two compounds although recalcitrant to biodegradation, still had relatively high potential for plant uptake. Naproxen was sensitive to both photodegradation (30–42%) and biodegradation (>50%), while diclofenac was particularly sensitive (>70%) to photodegradation alone. No significant correlations (p > 0.05) were found between the rate constants of depletion or plant tissue levels of the pharmaceuticals and either log K ow or log D ow . -- Highlights: •All of pharmaceuticals were removed from solution efficiently after 21 d of incubation. •Effects of photodegradation and biodegradation on pharmaceutical removal were studied. •The pharmaceutical concentrations in the plant tissues were detected. •No correlation was found between pharmaceutical levels in plant tissues and log K ow or log D ow . •Log K ow is the most significant parameter for predicting pharmaceutical levels. -- All the tested pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, naproxen, diclofenac, clofibric acid and caffeine) were efficiently removed from nutrient solution

  4. New Product Introduction in the Pharmaceutical Industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Klaus Reinholdt Nyhuus

    Due to the limited time of the monopoly provided by patent protection that is used for recouping the R&D investment, pharmaceutical companies focus on keeping time-to-market for new products as short as possible. This process is however getting more uncertain, as the outcome of clinical trials...... is unknown and negotiations with authorities have become harder, making market introduction more difficult. This dissertation treats the new product introduction process in the pharmaceutical industry from an operations perspective. The overarching aim of this dissertation is to improve the planning...... uncertainty and several important industry characteristics. The model is used to gain several insights on the use of risk packaging and on keeping time-to-market short. As capacity in secondary pharmaceutical production is critical for product availability, a capacity planning model for a new drug delivery...

  5. In Defense of Pharmaceutically Enhancing Human Morality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Protopapadakis, Evangelos D

    2017-01-01

    I will discuss the prospect of pharmaceutically enhancing human morality and decision making in such a way as to eliminate morally unjustifiable choices and promote desirable ones. Our species in the relatively short period since it has emerged has enormously advanced in knowledge, science, and technical progress. When it comes to moral development, the distance it has covered is almost negligible. What if we could medically accelerate our moral development? What if we could once and for all render our species totally immune to certain vices? I will examine whether pharmaceutically intervening in human morality would compromise the autonomy of moral agents. I will argue that the argument from the autonomy of the moral agent is neither stable nor convincing. In the light of Kantian ethics we might consider moral enhancement by pharmaceutical means to be a perfect duty for moral agents.

  6. Recent advances in the application of transmission Raman spectroscopy to pharmaceutical analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckley, Kevin; Matousek, Pavel

    2011-06-25

    This article reviews recent advances in transmission Raman spectroscopy and its applications, from the perspective of pharmaceutical analysis. The emerging concepts enable rapid non-invasive volumetric analysis of pharmaceutical formulations and could lead to many important applications in pharmaceutical settings, including quantitative bulk analysis of intact pharmaceutical tablets and capsules in quality and process control. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Pharmaceutical strategic purchasing requirements in Iran: Price interventions and the related effective factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastani, Peivand; Dinarvand, Rasoul; SamadBeik, Mahnaz; Pourmohammadi, Kimia

    2016-01-01

    Objective: Pharmaceutical access for the poor is an essential factor in developing countries that can be improved through strategic purchasing. This study was conducted to identify the elements affecting price in order to enable insurance organizations to put strategic purchasing into practice. Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted through content analysis with an inductive approach applying a five-stage framework analysis (familiarization, identifying a thematic framework, indexing, mapping, and interpretation). Data analysis was started right after transcribing each interview applying ATLAS.ti. Data were saturated after 32 semi-structured interviews by experts. These key informants were selected purposefully and through snowball sampling. Findings: Findings showed that there are four main themes as Pharmaceutical Strategic Purchasing Requirements in Iran as follows essential and structural factors, international factors, economical factors, and legal factors. Moreover, totally 14 related sub-themes were extracted in this area as the main effective variables. Conclusion: It seems that paying adequate attention to the four present themes and 14 sub-themes affecting price can enable health system policy-makers of developing countries like Iran to make the best decisions through strategic purchasing of drugs by the main insurers in order to improve access and health in the country. PMID:26985434

  8. [Attitudes of general practitioners to pharmaceutical sales representatives in Sousse].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Abdelaziz, A; Harrabi, I; Rahmani, S; Ghedira, A; Gaha, K; Ghannem, H

    2003-01-01

    The therapeutic knowledge of physicians is the corner stone to the rational use of medicines; however information about medicines is generally obtained from the pharmaceutical industry via their sales representatives (reps). We aimed to identify general practitioners' (GPs) attitudes to pharmaceutical reps and the information they provide. We surveyed 140 GPs using a self-administered questionnaire. The response rate was 78% (72 GPs from the public sector and 68 from the private sector). About 10% of the GPs said they received daily visits from pharmaceutical reps; 84% of GPs considered them an efficient source of information and 31% said they might change their therapeutic prescribing following visits from these reps. Because of their positive perception of pharmaceutical reps, GPs are susceptible to the information they provide. Controlling the validity of the therapeutic information imparted by the pharmaceutical industry is thus a fundamental component of the programme for the rational use of medicines.

  9. [New research on the significance of polymers in pharmaceutical formulations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amighi, K

    2001-01-01

    During these last few decades, a lot of work has been made in pharmaceutical area in order to control the drug delivery from various pharmaceutical dosage forms. The use of polymers in pharmaceutical technology have led to the development of the first drug delivery systems proposed in order to prolong or to delay the drug delivery, or to enhance drug release for drugs showing bioavailability shortcomings. The wide range of polymers available for pharmaceutical use, their low reactivity towards drugs and other formulation ingredients and their safe nature, have permitted a widespread use of polymers to improve manufacturing processes or for the formulation of pharmaceutical dosage forms for various administration routes. More over, the preparation of new polymeric materials by the synthesis of new polymers with unique properties or by the modification of available natural or synthetic polymers, offer to the formulator a wide range of applications in order to optimise the drug delivery for each specific case.

  10. Radiation sterilization of pharmaceuticals: An overview of the literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Razem, D.

    2008-01-01

    Radiation sterilization of pharmaceuticals has never stopped attracting the attention of researchers. In this first as yet unfinished decade of the twenty-first century, the number of relevant papers seems to be on the rise again. In developing radiation sterilization of pharmaceuticals and searching for innovative applications, it is important to understand the end users, i.e. the pharmaceutical and medical professions. Mutual understanding between professions has already resulted in a plethora of products for enhancing, preserving and curing health, and many more are waiting to be discovered

  11. Pharmaceutical product development: A quality by design approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pramod, Kannissery; Tahir, M. Abu; Charoo, Naseem A.; Ansari, Shahid H.; Ali, Javed

    2016-01-01

    The application of quality by design (QbD) in pharmaceutical product development is now a thrust area for the regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. International Conference on Harmonization and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) emphasized the principles and applications of QbD in pharmaceutical development in their guidance for the industry. QbD attributes are addressed in question-based review, developed by USFDA for chemistry, manufacturing, and controls section of abbreviated new drug applications. QbD principles, when implemented, lead to a successful product development, subsequent prompt regulatory approval, reduce exhaustive validation burden, and significantly reduce post-approval changes. The key elements of QbD viz., target product quality profile, critical quality attributes, risk assessments, design space, control strategy, product lifecycle management, and continual improvement are discussed to understand the performance of dosage forms within design space. Design of experiments, risk assessment tools, and process analytical technology are also discussed for their role in QbD. This review underlines the importance of QbD in inculcating science-based approach in pharmaceutical product development. PMID:27606256

  12. Pharmaceutical product development: A quality by design approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pramod, Kannissery; Tahir, M Abu; Charoo, Naseem A; Ansari, Shahid H; Ali, Javed

    2016-01-01

    The application of quality by design (QbD) in pharmaceutical product development is now a thrust area for the regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. International Conference on Harmonization and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) emphasized the principles and applications of QbD in pharmaceutical development in their guidance for the industry. QbD attributes are addressed in question-based review, developed by USFDA for chemistry, manufacturing, and controls section of abbreviated new drug applications. QbD principles, when implemented, lead to a successful product development, subsequent prompt regulatory approval, reduce exhaustive validation burden, and significantly reduce post-approval changes. The key elements of QbD viz., target product quality profile, critical quality attributes, risk assessments, design space, control strategy, product lifecycle management, and continual improvement are discussed to understand the performance of dosage forms within design space. Design of experiments, risk assessment tools, and process analytical technology are also discussed for their role in QbD. This review underlines the importance of QbD in inculcating science-based approach in pharmaceutical product development.

  13. Probabilistic environmental risk characterization of pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plant discharges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Anne Munch; Markussen, Bo; Baun, Anders; Halling-Sørensen, Bent

    2009-10-01

    The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in different water bodies and the findings of effects on aquatic organisms in ecotoxicity tests have raised concerns about environmental risks of pharmaceuticals in receiving waters. Due to the fact that the amount of ecotoxicological studies has increased significantly during the last decade, probabilistic approaches for risk characterization of these compounds may be feasible. This approach was evaluated by applying it to 22 human-used pharmaceuticals covering both pharmaceuticals with a high volume and high ecotoxicity, using ecotoxicological effect data from laboratory studies and comparing these to monitoring data on the effluents from sewage treatment plants in Europe and pharmaceutical sales quantities. We found that for 19 of the 22 selected pharmaceuticals the existing data were sufficient for probabilistic risk characterizations. The subsequently modeled ratios between monitored concentrations and low-effect concentrations were mostly above a factor of 100. Compared to the current paradigm for EU environmental risk assessment where a safety factor of 10 or 100 might have been used it seems that for the modeled compounds there's a low environmental risk. However, similarly calculated ratios for five pharmaceuticals (propranolol, ibuprofen, furosemide, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin) were below 100, while ibuprofen and ciprofloxacin are considered to be of high concern due to lack of ecotoxicity studies. This paper shows that by applying probabilistic approaches, existing data can be used to execute a comprehensive study on probability of impacts, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals.

  14. UV Spectrophotometric Method for theEstimation of Itopride Hydrochloride in Pharmaceutical Formulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. R. Gupta

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Three simple, precise and economical UV methods have been developed for the estimation of itopride hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulations. Itopride hydrochloride in distilled water shows the maximum absorbance at 258.0 nm (Method A and in first order derivative spectra of the same shows sharp peak at 247.0 nm, when n = 1 (Method B. Method C utilises area under curve (AUC in the wavelength range from 262.0-254.0 nm for analysis of itopride hydrochloride. The drug was found to obey Beer-Lambert’s law in the concentration range of 5-50 μg/mL for all three proposed methods. Results of the analysis were validated statistically and recovery studies were found to be satisfactory.

  15. ANALYSIS OF THE PERSONNEL POTENTIAL EFFICIENCY OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INSTITUTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Марина Юрьевна Клищенко

    2017-03-01

    The study revealed common patterns of the personnel potential efficiency of the pharmaceutical institution. It was found that pharmaceutical institutions need qualified professionals with a high level of practical training, ready to immediately join the working process. It was noted that only 47 % of graduates are prepared to work in the specialty chosen. We studied the length of employment with one employer. The analysis of the main problems making pharmaceutical professionals to change their work is performed. During the questioning of pharmaceutical students it was noted that a large number of students (32,89 % feel uncertainty about their further employment and 47 % of respondents are going to work in the profession.

  16. The oretical foundations for management of environmental risks of pharmaceutical enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Рита Василівна Сагайдак-Нікітюк

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Significant negative influence of processing waste caused by pharmaceutical enterprises' activity upon the environment and population, and the high requirements for the methods of utilization demands the enterprises to develop an algorithm of ecological risks management.Methods. During the study, the expert method, the content-analysis and generalization method have been applied.Results. An influence of pharmaceutical enterprises' activity on the environment and population of the region the enterprise is located in has been studied. Dynamic of the population morbidity has analyzed associated with a low quality of the human environment. The need has been approved to pay appropriate attention to the treatment of hazardous substances and to minimize environmental risks associated with the pharmaceutical enterprises' activities. It has been proposed to define an environmental risk as a danger of resources loss, income reduction or increase of expenses of subjects of pharmaceutical activity due to its ecologically destructive impact. The classification of environmental risks of pharmaceutical enterprises has been produced. The model of environmental risks' management of pharmaceutical enterprise has been proposed. Directions of the environmental risks' minimizing have been investigated.Conclusions. The need has proved to manage ecological activity of pharmaceutical enterprises that will let to minimize negative influence on the environment

  17. Code of ethics for the national pharmaceutical system: Codifying and compilation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salari, Pooneh; Namazi, Hamidreza; Abdollahi, Mohammad; Khansari, Fatemeh; Nikfar, Shekoufeh; Larijani, Bagher; Araminia, Behin

    2013-05-01

    Pharmacists as one of health-care providers face ethical issues in terms of pharmaceutical care, relationship with patients and cooperation with the health-care team. Other than pharmacy, there are pharmaceutical companies in various fields of manufacturing, importing or distributing that have their own ethical issues. Therefore, pharmacy practice is vulnerable to ethical challenges and needs special code of conducts. On feeling the need, based on a shared project between experts of the ethics from relevant research centers, all the needs were fully recognized and then specified code of conduct for each was written. The code of conduct was subject to comments of all experts involved in the pharmaceutical sector and thus criticized in several meetings. The prepared code of conduct is comprised of professional code of ethics for pharmacists, ethics guideline for pharmaceutical manufacturers, ethics guideline for pharmaceutical importers, ethics guideline for pharmaceutical distributors, and ethics guideline for policy makers. The document was compiled based on the principles of bioethics and professionalism. The compiling the code of ethics for the national pharmaceutical system is the first step in implementing ethics in pharmacy practice and further attempts into teaching the professionalism and the ethical code as the necessary and complementary effort are highly recommended.

  18. Between pharmaceutical patents and European patients: is a compromise still possible?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garattini, Livio; Padula, Anna

    2017-10-01

    Pharmaceutical regulation has always attempted to balance the public health objective to make safe and effective drugs available for patients while providing commercial incentives through patents. Here we discuss whether it is still possible to find a balance between the incentives on the supply side and the regulatory framework on the demand side. Areas covered: The current regulatory framework on pharmaceutical exclusivity has been harshly criticized by many experts, arguing about whether it is still fit for public purposes and needs. Here we envisage a different scenario without 'revolutionizing' the whole present system. The main radical change should concern the present management of pharmaceutical patents by introducing a specific agency dedicated to them. Secondly, specific pharmaceutical patents could be restricted to compounds for one (or more) declared indication(s). Thirdly, pharmaceutical patents should be kept only for compounds that start a first clinical trial within five years from the granting date. Expert opinion: We think it is time to reconsider the regulation of pharmaceutical patents in the light of their relevance in terms of public health. New models of enhancing research investments are required for long-term sustainability of public pharmaceutical expenditure and the EU can still play a leading role.

  19. Active methodology and blended learning: An experience in pharmaceutical care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czepula, Alexandra Ingrid Dos Santos; Bottacin, Wallace Entringer; Júnior, Edson Hipólito; Pontarolo, Roberto; Correr, Cassyano Januário

    The aim of this study was to analyze the implementation of an active methodology in a blended model of education in the teaching-learning processes of students enrolled in two disciplines: Pharmaceutical Care I and Pharmaceutical Care II, both part of the undergraduate Bachelor of Pharmacy program at the Federal University of Paraná. The study design was quasi-experimental, prospective, comparative, following a pre/posttest format, where Pharmaceutical Care classes were the intervention. Identical pre- and post-intervention tests were designed based on Anderson and Krathwohl's (2001) revision of Bloom's taxonomy, and according to the three levels of the cognitive domain: remember and understand; apply and analyze; evaluate and create. Participants were 133 students enrolled in the two Pharmaceutical Care classes. A significant difference between pre- and posttest results was observed, showing an increase in students' performance in the applied tests at all cognitive levels. This is the first study of its kind involving Pharmaceutical Care and Blended Learning. By comparing the results of the diagnostic and summative assessments based on Bloom's taxonomy at all levels of the cognitive domain, positive results were observed regarding the students' performance in the two disciplines (Pharmaceutical Care I and II). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Use of atypical antipsychotics in nursing homes and pharmaceutical marketing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pimentel, Camilla B; Donovan, Jennifer L; Field, Terry S; Gurwitz, Jerry H; Harrold, Leslie R; Kanaan, Abir O; Lemay, Celeste A; Mazor, Kathleen M; Tjia, Jennifer; Briesacher, Becky A

    2015-02-01

    To describe the current extent and type of pharmaceutical marketing in nursing homes (NHs) in one state and to provide preliminary evidence for the potential influence of pharmaceutical marketing on the use of atypical antipsychotics in NHs. Nested mixed-methods, cross-sectional study of NHs in a cluster randomized trial. Forty-one NHs in Connecticut. NH administrators, directors of nursing, and medical directors (n = 93, response rate 75.6%). Quantitative data, including prescription drug dispensing data (September 2009-August 2010) linked with Nursing Home Compare data (April 2011), were used to determine facility-level prevalence of atypical antipsychotic use, facility-level characteristics, NH staffing, and NH quality. Qualitative data, including semistructured interviews and surveys of NH leaders conducted in the first quarter of 2011, were used to determine encounters with pharmaceutical marketing. Leadership at 46.3% of NHs (n = 19) reported pharmaceutical marketing encounters, consisting of educational training, written and Internet-based materials, and sponsored training. No association was detected between level of atypical antipsychotic prescribing and reports of any pharmaceutical marketing by at least one NH leader. NH leaders frequently encounter pharmaceutical marketing through a variety of ways, although the impact on atypical antipsychotic prescribing is unclear. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

  1. Global pharmaceutical regulation: the challenge of integration for developing states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pezzola, Anthony; Sweet, Cassandra M

    2016-12-20

    This paper has set out to map the state of pharmaceutical regulation in the developing world through the construction of cross-national indices drawing from World Health Organization data. The last two decades have been characterized by deep changes for the pharmaceutical sector, including the complete transformation of intellectual property systems at the behest of the World Trade Organization and the consolidation of global active ingredient suppliers in China and India. Although the rules for ownership of medicine have been set and globally implemented, we know surprisingly little about how the standards for market entrance and regulation of pharmaceutical products have changed at the national level. How standardized are national pharmaceutical market systems? Do we find homogeneity or variation across the developing world? Are their patterns for understanding why some countries have moved closer to one global norm for pharmaceutical regulation and others have developed hybrid models for oversight of this sector? Access to medicine is a core tool in public health. This paper gauges the levels of standards in public and private generics markets for developing countries building on national-level pharmaceutical market surveys for 78 countries to offer three indicators of market oversight: State Regulatory Infrastructure, Monitoring the Private Market and Public Quality Control. Identifying the different variables that affect a state's institutional capacity and current standard level offers new insights to the state of pharmaceuticals in the developing world. It is notable that there are very few (none at the time of this paper) studies that map out the new global terrain for pharmaceutical regulation in the post-TRIPS context. This paper uses item response theory to develop original indicators of pharmaceutical regulation. We find remarkable resistance to the implementation of global pharmaceutical norms for quality standards in developing states and in

  2. Pharmaceutical policies for the Third World--whose responsibility?

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-07-16

    Several developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Cuba, India, and Mozambique, are currently formulating national pharmaceutical policies to reduce expenditures on drugs while increasing their availability to those in greatest need. 5 components of such national policies have been identified: 1) elimination of ineffective and inappropriate preparations through concentrating on a selection such as the World Health Organization's 200 "basic and essential drugs", coupled with national drug pricing policies that discriminate between essential drugs and non-essential or luxury drugs; 2) public systems of drug distribution which would reduce costs to the consumer; 3) importation of the limited number of drugs distributed through the public system in bulk, which might reduce costs by 20-25%; 4) use of generic rather than brand name drugs; and 5) establishment of domestic pharmaceutical industries within developing countries to encourage research into drugs for local health problems, reduce use of foreign exchange to import drugs, and increase local self-reliance in dealing with disease. In November 1982, Health Action International, a coordinating body for more than 50 publish interest groups seeking to promote rational use of pharmaceuticals, presented a draft internationl code on pharmaceuticals to the UN Conference on Trade and Development. A voluntary code produced in 1981 by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Associations paid little attention to monitoring and enforcement. Little progress has been made, and the need for sensible policy making at the international and national levels has long been apparent.

  3. Mitigating pharmaceutical waste exposures: policy and program considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amster, Eric D

    2016-01-01

    Pharmaceutical disposal and the environmental fate of medication metabolites directly impacts the public's health in two significant ways: accidental medication ingestion of pharmaceuticals that were not disposed of properly results in inadvertent toxicity; and environmental health consequences of pharmaceuticals that were inappropriately disposed and which contaminate municipal water supply. In reviewing the effectiveness of medication disposal policy globally, it is crucial to not only determine which policies are effective but also to assess why they are effective. By assessing the root causes for a specific policy's effectiveness it can be determined if those successes could be translated to another country with a different health care system, unique culture and divergent policy ecosystem. Any intervention regarding pharmaceutical disposal would require a multifaceted approach beyond raising awareness and coordinating pharmaceutical disposal on a national level. While consumer participation is important, effective primary prevention would also include research on drug development that is designed to biodegrade in the environment as opposed to medications that persist and accumulate in the natural environment even when properly disposed. Countries that lack a nationalized disposal policy should leverage the resources and infrastructure already in place in the national health care system to implement a unified policy to address medication disposal in the short-term. In tandem, efforts should be made to recruit the biotechnology sector in high-tech and academia to develop new technologies in medication design and water filtration to decrease exposures in the long-term.

  4. Prodrugs available on the Brazilian pharmaceutical market and their corresponding bioactivation pathways

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Parise Filho

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to emphasize the importance of prodrug design to therapy, by examining examples available on the Brazilian pharmaceutical market. The principles of prodrug design are briefly discussed herein. Examples of prodrugs from many important therapeutic classes are shown and their advantages relative to the drugs they are derived from are also discussed. Considering the importance of these therapeutic classes, from both therapy and economic standpoints, prodrug design is a very valuable aspect in the research of new drugs and for the pharmaceutical industry as a whole.O objetivo do trabalho foi ressaltar a importância do planejamento de pró-fármacos para a terapia, por meio de exemplos disponíveis no mercado farmacêutico brasileiro. Os princípios da latenciação são sucintamente discutidos. Apresentam-se exemplos de pró-fármacos de muitas classes terapêuticas importantes e as vantagens relativas aos fármacos dos quais derivam são, também, discutidas. Considerando-se a importância dessas classes terapêuticas, tanto do aspecto terapêutico quanto do econômico, o planejamento de pró-fármacos representa aspecto de grande valor na busca de novos fármacos e na indústria farmacêutica como um todo.

  5. Pharmaceutical expenditure forecast model to support health policy decision making

    OpenAIRE

    R?muzat, C?cile; Urbinati, Duccio; Kornfeld, ?sa; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Cetinsoy, Laurent; Aball?a, Samuel; Mzoughi, Olfa; Toumi, Mondher

    2014-01-01

    Background and objective: With constant incentives for healthcare payers to contain their pharmaceutical budgets, modelling policy decision impact became critical. The objective of this project was to test the impact of various policy decisions on pharmaceutical budget (developed for the European Commission for the project ‘European Union (EU) Pharmaceutical expenditure forecast’ – http://ec.europa.eu/health/healthcare/key_documents/index_en.htm).Methods: A model was built to assess policy sc...

  6. International research networks in pharmaceuticals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cantner, Uwe; Rake, Bastian

    2014-01-01

    of scientific publications related to pharmaceutical research and applying social network analysis, we find that both the number of countries and their connectivity increase in almost all disease group specific networks. The cores of the networks consist of high income OECD countries and remain rather stable......Knowledge production and scientific research have become increasingly more collaborative and international, particularly in pharmaceuticals. We analyze this tendency in general and tie formation in international research networks on the country level in particular. Based on a unique dataset...... over time. Using network regression techniques to analyze the network dynamics our results indicate that accumulative advantages based on connectedness and multi-connectivity are positively related to changes in the countries' collaboration intensity whereas various indicators on similarity between...

  7. Diagnostic and therapeutic radio pharmaceutical capsules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haney, T.A.; Wedeking, P.W.; Morcos, N.A.

    1981-01-01

    An improved pharmaceutical radioactive capsule consisting of a non-toxic, water soluble material adapted to being ingested and rapidly disintegrating on contact with fluids of the gastro-intestinal tract is described. Each capsule is provided with filler material supporting a pharmaceutically useful radioactive compound absorbable from the gastro-intestinal tract. The capsule is preferably of gelatin, methyl cellulose or polyvinyl alcohol and the filler is a polyethylene glycol. The radioactive compound may be iodine e.g. sodium radioiodide I-131 or 123. The capsule may also contain a reducing agent e.g. sodium thiosulphate, sulphite, or bisulphite. (author)

  8. Microcap pharmaceutical firms: linking drug pipelines to market value.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beach, Robert

    2012-01-01

    This article examines predictors of the future market value of microcap pharmaceutical companies. This is problematic since the large majority of these firms seldom report positive net income. Their value comes from the potential of a liquidity event such as occurs when a key drug is approved by the FDA. The typical scenario is one in which the company is either acquired by a larger pharmaceutical firm or enters into a joint venture with another pharmaceutical firm. Binary logistic regression is used to determine the impact of the firm's drug treatment pipeline and its investment in research and development on the firm's market cap. Using annual financial data from 2007 through 2010, this study finds that the status of the firm's drug treatment pipeline and its research and development expenses are significant predictors of the firm's future stock value relative to other microcap pharmaceutical firms.

  9. Pharmaceutical Education in Japan--Past, Present--, and Human Social Pharmacy Education in the Near Future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okuda, Jun

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, the foundation of the 74 Japanese pharmacy schools was reviewed. From the early Meiji era until the beginning World War II, 21 schools including Tokyo University were established. After the war, the new four-year university system was introduced from America, and the above 21 schools became universities and 25 universities were newly founded. In 2006, clinical pharmacy was introduced from America, and the six-year undergraduate system began. This system was divided into 2 groups, 1) 6 year system of clinical pharmacy plus 4 years doctor course and 2) 4 years system of pharmaceutical sciences and a master degree lasting 2 years plus a 3 year doctor course. These two systems started in 2006. The students of clinical pharmacy course must take the 22 weeks of clerkships in a community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy. The graduates (8,446) in 2015 March took the National License Examination for pharmacist, and the pass rate was 72.65%. The entrance into pharmacy school is not easy; however, the passing of the National License Examination is more difficult. The aim of pharmacy education should be to foster pharmacists with a deeper understanding of society and with richer humanity for the patient. To achieve this, what needs to be included in the curriculum are the subjects of the human social pharmacy, such as philosophy of pharmacy, ethics, religions, history of pharmacy, pharmaceutical affairs law, economics, management, and social pharmacy. The inclusion of such subjects needs to be implemented in the near future. Of course, the study of pharmaceutical sciences is a life-long endeavor.

  10. A Simple Model of Pharmaceutical Price Dynamics

    OpenAIRE

    Bhattacharya, Jayanta; Vogt, William B

    2003-01-01

    Branded pharmaceutical firms use price and promotional strategy to manage public knowledge about their drugs. We propose a dynamic theory of pharmaceutical pricing and conduct an exploratory empirical analysis inspired by the theory. Our theory predicts a pattern of increasing prices and decreasing promotional activities over a drug's life cycle. Prices are kept low and advertising levels high early in the life cycle in order to build public knowledge about the drug. As knowledge grows, price...

  11. 'Linkage' pharmaceutical evergreening in Canada and Australia

    OpenAIRE

    Faunce, Thomas A; Lexchin, Joel

    2007-01-01

    'Evergreening' is not a formal concept of patent law. It is best understood as a social idea used to refer to the myriad ways in which pharmaceutical patent owners utilise the law and related regulatory processes to extend their high rent-earning intellectual monopoly privileges, particularly over highly profitable (either in total sales volume or price per unit) 'blockbuster' drugs. Thus, while the courts are an instrument frequently used by pharmaceutical brand name manufacturers to prolong...

  12. Analysis and control of issues that delay pharmaceutical projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nallam Sai Nandeswara Rao

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Every project will have certain objectives and service levels to be achieved. The success of a project depends on several dimensions like time, cost/budget, quality, etc. and managing a project involves completing the project within time, within budget and with quality to satisfy the users. Because of the significance of health, pharmaceutical companies realized the importance of project management methods and techniques to make available the life saving drugs in time to the needy patients and hospitals. In literature, there is meager information about pharmaceutical project management oriented towards analysis of issues and factors that contribute to the failure or success of projects. This study attempts to analyse different issues that contribute to time delays in pharmaceutical product-based projects, group them under a finite set of prominent factors and identify remedial measures to control those delays. The feedback of project people of some big pharmaceutical firms of Indian sub-continent was collected for this purpose. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA has been used to reduce the reasons for time delays to a limited number of prominent factors and the EFA model has been further examined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA for its validation. Remedial measures under each factor of time delays have been gathered and a framework designed to mitigate the time delays in pharmaceutical projects. The derived factors that delay the pharmaceutical projects include resource, monitoring & control, scheduling and planning problems. Important remedial measures like blended resource approach, estimation and forecast of shortage of labour and skills, regular quality training, etc. have been recommended.

  13. Buddhism and neuroethics: the ethics of pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenton, Andrew

    2009-08-01

    This paper integrates some Buddhist moral values, attitudes and self-cultivation techniques into a discussion of the ethics of cognitive enhancement technologies - in particular, pharmaceutical enhancements. Many Buddhists utilize meditation techniques that are both integral to their practice and are believed to enhance the cognitive and affective states of experienced practitioners. Additionally, Mahāyāna Buddhism's teaching on skillful means permits a liberal use of methods or techniques in Buddhist practice that yield insight into our selfnature or aid in alleviating or eliminating duhkha (i.e. dissatisfaction). These features of many, if not most, Buddhist traditions will inform much of the Buddhist assessment of pharmaceutical enhancements offered in this paper. Some Buddhist concerns about the effects and context of the use of pharmaceutical enhancements will be canvassed in the discussion. Also, the author will consider Buddhist views of the possible harms that may befall human and nonhuman research subjects, interference with a recipient's karma, the artificiality of pharmaceutical enhancements, and the possible motivations or intentions of healthy individuals pursuing pharmacological enhancement. Perhaps surprisingly, none of these concerns will adequately ground a reflective Buddhist opposition to the further development and continued use of pharmaceutical enhancements, either in principle or in practice. The author argues that Buddhists, from at least certain traditions - particularly Mahāyāna Buddhist traditions - should advocate the development or use of pharmaceutical enhancements if a consequence of their use is further insight into our self-nature or the reduction or alleviation of duhkha.

  14. A Study of Comparative Advantage and Intra-Industry Trade in the Pharmaceutical Industry of Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusefzadeh, Hassan; Rezapour, Aziz; Lotfi, Farhad; Ebadifard Azar, Farbod; Nabilo, Bahram; Abolghasem Gorji, Hassan; Hadian, Mohammad; Shahidisadeghi, Niusha; Karami, Atiyeh

    2015-04-23

    Drug costs in Iran accounts for about 30% of the total health care expenditure. Moreover, pharmaceutical business lies among the world's greatest businesses. The aim of this study was to analyze Iran's comparative advantage and intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals so that suitable policies can be developed and implemented in order to boost Iran's trade in this field. To identify Iran's comparative advantage in pharmaceuticals, trade specialization, export propensity, import penetration and Balassa and Vollrath indexes were calculated and the results were compared with other pharmaceutical exporting countries. The extent and growth of Iran's intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals were measured and evaluated using the Grubel-Lloyd and Menon-Dixon indexes. The required data was obtained from Iran's Customs Administration, Iran's pharmaceutical Statistics, World Bank and International Trade Center. The results showed that among pharmaceutical exporting countries, Iran has a high level of comparative disadvantage in pharmaceutical products because it holds a small share in world's total pharmaceutical exports. Also, the low extent of bilateral intra-industry trade between Iran and its trading partners in pharmaceuticals shows the trading model of Iran's pharmaceutical industry is mostly inter-industry trade rather than intra-industry trade. In addition, the growth of Iran's intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals is due to its shares of imports from pharmaceutical exporting countries to Iran and exports from Iran to its neighboring countries. The results of the analysis can play a valuable role in helping pharmaceutical companies and policy makers to boost pharmaceutical trade.

  15. A review of economic impact of targeted oral anticancer medications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Chan; Chien, Chun-Ru; Geynisman, Daniel M; Smieliauskas, Fabrice; Shih, Ya-Chen T

    2014-02-01

    There has been a rapid increase in the use of targeted oral anticancer medications (OAMs) in the past decade. As OAMs are often expensive, economic consideration play a significant role in the decision to prescribe, receive or cover them. This paper performs a systematic review of costs or budgetary impact of targeted OAMs to better understand their economic impact on the healthcare system, patients as well as payers. We present our review in a summary table that describes the method and main findings, take into account multiple factors, such as country, analytical approach, cost type, study perspective, timeframe, data sources, study population and care setting when we interpret the results from different papers, and discuss the policy and clinical implications. Our review raises a concern regarding the role of sponsorship on findings of economic analyses as the vast majority of pharmaceutical company-sponsored studies reported cost advantages toward the sponsor's drugs.

  16. Economic evaluation and cost-effectiveness thresholds: signals to firms and implications for R & D investment and innovation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernon, John A; Goldberg, Robert; Golec, Joseph

    2009-01-01

    In this article we describe how reimbursement cost-effectiveness thresholds, per unit of health benefit, whether set explicitly or observed implicitly via historical reimbursement decisions, serve as a signal to firms about the commercial viability of their R&D projects (including candidate products for in-licensing). Traditional finance methods for R&D project valuations, such as net present value analyses (NPV), incorporate information from these payer reimbursement signals to help determine which R&D projects should be continued and which should be terminated (in the case of the latter because they yield an NPV important for reimbursement thresholds to reflect the economic value of the unit of health benefit being considered for reimbursement. Thresholds set too low (below the economic value of the health benefit) will result in R&D investment levels that are too low relative to the economic value of R&D (on the margin). Similarly, thresholds set too high (above the economic value of the health benefit) will result in inefficiently high levels of R&D spending. The US in particular, which represents approximately half of the global pharmaceutical market (based on sales), and which seems poised to begin undertaking cost effectiveness in a systematic way, needs to exert caution in setting policies that explicitly or implicitly establish cost-effectiveness reimbursement thresholds for healthcare products and technologies, such as pharmaceuticals.

  17. Pharmaceutical Residues Affecting the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Kristianstads Vattenrike Wetlands

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Björklund, Erland; Svahn, Ola; Bak, Søren Alex

    2016-01-01

    This study is the first to investigate the pharmaceutical burden from point sources affecting the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Kristianstads Vattenrike, Sweden. The investigated Biosphere Reserve is a >1000 km(2) wetland system with inflows from lakes, rivers, leachate from landfill, and wastewater......-treatment plants (WWTPs). We analysed influent and treated wastewater, leachate water, lake, river, and wetland water alongside sediment for six model pharmaceuticals. The two WWTPs investigated released pharmaceutical residues at levels close to those previously observed in Swedish monitoring exercises. Compound......-dependent WWTP removal efficiencies ranging from 12 to 100 % for bendroflumethiazide, oxazepam, atenolol, carbamazepine, and diclofenac were observed. Surface-water concentrations in the most affected lake were ≥100 ng/L for the various pharmaceuticals with atenolol showing the highest levels (>300 ng...

  18. Pharmaceutical Compounds in Wastewater: Wetland Treatment as a Potential Solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John R. White

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceutical compounds are being released into the aquatic environment through wastewater discharge around the globe. While there is limited removal of these compounds within wastewater treatment plants, wetland treatment might prove to be an effective means to reduce the discharge of the compounds into the environment. Wetlands can promote removal of these pharmaceutical compounds through a number of mechanisms including photolysis, plant uptake, microbial degradation, and sorption to the soil. We review relevant laboratory research on these various mechanisms and provide data on the few studies that have examined wetland removal. There is a need to document the degree to which various pharmaceutical compounds are removed in full-scale treatment wetlands, as there is a paucity of data on overall pharmaceutical removal rates.

  19. Access to medicines: relations with the institutionalization of pharmaceutical services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Damasceno de Barros

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJETIVE To analyze the relationship between access to medicines by the population and the institutionalization of pharmaceutical services in Brazilian primary health care. METHODS This study is part of the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos – Serviços 2015 (PNAUM – National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines – Services 2015, a cross-sectional, exploratory, and evaluative study composed of an information survey in a representative sample of cities, stratified by Brazilian regions. Access was defined based on the acquisition of medicines reported by the patient, ranging between: total, partial, or null. The institutionalization of pharmaceutical services was analyzed based on information provided by pharmaceutical services providers and by those responsible for medicines delivery. Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS Full access to medicines was greater when professionals affirmed there were the following aspects of the dimensions: “management tools,” “participation and social control,” “financing,” and “personnel structure,” with significant associations in the bivariate analysis. The “pharmaceutical care” dimension did not achieve such an association. After multinomial logistic regression, full access was more prevalent when those in charge of pharmaceutical services stated that: they always or repeatedly attend meetings of the Municipal Health Council, OR = 3.3 (95%CI 1.5-7.3; there are protocols for medicines delivery, OR = 2.7 (95%CI 1.2-6.1; there is computerized system for managing pharmaceutical services, OR = 3.9 (95%CI 1.9-8.0; those responsible for medicines delivery reported having participated in a course or training for professionals in the past two years, OR = 2.0 (95%CI 1.1-3.5; there is computerized system for pharmaceutical services management, OR

  20. Interventions to curb rising pharmaceutical costs in Iceland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna; Grímsson, Almar; Björnsdóttir, Ingunn

    2003-01-01

    . The cancellation of reimbursement for antibiotics in 1991 resulted in a slight decrease in sales. The change in the list of "hospital only" medicines caused massive protests from pharmacists and physicians. The pharmaceutical policy in Iceland has been problematic in its formulations and implementations....... Recommendations in the light of the problems of Icelandic pharmaceutical policies have been provided in the article....

  1. Salvia officinalis used in pharmaceutics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemle, K. L.

    2018-01-01

    The paper presents some pharmaceutical properties of Salvia officinalis, a plant belonging the Lamiaceae family, one of the oldest medicinal plants, which play an important role in improving the state of health.

  2. Particularities of the logistic operations in the pharmaceutical domain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana BUTNARU

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The management of logistic operations has a very important role in the case of pharmaceutical products. The purpose of this article is to analyse the particularity of the logistic operations management in the pharmaceutical domain. This is seen in the fact that there is the obligativity of using the exclusive distribution system, because the carriers do not have selling right to the final users. In the pharmaceutical domain, the logistic channels may be represented by a system of vertical marketing, made from producers, en-gross sellers and en-detail sellers that action in the frame of an unified system in which a member of the channel may detain property right over the other members the vertical marketing system may be corporative or contractual. In Romania the medicine producers adopted both marketing systems. Organising and distributing medicine from the specialised unities (pharmaceutical deposit, close circuit pharmacy or comunitary pharmacy are settled through laws thjat are specific to the pharmaceutical domain. In these conditions the mission of the company is to give medicine with a balance between price – quality – asureness – eficacity, for giving accesibility to different treatments. The role of the state is significant, reason for an interdisciplinary approaching that may drive to ideas, oppinions that may be aplied.

  3. Production of Pharmaceutical Proteins in Solanaceae Food Crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giorgio De Guzman

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The benefits of increased safety and cost-effectiveness make vegetable crops appropriate systems for the production and delivery of pharmaceutical proteins. In particular, Solanaceae edible crops could be inexpensive biofactories for oral vaccines and other pharmaceutical proteins that can be ingested as minimally processed extracts or as partially purified products. The field of crop plant biotechnology is advancing rapidly due to novel developments in genetic and genomic tools being made available today for the scientific community. In this review, we briefly summarize data now available regarding genomic resources for the Solanaceae family. In addition, we describe novel strategies developed for the expression of foreign proteins in vegetable crops and the utilization of these techniques to manufacture pharmaceutical proteins.

  4. Occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plants and rivers in Korea

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sim, Won-Jin; Lee, Ji-Woo [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Jeong-Eun, E-mail: jeoh@pusan.ac.k [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-05-15

    We measured 25 pharmaceuticals in ten municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), one hospital WWTP and five rivers in Korea. In the municipal WWTP influents, acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid and caffeine showed relatively high concentrations. The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the wastewater seems to be influenced by production and consumption of pharmaceuticals. The hospital WWTP influent showed higher total concentrations of pharmaceuticals than the municipal WWTPs, and caffeine, ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen were dominant. In the rivers, caffeine was dominant, and the distribution of pharmaceuticals was related to the inflow of the wastewater. In the municipal WWTPs, the concentrations of acetaminophen, caffeine, acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen and gemfibrozil decreased by over 99%. The decrease of these pharmaceuticals occurred mainly during the biological processes. In the physico-chemical processes, the decrease of pharmaceuticals was insignificant except for some cases. In the hospital WWTP, ciprofloxacin, acetylsalicylic acid, acetaminophen and carbamazepine showed the decrease rates of over 80%. - We investigated distribution and fate of pharmaceuticals in rivers and WWTPs including various biological and physico-chemical processes.

  5. Occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plants and rivers in Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sim, Won-Jin; Lee, Ji-Woo; Oh, Jeong-Eun

    2010-01-01

    We measured 25 pharmaceuticals in ten municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), one hospital WWTP and five rivers in Korea. In the municipal WWTP influents, acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid and caffeine showed relatively high concentrations. The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the wastewater seems to be influenced by production and consumption of pharmaceuticals. The hospital WWTP influent showed higher total concentrations of pharmaceuticals than the municipal WWTPs, and caffeine, ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen were dominant. In the rivers, caffeine was dominant, and the distribution of pharmaceuticals was related to the inflow of the wastewater. In the municipal WWTPs, the concentrations of acetaminophen, caffeine, acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen and gemfibrozil decreased by over 99%. The decrease of these pharmaceuticals occurred mainly during the biological processes. In the physico-chemical processes, the decrease of pharmaceuticals was insignificant except for some cases. In the hospital WWTP, ciprofloxacin, acetylsalicylic acid, acetaminophen and carbamazepine showed the decrease rates of over 80%. - We investigated distribution and fate of pharmaceuticals in rivers and WWTPs including various biological and physico-chemical processes.

  6. Postgraduate Courses in Pharmaceutical Medicine in Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domenico Criscuolo

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Italy has a significant tradition of excellence in the area of clinical trials (CTRs: important achievements in the clinical development of rifampicin and adriamycin, the two most famous drugs discovered in the research laboratories of two Italian pharmaceutical companies, paved the way to the establishment of a culture of clinical development, mainly in the areas of antimicrobials and oncology. Despite the fact that now the Italian market of pharmaceuticals is largely dominated by multinational companies with headquarters outside Italy, the contribution of Italian studies to the clinical development of new drugs is still significant. Indeed, it largely exceeds the percentage of Italian inhabitants versus the ones living in the remaining EU countries, as Italy has about 12% of EU population, but has a 17% share of the EU CTRs. Education in Pharmaceutical Medicine is now a must for all professionals interested to work either in pharma companies or in contract research organizations: several Italian universities are offering high quality courses, and in the last 10 years, more than 1,200 professionals received a postgraduate education in pharmaceutical medicine. This result places Italy on top of countries concerned about the professional education of people involved in drug development and will represent an asset for a larger involvement of Italian clinical sites in the global process of clinical research.

  7. Electrostatics of Pharmaceutical Aerosols for Pulmonary Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lip Kwok, Philip Chi

    2015-01-01

    This paper provides a review on key research findings in the rapidly developing area of pharmaceutical aerosol electrostatics. Solids and liquids can become charged without electric fields, the former by contact or friction and the latter by flowing or spraying. Therefore, charged particles and droplets carrying net charges are produced from pharmaceutical inhalers (e.g. dry powder inhalers, metered dose inhalers, and nebulisers) due to the mechanical processes involved in aerosolisation. The charging depends on many physicochemical factors, such as formulation composition, solid state properties, inhaler material and design, and relative humidity. In silico, in vitro, and limited in vivo studies have shown that electrostatic charges may potentially influence particle deposition in the airways. However, the evidence is not yet conclusive. Furthermore, there are currently no regulatory requirements on the characterisation and control of the electrostatic properties of inhaled formulations. Besides the need for further investigations on the relationship between physicochemical factors and charging characteristics of the aerosols, controlled and detailed in vivo studies are also required to confirm whether charges can affect particle deposition in the airways. Since pharmaceutical aerosol electrostatics is a relatively new research area, much remains to be explored. Thus there is certainly potential for development. New findings in the future may contribute to the advancement of pharmaceutical aerosol formulations and respiratory drug delivery.

  8. International Conference on Harmonisation; guidance on Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System; availability. Notice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-04-08

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a guidance entitled "Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System." The guidance was prepared under the auspices of the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The guidance describes a model for an effective quality management system for the pharmaceutical industry, referred to as the Pharmaceutical Quality System. The guidance is intended to provide a comprehensive approach to an effective pharmaceutical quality system that is based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) concepts, includes applicable good manufacturing practice (GMP) regulations and complements ICH guidances on "Q8 Pharmaceutical Development" and "Q9 Quality Risk Management."

  9. PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modern sanitary practices result in large volumes of human waste, as well as domestic and industrial sewage, being collected and treated at common collection points, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). In recognition of the growing use of sewage sludges as a fertilizers and as soilamendments, and the scarcity of current data regarding the chemical constituents in sewage sludges, the United States National Research Council (NRC) in 2002 produced a report on sewage sludges. Among the NRC's recommendations was the need for investigating the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in sewage sludges. PPCPsare a diverse array of non-regulated contaminants that had not been studied in previous sewage sludges surveys but which are likely to be present. The focus of this paper will be to review the current analytical methodologies available for investigating whether pharmaceuticals are present in WWTP-produced sewage sludges, to summarize current regulatory practices regarding sewage sludges, and to report on the presence of pharmaceuticals in sewage sludges. The research focused on in the subtasks is the development and application of state-of the-art technologies to meet the needs of the public, Office of Water, and ORD in the area of Water Quality. Located In the subtasks are the various research projects being performed in support of this Task and more in-depth coverage of each project. Briefly, each project's objective is stated below.Subta

  10. Stability of Pharmaceuticals in Space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Y-Uyen

    2009-01-01

    Stability testing is a tool used to access shelf life and effects of storage conditions for pharmaceutical formulations. Early research from the International Space Station (ISS) revealed that some medications may have degraded while in space. This potential loss of medication efficacy would be very dangerous to Crew health. The aim of this research project, Stability of Pharmacotherapeutic Compounds, is to study how the stability of pharmaceutical compounds is affected by environmental conditions in space. Four identical pharmaceutical payload kits containing medications in different dosage forms (liquid for injection, tablet, capsule, ointment and suppository) were transported to the ISS aboard a Space Shuttle. One of the four kits was stored on that Shuttle and the other three were stored on the ISS for return to Earth at various time intervals aboard a pre-designated Shuttle flight. The Pharmacotherapeutics laboratory used stability test as defined by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), to access the degree of degradation to the Payload kit medications that may have occurred during space flight. Once these medications returned, the results of stability test performed on them were compared to those from the matching ground controls stored on Earth. Analyses of the results obtained from physical and chemical stability assessments on these payload medications will provide researchers additional tools to promote safe and efficacious medications for space exploration.

  11. Global economic burden of schizophrenia: response to authors’ reply

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neil AL

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Amanda L Neil,1 Vaughan J Carr2,3 1Menzies Institute for Medical Research, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 2Research Unit for Schizophrenia Epidemiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 3Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaFor clarification, we undertook bottom-up costing using individual participant data from the Low Prevalence Disorders Study in our costing study.1 We did not use the data reported in the study by Carr et al2 as asserted by Chong et al.3 Chong et al have thus misunderstood and thus misrepresented our methodology in both their systematic review4 and their response to our letter.5 Authors' reply  Huey Yi Chong,1 Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk1–41School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand; 3School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA; 4School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia We thank Dr Neil and Professor Carr for their clarification on the data source used in their study.1 In this regard, we would like to highlight one of the most common challenges when conducting any systematic review, for example economic burden of schizophrenia in this case – the marked diversity in reporting among the included studies, which increases the likelihood of any potential misinterpretation. In convergence with a number of published systematic reviews of economic burden studies,2–5 there has been a consistent call for a more explicit reporting in various aspects of an economic burden study, thus readability and transparency can be enhanced. However, a standardized guide/checklist for conducting and reporting economic burden is yet to be available. On the final note, we strongly urge for the development of such a guidance document

  12. Trade Secrets in Life Science and Pharmaceutical Companies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nealey, Tara; Daignault, Ronald M.; Cai, Yu

    2015-01-01

    Trade secret protection arises under state common law and state statutes. In general, a trade secret is information that is not generally known to the public and is maintained as a secret, and it provides a competitive advantage or economic benefit to the trade secret holder. Trade secrets can be worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, and damage awards in trade secret litigation have been high; often, there is a lot at stake. Obtaining a trade secret through “improper means” is misappropriation. If the alleged trade secret, however, was developed independently, known publicly, or not maintained as a secret, then those defenses may successfully overcome a claim for trade secret misappropriation. With today’s interconnectedness in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, more collaborations, joint ventures, and outsourcing arrangements among firms, and increased mobility of employees’ careers, life science companies need to not only understand how to protect their trade secrets, but also know how to defend against a claim for trade secret theft. PMID:25414378

  13. Trade secrets in life science and pharmaceutical companies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nealey, Tara; Daignault, Ronald M; Cai, Yu

    2014-11-20

    Trade secret protection arises under state common law and state statutes. In general, a trade secret is information that is not generally known to the public and is maintained as a secret, and it provides a competitive advantage or economic benefit to the trade secret holder. Trade secrets can be worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, and damage awards in trade secret litigation have been high; often, there is a lot at stake. Obtaining a trade secret through "improper means" is misappropriation. If the alleged trade secret, however, was developed independently, known publicly, or not maintained as a secret, then those defenses may successfully overcome a claim for trade secret misappropriation. With today's interconnectedness in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, more collaborations, joint ventures, and outsourcing arrangements among firms, and increased mobility of employees' careers, life science companies need to not only understand how to protect their trade secrets, but also know how to defend against a claim for trade secret theft. Copyright © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  14. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We seek to encourage pharmaceutical and allied research of tropical and ... and related disciplines (including biotechnology, cell and molecular biology, drug ... with ibrutinib reduces proliferation, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells ...

  15. Sorption, Uptake, and Translocation of Pharmaceuticals across Multiple Interfaces in Soil Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, W.; Liu, C. H.; Bhalsod, G.; Zhang, Y.; Chuang, Y. H.; Boyd, S. A.; Teppen, B. J.; Tiedje, J. M.; Li, H.

    2015-12-01

    Pharmaceuticals are contaminants of emerging concern frequently detected in soil and water environments, raising serious questions on their potential impact on human and ecosystem health. Overuse and environmental release of antibiotics (i.e., a group of pharmaceuticals extensively used in human medicine and animal agriculture) pose enormous threats to the health of human, animal, and the environment, due to proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Recently, we have examined interactions of pharmaceuticals with soil geosorbents, bacteria, and vegetable crops in order to elucidate pathways of sorption, uptake, and translocation of pharmaceuticals across the multiple interfaces in soils. Sorption of pharmaceuticals by biochars was studied to assess the potential of biochar soil amendment for reducing the transport and bioavailability of antibiotics. Our preliminary results show that carbonaceous materials such as biochars and activated carbon had strong sorption capacities for antibiotics, and consequently decreased the uptake and antibiotic resistance gene expression by an Escherichia coli bioreporter. Thus, biochar soil amendment showed the potential for reducing selection pressure on antibiotic resistant bacteria. Additionally, since consumption of pharmaceutical-tainted food is a direct exposure pathway for humans, it is important to assess the uptake and accumulation of pharmaceuticals in food crops grown in contaminated soils or irrigated with reclaimed water. Therefore, we have investigated the uptake and accumulations of pharmaceuticals in greenhouse-grown lettuce under contrasting irrigation practices (i.e., overhead or surface irrigations). Preliminary results indicate that greater pharmaceutical concentrations were measured in overhead irrigated lettuce than in surface irrigated lettuce. This could have important implications when selecting irrigation scheme to use the reclaimed water for crop irrigation. In summary, proper soil and water management

  16. Human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies in relation to access to medicines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Joo-Young; Hunt, Paul

    2012-01-01

    Although access to medicines is a vital feature of the right to the highest attainable standard of health ("right to health"), almost two billion people lack access to essential medicines, leading to immense avoidable suffering. While the human rights responsibility to provide access to medicines lies mainly with States, pharmaceutical companies also have human rights responsibilities in relation to access to medicines. This article provides an introduction to these responsibilities. It briefly outlines the new UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and places the human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies in this context. The authors draw from the work of the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to the highest attainable standard of health, in particular the Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in Relation to Access to Medicines that he presented to the UN General Assembly in 2008, and his UN report on GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). While the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are general human rights standards applicable to all business entities, the Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies consider the specific human rights responsibilities of one sector (pharmaceutical companies) in relation to one area of activity (access to medicines). The article signals the human rights responsibilities of all pharmaceutical companies, with particular attention to patent-holding pharmaceutical companies. Adopting a right-to-health "lens," the article discusses GSK and accountability. The authors argue that human rights should shape pharmaceutical companies' policies, and provide standards in relation to which pharmaceutical companies could, and should, be held accountable. They conclude that it is now crucial to devise independent, accessible, transparent, and effective mechanisms to monitor pharmaceutical companies and hold them publicly accountable for their human rights responsibilities. © 2012 American

  17. Anaerobic manganese- or iron-mediated pharmaceutical degradation in water

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, Wenbo

    2018-01-01

    Pharmaceutical compounds, originating mainly from industrial production and public consumption, are detected at extremely low levels (ng·L-1 –µg·L-1) in groundwater, surface water, and wastewater. So far, the adverse effects of pharmaceuticals and their intermediates have been widely reported,

  18. A Study of Comparative Advantage and Intra-Industry Trade in the Pharmaceutical Industry of Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusefzadeh, Hassan; Rezapour, Aziz; Lotfi, Farhad; Azar, Farbod Ebadifard; Nabilo, Bahram; Gorji, Hassan Abolghasem; Hadian, Mohammad; Shahidisadeghi, Niusha; Karami, Atiyeh

    2015-01-01

    Background: Drug costs in Iran accounts for about 30% of the total health care expenditure. Moreover, pharmaceutical business lies among the world’s greatest businesses. The aim of this study was to analyze Iran’s comparative advantage and intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals so that suitable policies can be developed and implemented in order to boost Iran’s trade in this field. Methods: To identify Iran’s comparative advantage in pharmaceuticals, trade specialization, export propensity, import penetration and Balassa and Vollrath indexes were calculated and the results were compared with other pharmaceutical exporting countries. The extent and growth of Iran’s intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals were measured and evaluated using the Grubel-Lloyd and Menon-Dixon indexes. The required data was obtained from Iran’s Customs Administration, Iran’s pharmaceutical Statistics, World Bank and International Trade Center. Results: The results showed that among pharmaceutical exporting countries, Iran has a high level of comparative disadvantage in pharmaceutical products because it holds a small share in world’s total pharmaceutical exports. Also, the low extent of bilateral intra-industry trade between Iran and its trading partners in pharmaceuticals shows the trading model of Iran’s pharmaceutical industry is mostly inter-industry trade rather than intra-industry trade. In addition, the growth of Iran’s intra-industry trade in pharmaceuticals is due to its shares of imports from pharmaceutical exporting countries to Iran and exports from Iran to its neighboring countries. Conclusions: The results of the analysis can play a valuable role in helping pharmaceutical companies and policy makers to boost pharmaceutical trade. PMID:26153184

  19. Decomposition of persistent pharmaceuticals in wastewater by ionizing radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimura, Atsushi; Osawa, Misako; Taguchi, Mitsumasa

    2012-09-01

    Pharmaceuticals in wastewater were treated by the combined method of activated sludge and ionizing radiation in laboratory scale. Oseltamivir, aspirin, and ibuprofen at 5 μmol dm-3 in wastewater were decomposed by the activated sludge at reaction time for 4 h. Carbamazepine, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, clofibric acid, and diclofenac were not biodegraded completely, but were eliminated by γ-ray irradiation at 2 kGy. The rate constants of the reactions of these pharmaceuticals with hydroxyl radicals were estimated by the competition reaction method to be 4.0-10×109 mol-1 dm3 s-1. Decompositions of the pharmaceuticals in wastewater by ionizing radiation were simulated by use of the rate constants and the amount of total organic carbon as parameters. Simulation curves of concentrations of these pharmaceuticals as a function of dose described the experimental data, and the required dose for the elimination of them in wastewater by ionizing radiation can be estimated by this simulation.

  20. Pharmaceutical industry marketing: understanding its impact on women's health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sufrin, Carolyn B; Ross, Joseph S

    2008-09-01

    The delivery of modern health care entails significant involvement from the pharmaceutical industry, including developing and manufacturing drugs. However, the industry also has tremendous influence on the practice of medicine through its considerable marketing efforts, both to patients through direct to consumer advertising, and to physicians through detailing, providing samples, continuing medical education, and other efforts. This article will review the role that pharmaceutical marketing plays in health care, and the substantial evidence surrounding its influence on patient and physician behaviors, with additional discussion of the medical device industry, all with particular attention to women's health. Understanding the effects of pharmaceutical marketing on women's health, through discussion of relevant examples-including oral contraceptive pills, drugs for premenstrual dysphoric disorder, Pap smear cytology techniques, and neonatal herpes prophylaxis-will help ensure that women receive unbiased, evidenced-based care. We will conclude with a discussion of guidelines that have been proposed by professional organizations, policy makers, and universities, to assist physicians in managing exposure to pharmaceutical marketing.

  1. Colloids as a sink for certain pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maskaoui, Khalid; Zhou, John L

    2010-05-01

    The occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment is recognized as one of the emerging issues in environmental chemistry and as a matter of public concern. Existing data tend to focus on the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the aqueous phase, with limited studies on their concentrations in particulate phase such as sediments. Furthermore, current water quality monitoring does not differentiate between soluble and colloidal phases in water samples, hindering our understanding of the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals in aquatic organisms. In this study, an investigation was conducted into the concentrations and phase association (soluble, colloidal, suspended particulate matter or SPM) of selected pharmaceuticals (propranolol, sulfamethoxazole, meberverine, thioridazine, carbamazepine, tamoxifen, indomethacine, diclofenac, and meclofenamic acid) in river water, effluents from sewage treatment works (STW), and groundwater in the UK. The occurrence and phase association of selected pharmaceuticals propranolol, sulfamethoxazole, meberverine, thioridazine, carbamazepine, tamoxifen, indomethacine, diclofenac, and meclofenamic acid in contrasting aquatic environments (river, sewage effluent, and groundwater) were studied. Colloids were isolated by cross-flow ultrafiltration (CFUF). Water samples were extracted by solid-phase extraction (SPE), while SPM was extracted by microwave. All sample extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in the multiple reaction monitoring. Five compounds propranolol, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, indomethacine, and diclofenac were detected in all samples, with carbamazepine showing the highest concentrations in all phases. The highest concentrations of these compounds were detected in STW effluents, confirming STW as a key source of these compounds in the aquatic environments. The calculation of partition coefficients of pharmaceuticals between SPM and

  2. Determinants of Pharmaceutical Industry’s Performance in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wakeel A. Isola

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This study focused on the relationships amongmarket structure, efficiency and performance of the Nigerian Pharmaceutical industry. It employed market share and operational efficiency to determine the efficiency of the industry, pre-tax return on asset to measure performance, Herfindahl- Hirschman index to measure market structure. In addition, earnings per share was used in the study as control variable. Data were obtained from the Nigerian Stock Market Factbook covering 1996 to 2010. The panel ordinary least squares technique was employed in estimating the data. Thus over the course of the study, both fixed and random effect results clearly showed that efficiency hypothesis does not hold in the case of pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria. Rather, it is shown that it is structure that determines performance. Consequently, the study recommended that necessary structures must be put in place by the Federal Ministry of Health to enhance the capacity of local pharmaceutical firms in producing the desired quality and quantity drugs needed in the country. It was also recommended that efforts should be geared towards eradicating totally the importation of fake drugs in the pharmaceutical industry.

  3. Characterization of the evolution of the pharmaceutical regulatory environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafiei, Nader; Ford, James L; Morecroft, Charles W; Lisboa, Paulo J; Taylor, Mark J

    2013-01-01

    This paper is part of a research study that is intended to identify pharmaceutical quality risks induced by the ongoing transformation in the industry. This study establishes the current regulatory context by characterizing the development of the pharmaceutical regulatory environment. The regulatory environment is one of the most important external factors that affects a company's organization, processes, and technological strategy. This is especially the case with the pharmaceutical industry, where its products affect the quality of life of the consumers. The quantitative analysis of regulatory events since 1813 and review of the associated literature resulted in identification of six factors influencing the regulatory environment, namely public health protection, public health promotion, crisis management, harmonization, innovation, and modernization. From 1813 to the 1970s the focus of regulators was centered on crisis management and public health protection-a basic mission that has remained consistent over the years. Since the 1980s a gradual move in the regulatory environment towards a greater focus on public health promotion, international harmonization, innovation, and agency modernization may be seen. The pharmaceutical industry is currently going through changes that affect the way it performs its research, manufacturing, and regulatory activities. The impact of these changes on the approaches to quality risk management requires more understanding. The authors are engaged in research to identify elements of the changes that influence pharmaceutical quality. As quality requirements are an integral part of the pharmaceutical regulations, a comprehensive understanding of these regulations is seen as the first step. The results of this study show that (i) public health protection, public health promotion, crisis management, harmonization, innovation, and modernization are factors that affect regulations in the pharmaceutical industry; (ii) the regulators' main

  4. Uptake and Accumulation of Pharmaceuticals in Lettuce Under Surface and Overhead Irrigations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhalsod, G.; Chuang, Y. H.; Jeon, S.; Gui, W.; Li, H.; Guber, A.; Zhang, W.

    2015-12-01

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are being widely detected in wastewater and surface waters. As fresh water becomes scarcer, interests in using reclaimed water for crop irrigation is intensified. Since reclaimed waters often carry trace levels of pharmaceuticals, accumulation of pharmaceuticals in food crops could increase the risk of human exposure. This study aims to investigate uptake and accumulations of pharmaceuticals in greenhouse-grown lettuce under contrasting irrigation practices (i.e., overhead and surface irrigations). Lettuce was irrigated with water spiked with 11 commonly used pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, carbadox, trimethoprim, lincomycin hydrochloride, oxytetracycline hydrochloride, monensin sodium, and tylosin). Weekly sampling of lettuce roots, shoots, and soils were continued for 5 weeks, and the samples were freeze dried, extracted for pharmaceuticals and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Preliminary results indicate that higher concentrations of pharmaceuticals were found in overhead irrigated lettuce compared to surface irrigated lettuce. For carbamezapine, sulfadiazine, trimethoprim, oxytetracycline, and monensin sodium, their concentrations generally increased in lettuce shoots in the overhead treatment over time. However, acetaminophen was found at higher concentrations in both shoots and roots, indicating that acetaminophen can be easily transported in the plant system. This study provides insight on developing better strategies for using reclaimed water for crop irrigations, while minimizing the potential risks of pharmaceutical contamination of vegetables.

  5. Application of radioisotopes in pharmaceutical research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khujaev, S.

    2004-01-01

    Full text: To use of radioisotopes in the processes of receiving radiopharmaceutical diagnostic means it is widely know [1]. Radioactivity labeled chemical compounds, pharmacological kinetics of which allows one solving a concrete diagnostic problem in an organism are used in radio pharmaceutics. In spite of this choice of the radioisotope, possessing the most favorable nuclei-physical characteristics for it to be detected and minimization of beam loadings, be of great importance. Development of a method of introduction of a radioisotope also has important value, as it is included into chemical structure of a radiopharmaceutical preparation. One more way of use of radioisotopes in pharmaceutics is their use as a radioactive mark at a stage of creation of a new medical product. And in this case, all those moments, which are listed above, take place. Preparations labeling by radioisotopes are used basically for their studying pharmacological kinetics. In Institute of nuclear physics AS RU, in recent years, works are done on studying pharmacological kinetics of some new medical products, which have been synthesized in the Tashkent pharmaceutical institute. These preparations are on the basis of microelements with a complex set of properties possessing expressed biological activity and have great value in pharmaceutical science of Republic of Uzbekistan. Reception of labeled compounds of all preparations was carried out by a method of introduction of a radioisotope at a stage of their synthesis. The work presents the results of researches on synthesis and study of pharmacological kinetics of radioactively labeled preparations - PIRACIN, labeled by radioisotope 69m Zn; FERAMED, labeled by radioisotope 59 Fe; COBAVIT, labeled by radioisotope 57 Co; VUC, labeled by radioisotope 57 Co

  6. in Leafy Vegetable and Pharmaceutical

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bheema

    successfully employed for the determination of copper (II) in leafy vegetable and pharmaceutical samples. ... Our previous studies of transition metal ions such as zinc, cobalt and ..... A new method for extractive photometric determination of.

  7. Pharmaceutical strategy and innovation: an academics perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxendale, Ian R; Hayward, John J; Ley, Steven V; Tranmer, Geoffrey K

    2007-06-01

    The pharmaceutical industry is under increasing pressure on many fronts, from investors requiring larger returns to consumer groups and health authorities demanding cheaper and safer drugs. It is also feeling additional pressure from the infringement upon its profit margins by generic drug producers. Many companies are aggressively pursuing outsourcing contracts in an attempt to counter many of the financial pressures and streamline their operations. At the same time, the productivity of the pharmaceutical industry at its science base is being questioned in terms of the number of products and the timeframes required for each company to deliver them to market. This has generated uncertainties regarding the current corporate strategies that have been adopted and the levels of innovation being demonstrated. In this essay we discuss these topics in the context of the global pharmaceutical market, investigating the basis for many of these issues and highlighting the hurdles the industry needs to overcome, especially as they relate to the chemical sciences.

  8. Design of Continuous Crystallizers for Production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Capellades Mendez, Gerard; Christensen, Troels V.

    The production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) is conducted primarily in batch processes. This manufacturing approach is reinforced by a patent-driven business model and the need to minimize the process development times for newly patented drugs. However, the regulatory and business...... environments are now changing. The increasing costs of drug development, combined with the strict regulations and the competition from generic manufacturers, have pushed pharmaceutical companies to seek cheaper and more sustainable production methods. Transition from batch to Continuous Pharmaceutical...

  9. Teaching Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groves, Michael J.; Klegerman, Melvin E.

    1988-01-01

    The Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Illinois at Chicago has been carrying out research in pharmaceutical biotechnology that has allowed unique student involvement and promises further interdisciplinary research and instructional activities. (MSE)

  10. Pharmaceuticals, political money, and public policy: a theoretical and empirical agenda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jorgensen, Paul D

    2013-01-01

    Why, when confronted with policy alternatives that could improve patient care, public health, and the economy, does Congress neglect those goals and tailor legislation to suit the interests of pharmaceutical corporations? In brief, for generations, the pharmaceutical industry has convinced legislators to define policy problems in ways that protect its profit margin. It reinforces this framework by selectively providing information and by targeting campaign contributions to influential legislators and allies. In this way, the industry displaces the public's voice in developing pharmaceutical policy. Unless citizens mobilize to confront the political power of pharmaceutical firms, objectionable industry practices and public policy will not change. Yet we need to refine this analysis. I propose a research agenda to uncover pharmaceutical influence. It develops the theory of dependence corruption to explain how the pharmaceutical industry is able to deflect the broader interests of the general public. It includes empirical studies of lobbying and campaign finance to uncover the means drug firms use to: (1) shape the policy framework adopted and information used to analyze policy; (2) subsidize the work of political allies; and (3) influence congressional voting. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  11. Quality in the pharmaceutical industry – A literature review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haleem, Reham M.; Salem, Maissa Y.; Fatahallah, Faten A.; Abdelfattah, Laila E.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives The aim of this study is to:a.Highlight the most important guidelines and practices of quality in the pharmaceutical industry.b.Organize such guidelines and practices to create a guide to pave the way for other researchers who would like to dig deeper into these guidelines and practices. Design A review was conducted of 102 publications; 56 publications were concerned with the pharmaceutical quality directly while 46 publications were concerned with the general quality practices. The content of those sources was analyzed and the following themes were identified:a.Research theme 1: Guidelines of the pharmaceutical quality.b.Research theme 2: General practices recently applied in the pharmaceutical industry. Main outcome measures The following guidelines were identified and reviewed: WHO guidelines, FDA guidelines, EU guidelines and ICH guidelines in the research theme I. In research theme II; the following topics were identified and reviewed: quality risk management, quality by design, corrective actions and preventive actions, process capability analysis, Six Sigma, process analytical technology, lean manufacturing, total quality management, ISO series and HACCP. Results Upon reviewing the previously highlighted guidelines and the practices that are widely applied in the pharmaceutical industry, it was noticed that there is an abundant number of papers and articles that explain the general guidelines and practices but the literature lack those describing application; case studies of the pharmaceutical factories applying those guidelines and significance of those guidelines and practices. Conclusions It is recommended that the literature would invest more in the area of application and significance of guidelines and practices. New case studies should be done to prove the feasibility of such practices. PMID:26594110

  12. Batch versus continuous feeding strategies for pharmaceutical removal by subsurface flow constructed wetland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Dongqing; Gersberg, Richard M.; Zhu, Junfei; Hua, Tao; Jinadasa, K.B.S.N.; Tan, Soon Keat

    2012-01-01

    This study evaluated the effect of continuous and batch feeding on the removal of 8 pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, naproxen, diclofenac, ibuprofen, caffeine, salicylic acid, ketoprofen and clofibric acid) from synthetic wastewater in mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands (CWs). Both loading modes were operated at hydraulic application rates of 5.6 cm day −1 and 2.8 cm day −1 . Except for carbamazepine, clofibric acid and naproxen, removal in CWs was significantly (p ow ) and removal efficiencies of pharmaceutical compounds in the CWs, showed that pharmaceutical removal efficiency was significantly (p ow value, but not with log K ow value. - Highlights: ► Batch feeding in mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands enhances pharmaceutical removal. ► K values for the 8 pharmaceuticals were in the range of 0.01–0.1 m day −1 . ► The pharmaceutical removal efficiency was inversely correlated with log D ow value. - Batch (drain and fill) feeding in mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands enhances pharmaceutical removal.

  13. Pharmaceutical Logistics at the 121st General Hospital, Seoul, Korea

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Giraud, Roger S

    2004-01-01

    ...). The sample consists of 122 days of pharmaceutical requisitions. Pharmaceutical logistics data are used to estimate a multiple regression model of OST for demand satisfaction and accommodation, requisition cost and volume and source of supply...

  14. The pharmaceutical sector, patents and access to medicines in the South

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xabier Barrutia Etxebarría

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available This article deals with the lack of access to drug treatments experienced by the poor in the economic South. First, it studies the extraordinarily profitable pharmaceutical industry, whose research forgets about the illnesses typical of the South, given its greatbusiness and market concentration in the countries of the North, where marketing is decisive. Then, it deals with the relationship between the high prices of medicines and a patent system which is greatly strengthened by the rules of the WTO and which clasheswith people’s right to health, as revealed by the case of HIV-AIDS treatment in the countries of the South. The paper concludes by underscoring the need for an active intervention by the public sector, both at a national and international level, which wouldlimit the patents on drugs and promote research on the forgotten diseases.

  15. Biotechnology, nanotechnology, and pharmacogenomics and pharmaceutical compounding, Part 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Loyd V

    2015-01-01

    The world of pharmaceuticals is changing rapidly as biotechnology continues to grow and nanotechnology appears on the horizon. Biotechnology is gaining in importance in extemporaneous pharmaceutical compounding, and nanotechnology and pharmacogenomics could drastically change the practice of pharmacy. This article discusses biotechnology and the factors to consider when compounding biotechnology drugs.

  16. Spatial patterns of pharmaceuticals and wastewater tracers in the Hudson River Estuary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantwell, Mark G; Katz, David R; Sullivan, Julia C; Shapley, Daniel; Lipscomb, John; Epstein, Jennifer; Juhl, Andrew R; Knudson, Carol; O'Mullan, Gregory D

    2018-06-15

    The widespread use of pharmaceuticals by human populations results in their sustained discharge to surface waters via wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, 16 highly prescribed pharmaceuticals were quantified along a 250 km transect of the Hudson River Estuary and New York Harbor to describe their sources and spatial patterns. Sampling was conducted over two dry weather periods in May and July 2016, at 72 sites which included mid-channel and nearshore sites, as well as locations influenced by tributaries and WWTP outfalls. The detection frequency of the study pharmaceuticals was almost identical between the May and July sampling periods at 55% and 52%, respectively. Six pharmaceuticals were measurable at 92% or more of the sites during both sampling periods, illustrating their ubiquitous presence throughout the study area. Individual pharmaceutical concentrations were highly variable spatially, ranging from non-detect to 3810 ng/L during the study. Major factors controlling concentrations were proximity and magnitude of WWTP discharges, inputs from tributaries and tidal mixing. Two compounds, sucralose and caffeine, were evaluated as tracers to identify wastewater sources and assess pharmaceutical behavior. Sucralose was useful in identifying wastewater inputs to the river and concentrations showed excellent correlations with numerous pharmaceuticals in the study. Caffeine-sucralose ratios showed potential in identifying discharges of untreated wastewater occurring during a combined sewage overflow event. Many of the study pharmaceuticals were present throughout the Hudson River Estuary as a consequence of sustained wastewater discharge. Whereas some concentrations were above published effects levels, a more complete risk assessment is needed to understand the potential for ecological impacts due to pharmaceuticals in the Hudson River Estuary. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Development of Halal Pharmaceuticals Traceability Systems for Used with Mobile Devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd Jalil Abd Hamid

    2014-01-01

    From early times, the pharmaceutical industry has had simple traceability systems, but with the increasing implementation of quality management in pharmaceutical manufacture, traceability systems have become more advanced covering more information and more steps in the production chain. Pork and its byproducts are not considered permissible (non-halal) and are forbidden for muslims to consume, along with alcohol and meat from animals not slaughtered according to Islamic law. Recently, the porcine DNA crisis and debates about non-halal substances have drawn new attention to production chain traceability. Existing guidelines on halal products, especially those issued by Jakim, and the halal standard MS2424, were insufficient to overcome the heaping problems of non-halal pharmaceuticals. An effective traceability system is essential to mitigate the risks associated with non-halal pharmaceutical and also as a tool for communication making information available along the production and supply chain. Traceability in pharmaceutical manufacturing can range from in-house traceability in production plants to traceability in whole or part of the production chain from raw material to consumer, and descriptors of the product and its history can be few or many as decided. This study is written to discuss on the approaches towards development of halal pharmaceuticals traceability systems for used with mobile devices for fulfilling muslims consumer demands. Specifically, this study discusses the conceptual architecture on halal traceability system for halal pharmaceutical product in Malaysia. (author)

  18. Deep pharma: psychiatry, anthropology, and pharmaceutical detox.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oldani, Michael

    2014-06-01

    Psychiatric medication, or psychotropics, are increasingly prescribed for people of all ages by both psychiatry and primary care doctors for a multitude of mental health and/or behavioral disorders, creating a sharp rise in polypharmacy (i.e., multiple medications). This paper explores the clinical reality of modern psychotropy at the level of the prescribing doctor and clinical exchanges with patients. Part I, Geographies of High Prescribing, documents the types of factors (pharmaceutical-promotional, historical, cultural, etc.) that can shape specific psychotropic landscapes. Ethnographic attention is focused on high prescribing in Japan in the 1990s and more recently in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the US. These examples help to identify factors that have converged over time to produce specific kinds of branded psychotropic profiles in specific locales. Part II, Pharmaceutical Detox, explores a new kind of clinical work being carried out by pharmaceutically conscious doctors, which reduces the number of medications being prescribed to patients while re-diagnosing their mental illnesses. A high-prescribing psychiatrist in southeast Wisconsin is highlighted to illustrate a kind of med-checking taking place at the level of individual patients. These various examples and cases call for a renewed emphasis by anthropology to critically examine the "total efficacies" of modern pharmaceuticals and to continue to disaggregate mental illness categories in the Boasian tradition. This type of detox will require a holistic approach, incorporating emergent fields such as neuroanthropology and other kinds of creative collaborations.

  19. Contamination levels of human pharmaceutical compounds in French surface and drinking water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mompelat, S; Thomas, O; Le Bot, B

    2011-10-01

    The occurrence of 20 human pharmaceutical compounds and metabolites from 10 representative therapeutic classes was analysed from resource and drinking water in two catchment basins located in north-west France. 98 samples were analysed from 63 stations (surface water and drinking water produced from surface water). Of the 20 human pharmaceutical compounds selected, 16 were quantified in both the surface water and drinking water, with 22% of the values above the limit of quantification for surface water and 14% for drinking water). Psychostimulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, iodinated contrast media and anxiolytic drugs were the main therapeutic classes of human pharmaceutical compounds detected in the surface water and drinking water. The results for surface water were close to results from previous studies in spite of differences in prescription rates of human pharmaceutical compounds in different countries. The removal rate of human pharmaceutical compounds at 11 water treatment units was also determined. Only caffeine proved to be resistant to drinking water treatment processes (with a minimum rate of 5%). Other human pharmaceutical compounds seemed to be removed more efficiently (average elimination rate of over 50%) by adsorption onto activated carbon and oxidation/disinfection with ozone or chlorine (not taking account of the disinfection by-products). These results add to the increasing evidence of the occurrence of human pharmaceutical compounds in drinking water that may represent a threat to human beings exposed to a cocktail of human pharmaceutical compounds and related metabolites and by-products in drinking water.

  20. Parallel Imports, Drag Price Control and Pharmaceutical Innovation

    OpenAIRE

    Ken Tabata; Testuya Shinkai; Satoru Tanaka; Makoto Okamura

    2005-01-01

    This paper examines how parallel importation influences pharmaceutical innovation and the welfare of the economy, when crossnational drug price differentials occur not only because of demand elasticity based factors, but also governmental drug price control based factors. By explicitly considering the governmental drug price control baaed factors, this paper shows that parallel importation may enhance pharmaceutical innovation, when the bargaining power of a foreign government is strong and t...

  1. [Rational drug use: an economic approach to decision making].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mota, Daniel Marques; da Silva, Marcelo Gurgel Carlos; Sudo, Elisa Cazue; Ortún, Vicente

    2008-04-01

    The present article approaches rational drug use (RDU) from the economical point of view. The implementation of RDU implies in costs and involves acquisition of knowledge and behavioral changes of several agents. The difficulties in implementing RDU may be due to shortage problems, information asymmetry, lack of information, uncertain clinical decisions, externalities, time-price, incentives for drug prescribers and dispensers, drug prescriber preferences and marginal utility. Health authorities, among other agencies, must therefore regularize, rationalize and control drug use to minimize inefficiency in pharmaceutical care and to prevent exposing the population to unnecessary health risks.

  2. After compulsory licensing: coming issues in Canadian pharmaceutical policy and politics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lexchin, J

    1997-04-01

    Bills C-22 and C-91 eliminated compulsory licensing for pharmaceutical products in Canada. However, in the wake of these bills there are pressing issues of pharmaceutical policy that need to be decided. The value of additional spending in pharmaceutical R and D has yet to be evaluated. There needs to be a public debate about how far government policy should go in encouraging pharmaceutical R and D as opposed to investing resources in other areas. There has been a continuing escalation in the cost of the average prescription, due to the introduction of newer, but not necessarily more effective, medications. So far government has not been willing to commit resources to promote cost-effective prescribing. Pharmaceutical companies are now lobbying for more rapid approval of products and an extension to the normal patent period to make up for the time that drugs spend in the regulatory process. The process that the government uses to resolve these issues will be just as important as the ultimate decisions.

  3. Transport and deposition of cohesive pharmaceutical powders in human airway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Yuan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceutical powders used in inhalation therapy are in the size range of 1-5 microns and are usually cohesive. Understanding the cohesive behaviour of pharmaceutical powders during their transportation in human airway is significant in optimising aerosol drug delivery and targeting. In this study, the transport and deposition of cohesive pharmaceutical powders in a human airway model is simulated by a well-established numerical model which combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD and discrete element method (DEM. The van der Waals force, as the dominant cohesive force, is simulated and its influence on particle transport and deposition behaviour is discussed. It is observed that even for dilute particle flow, the local particle concentration in the oral to trachea region can be high and particle aggregation happens due to the van der Waals force of attraction. It is concluded that the deposition mechanism for cohesive pharmaceutical powders, on one hand, is dominated by particle inertial impaction, as proven by previous studies; on the other hand, is significantly affected by particle aggregation induced by van der Waals force. To maximum respiratory drug delivery efficiency, efforts should be made to avoid pharmaceutical powder aggregation in human oral-to-trachea airway.

  4. Transport and deposition of cohesive pharmaceutical powders in human airway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yuan; Chu, Kaiwei; Yu, Aibing

    2017-06-01

    Pharmaceutical powders used in inhalation therapy are in the size range of 1-5 microns and are usually cohesive. Understanding the cohesive behaviour of pharmaceutical powders during their transportation in human airway is significant in optimising aerosol drug delivery and targeting. In this study, the transport and deposition of cohesive pharmaceutical powders in a human airway model is simulated by a well-established numerical model which combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element method (DEM). The van der Waals force, as the dominant cohesive force, is simulated and its influence on particle transport and deposition behaviour is discussed. It is observed that even for dilute particle flow, the local particle concentration in the oral to trachea region can be high and particle aggregation happens due to the van der Waals force of attraction. It is concluded that the deposition mechanism for cohesive pharmaceutical powders, on one hand, is dominated by particle inertial impaction, as proven by previous studies; on the other hand, is significantly affected by particle aggregation induced by van der Waals force. To maximum respiratory drug delivery efficiency, efforts should be made to avoid pharmaceutical powder aggregation in human oral-to-trachea airway.

  5. [Innovation guidelines and strategies for pharmaceutical engineering of Chinese medicine and their industrial translation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yi-Yu; Qu, Hai-Bin; Zhang, Bo-Li

    2013-01-01

    This paper briefly analyzes the bottlenecks and major technical requirements for pharmaceutical industry of Chinese medicine, providing current status of pharmaceutical engineering of Chinese medicine. The innovation directions and strategies of the pharmaceutical engineering for manufacturing Chinese medicine are proposed along with the framework of their core technology. As a consequence, the development of the third-generation pharmaceutical technology for Chinese medicine, featured as "precision, digital and intelligent", is recommended. The prospects of the pharmaceutical technology are also forecasted.

  6. Analysis of International Mergers and Acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Božo Matić

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available There are numerous researches which analyze mergers and acquisitions, but most of them do not focus on a certain industry, but their sample considers companies from different industries. This paper focuses on mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry. It is assumed that pharmaceutical companies with no experience in mergers and acquisitions achieve better results in relatively small and domestic mergers and acquisitions while pharmaceutical companies with greater experience in mergers and acquisitions are successful even in bigger and international mergers and acquisitions. Bigger mergers and acquisitions and international mergers and acquisitions are more risky for the companies so lack of experience in mergers and acquisitions additionally increases risks during the process of mergers and acquisitions. On average, such increase of the risk results in lower returns for stock owners of pharmaceutical companies.

  7. Scientific misconduct, the pharmaceutical industry, and the tragedy of institutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen-Kohler, Jillian Clare; Esmail, Laura C

    2007-09-01

    This paper examines how current legislative and regulatory models do not adequately govern the pharmaceutical industry towards ethical scientific conduct. In the context of a highly profit-driven industry, governments need to ensure ethical and legal standards are not only in place for companies but that they are enforceable. We demonstrate with examples from both industrialized and developing countries how without sufficient controls, there is a risk that corporate behaviour will transgress ethical boundaries. We submit that there is a critical need for urgent drug regulatory reform. There must be robust regulatory structures in place which enforce corporate governance mechanisms to ensure that pharmaceutical companies maintain ethical standards in drug research and development and the marketing of pharmaceuticals. What is also needed is for the pharmaceutical industry to adopt authentic "corporate social responsibility" policies as current policies and practices are insufficient.

  8. 78 FR 19017 - Manufacturer of Controlled Substances; Notice of Application; Johnson Matthey Pharmaceutical...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration Manufacturer of Controlled Substances; Notice of Application; Johnson Matthey Pharmaceutical Materials, Inc. Pursuant to Sec. 1301.33(a), Title... Matthey Pharmaceutical Materials, Inc., Pharmaceutical Service, 25 Patton Road, Devens, Massachusetts...

  9. The behaviour, fate and removal of pharmaceuticals in biological nutrient removal sewage treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Popple, Tina

    2013-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals that are intended for human use are frequently detected in the aquatic environment. This is predominantly from the excretion of pharmaceuticals by patients, in their urine and faeces, which subsequently enter sewage treatment plants. Sewage treatment provides a final opportunity for pharmaceutical removal, prior to discharge into the environment, however, removal is often incomplete. Once in the environment, pharmaceuticals have the potential to cause effects on aquatic organi...

  10. Faces of pricing and profit planning at the doorstep of the EU: government pricing policy in the innovative pharmaceutical sector in Turkey

    OpenAIRE

    De Kervenoael, Ronan J.; Nilsson, Ulf

    2006-01-01

    The majority of research on the pharmaceutical sector has focused on an overall micro economic, medical oriented welfare issues, whereas the marketing management role of the innovative drug manufacturer has to a large extent been disregarded. Using the case of Turkey, through a series of in-depth interviews with highly innovative companies, other marketing management possibilities to develop pricing strategies and plan for profit are explored based on broader definitions of value and transpar...

  11. Electrochemical biosensors in pharmaceutical analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric de Souza Gil

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Given the increasing demand for practical and low-cost analytical techniques, biosensors have attracted attention for use in the quality analysis of drugs, medicines, and other analytes of interest in the pharmaceutical area. Biosensors allow quantification not only of the active component in pharmaceutical formulations, but also the analysis of degradation products and metabolites in biological fluids. Thus, this article presents a brief review of biosensor use in pharmaceutical analysis, focusing on enzymatic electrochemical sensors.Em virtude do aumento da demanda por técnicas analíticas simples e de baixo custo, os biossensores têm atraído a atenção para a análise de fármacos, medicamentos e outros analitos de interesse em controle de qualidade de medicamentos. Os biossensores permitem a quantificação não somente de princípio ativo em formulações farmacêuticas, mas também de produtos de degradação e metabólitos em fluídos biológicos, bem como análise de amostras de interesse clínico e industrial, além de possibilitar a determinação de enantiômeros. Desta forma, este artigo objetiva fazer uma breve revisão a respeito do emprego de biossensores em análise farmacêutica, com ênfase em sensores eletroquímicos enzimáticos.

  12. Pharmaceuticals in the Built and Natural Water Environment of the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randhir P. Deo

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The known occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the built and natural water environment, including in drinking water supplies, continues to raise concerns over inadvertent exposures and associated potential health risks in humans and aquatic organisms. At the same time, the number and concentrations of new and existing pharmaceuticals in the water environment are destined to increase further in the future as a result of increased consumption of pharmaceuticals by a growing and aging population and ongoing measures to decrease per-capita water consumption. This review examines the occurrence and movement of pharmaceuticals in the built and natural water environment, with special emphasis on contamination of the drinking water supply, and opportunities for sustainable pollution control. We surveyed peer-reviewed publications dealing with quantitative measurements of pharmaceuticals in U.S. drinking water, surface water, groundwater, raw and treated wastewater as well as municipal biosolids. Pharmaceuticals have been observed to reenter the built water environment contained in raw drinking water, and they remain detectable in finished drinking water at concentrations in the ng/L to μg/L range. The greatest promises for minimizing pharmaceutical contamination include source control (for example, inputs from intentional flushing of medications for safe disposal, and sewer overflows, and improving efficiency of treatment facilities.

  13. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 12, No 6 (2013) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  14. The anxieties of globalization: antidepressant sales and economic crisis in Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakoff, Andrew

    2004-04-01

    This paper describes the role of market research firms in shaping the actions of key players in the pharmaceutical arena. It focuses on strategies for marketing novel antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs) to doctors in Buenos Aires during the Argentine financial crisis of 2001, posing the question of whether increased antidepressant sales were due to the social situation or to promotional practices. This case demonstrates how 'pharmaceutical relations' - interactions between doctors and pharmaceutical companies - are structured by a gift economy whose effects are monitored through the sales numbers produced by database firms. It suggests that the use of these numbers takes on special importance given the distinctiveness of both the Argentine context and the antidepressant market. More generally, the case points to the interpretive flexibility of psychotropic medication. In the Argentine setting, doctors' prescription of SSRIs was dependent neither on a diagnosis of depression nor on a biological understanding of mental disorder. These drugs found a different means of entering the professionally mediated marketplace: doctors understood and used SSRIs as a treatment not for a lack of serotonin in the brain, but for the suffering caused by the social situation - the sense of insecurity and vulnerability that the economic and political crisis had wrought.

  15. The development of Bio-pharmaceutical industry in China: problems and solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Gujun

    2014-07-01

    Known as the "sunrise industry" of the 21st century, bio-pharmaceutical industry has been a fast-growing global industry, and many countries have been developing this industry as the focus of their national economies. In China, there exists a huge market demand for the development of bio-pharmaceutical industry, but at the present stage the industry is faced with some problems, such as low level of R & D for innovative drugs, and inappropriate capital investment in the industrialization. In order to accelerate the development of China's bio-pharmaceutical industry, it is necessary to take strategic initiatives of improving the technology transfer system, developing the bio-pharmaceutical outsourcing, and building a diversified industrial financing system.

  16. Drug company advertising in medical journals about the health-economic advantages of their products for 2000-2006 versus 1990-1999.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, Jennifer A; Timm, Alison R; Neumann, Peter J

    2008-10-01

    Section 114 of the 1997 Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA) effective February 19, 1998, permitted some additional flexibility for drug companies to provide "health care economic information" to "a formulary committee or other similar entity" and may have caused a decline in economic messages used in print advertisements in medical journals. We previously investigated the promotional claims made by pharmaceutical companies about the economic advantages of their prescription products in print advertisements in 6 leading medical journals from 1990-1999. To examine the hypotheses that (1) economic promotion in journals declined after the effective date of Section 114 of the FDAMA, and (2) increased calls for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scrutiny of health-economic information was associated with an increase in the reporting of supporting information for economic advertisements in 2000- 2006 compared with the 1990s. Two researchers independently reviewed all pharmaceutical print advertisements in 3 issues each year of 3 general medical and 3 specialty journals (totaling 18 issues each year) from 2000 through 2006. The type of economic claim (e.g., advertisements using the words "price," "costs less," "value") as well as the presence of supporting information for an advertisement's claims (e.g., published studies) were tabulated using a standardized data collection form. The research method was similar to that used in previous research of economic claims in advertisements in the same 6 medical journals from 1990-1999, and we compared the results from previous research for 1990-1999 with the new findings for 2000-2006. The list of health economic terms was expanded in the 2000-2006 research to include "less hospitalization"/"less treatment," "formulary"/"coverage," "co-pay"/"cost-sharing," and "in community longer." Our results are derived from 2,144 pharmaceutical advertisements from the 10-year period 1990-1999 and 1,372 from the 7-year

  17. Real-time economic optimization for a fermentation process using Model Predictive Control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Lars Norbert; Jørgensen, John Bagterp

    2014-01-01

    Fermentation is a widely used process in production of many foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. The main goal of the control system is to maximize profit of the fermentation process, and thus this is also the main goal of this paper. We present a simple dynamic model for a fermentation process...... and demonstrate its usefulness in economic optimization. The model is formulated as an index-1 differential algebraic equation (DAE), which guarantees conservation of mass and energy in discrete form. The optimization is based on recent advances within Economic Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (E......-NMPC), and also utilizes the index-1 DAE model. The E-NMPC uses the single-shooting method and the adjoint method for computation of the optimization gradients. The process constraints are relaxed to soft-constraints on the outputs. Finally we derive the analytical solution to the economic optimization problem...

  18. Effective executive management in the pharmaceutical industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Hoang; Kleiner, Brian H

    2005-01-01

    Along with the boom in information technology and vast development in genomic and proteomic discoveries, the pharmaceutical and biotech industries have been provided the means and tools to create a new page in medicinal history. They are now able to alter the classic ways to cure complex diseases thanks to the completion of the human genome project. To be able to compete in this industry, pharmaceutical management has to be effective not only internally but also externally in socially acceptable conduct. The first department that requires focus is marketing and sales. As the main driving force to increase revenues and profits, marketing and sales employees should be highly motivated by compensation. Also, customer relationships should be maintained for long-term gain. As important as marketing, research and development requires the financial support as well as the critical decision making to further expand the product pipeline. Similarly, finance and technologies should be adequately monitored and invested to provide support as well as prepare for future expansion. On top of that, manufacturing processes and operations are operated per quality systems and FDA guidelines to ensure high quality. Human Resources, on the other hand, should carry the managing and motivation from upper management through systematic recruitment, adequate training, and fair compensation. Moreover, effective management in a pharmaceutical would also require the social welfare and charity to help patients who cannot afford the treatment as well as improving the organization's image. Last but not least, the management should also prepare for the globalization of the industry. Inevitably, large pharmaceutical companies are merging with each other or acquiring smaller companies to enhance the competitive advantages as well as expand their product mix. For effectiveness in a pharmaceutical industry, management should focus more than just the daily routine tasks and short-term goals. Rather, they

  19. Pharmaceutical Research Strategies

    OpenAIRE

    Phlippen, Sandra; Vermeersch, Ad

    2008-01-01

    textabstractThis study analyses 1400 research projects of the top 20 R&D-spending pharmaceuticals to identify the determinants of successful research projects. We provide clear evidence that externally sourced projects and projects involving biotechnologies perform better than internal projects and chemical projects, respectively. Controlling for these effects, we find that big pharma should either build a critical mass of disease area knowledge or diversify projects over different DA’s in or...

  20. Transnational pharmaceutical corporations and neo-liberal business ethics in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Mello, Bernard

    2002-03-01

    The author critiques the expedient application of market valuation principles by the transnational corporations and other large firms in the Indian pharmaceutical industry on a number of issues like patents, pricing, irrational drugs, clinical trials, etc. He contends that ethics in business is chiseled and etched within the confines of particular social structures of accumulation. An ascendant neo-liberal social structure of accumulation has basically shaped these firms' sharp opposition to the Indian Patents Act, 1970, government administered pricing, etc. The author contents that the practice of neo-liberal economics is strongly associated with a "one-dimensional" ethics that privileges market valuation principles over all others. This seems to inevitably generate a social counter-movement that struggles for social protections. He critiques neo-liberal business practices from a perspective that derives from the work of the economic anthropologist Karl Polanyi. Before the present phase of liberalization in India, markets were "managed", but without a "welfare state" in place. Moving toward deregulation of the markets without a welfare state in place is unethical. Keeping the debilities of the institutional framework of public policy in mind, the author adopts a Polanyian perspective that places its trust and hope in the growing social legitimacy of the counter-movement in opposition to both neo-liberal business practices and the degenerate behavior of state agencies.

  1. Dropwise additive manufacturing of pharmaceutical products for melt-based dosage forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Içten, Elçin; Giridhar, Arun; Taylor, Lynne S; Nagy, Zoltan K; Reklaitis, Gintaras V

    2015-05-01

    The US Food and Drug Administration introduced the quality by design approach and process analytical technology guidance to encourage innovation and efficiency in pharmaceutical development, manufacturing, and quality assurance. As part of this renewed emphasis on the improvement of manufacturing, the pharmaceutical industry has begun to develop more efficient production processes with more intensive use of online measurement and sensing, real-time quality control, and process control tools. Here, we present dropwise additive manufacturing of pharmaceutical products (DAMPP) as an alternative to conventional pharmaceutical manufacturing methods. This mini-manufacturing process for the production of pharmaceuticals utilizes drop on demand printing technology for automated and controlled deposition of melt-based formulations onto edible substrates. The advantages of drop-on-demand technology, including reproducible production of small droplets, adjustable drop sizing, high placement accuracy, and flexible use of different formulations, enable production of individualized dosing even for low-dose and high-potency drugs. In this work, DAMPP is used to produce solid oral dosage forms from hot melts of an active pharmaceutical ingredient and a polymer. The dosage forms are analyzed to show the reproducibility of dosing and the dissolution behavior of different formulations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  2. Pharmaceutical pricing policy in Greece: towards a different path.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyriakos Souliotis

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Affordable, accessible and innovation-promoting pharmaceutical care is essential to the operation of a sustainable health system. External reference pricing (ERP, a common pharmaceutical policy in Europe, suffers today from indigenous weaknesses that may cause market distortions and barriers to care, burdening mostly the weak economies, and hence, raising ethical and political worrying. Objectives and Methods: A non-randomized experiment was conducted, in order to examine the influence of flexible and adaptable to health systems’ affordability ERP structures. Outcomes were assessed by measuring deviations from Greek prices’ level ex ante, as well as effects on pharmaceutical markets affiliated to the European ERP system. Results and Conclusions: Pharmaceutical pricing models that fit prices to income and affordability are better in all aspects, as they produce fairer results, while resulting in low external costs for the European ERP network as a whole. Small sets of reference countries are preferred to large baskets, as they produce similar results, while presenting better qualities by increasing the flexibility of the reimbursement system and the transparency of the market.

  3. Microbial degradation of pharmaceuticals in estuarine and coastal seawater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benotti, Mark J. [Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000 (United States); Brownawell, Bruce J. [Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000 (United States)], E-mail: bruce.brownawell@sunysb.edu

    2009-03-15

    Microbial degradation rates were measured for 19 pharmaceuticals in estuarine and coastal surface water samples. Antipyrine, carbamazepine, cotinine, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim were the most refractory (half-lives, t{sub 1/2} = 35 to >100 days), making them excellent candidates for wastewater tracers. Nicotine, acetaminophen, and fluoxetine were labile across all treatments (t{sub 1/2} = 0.68-11 days). Caffeine, diltiazem, and nifedipine were also and relatively labile in all but one of the treatments (t{sub 1/2} = 3.5-13 days). Microbial degradation of caffeine was further confirmed by production {sup 14}CO{sub 2}. The fastest decay of non-refractory compounds was always observed in more sewage-affected Jamaica Bay waters. Degradation rates for the majority of these pharmaceuticals are much slower than reported rates for small biomolecules, such as glucose and amino acids. Batch sorption experiments indicate that removal of these soluble pharmaceuticals from the water column to sediments is a relatively insignificant removal process in these receiving waters. - Microbial degradation rates were measured for 19 structurally variable pharmaceuticals in wastewater-impacted estuarine and coastal seawater.

  4. Microbial degradation of pharmaceuticals in estuarine and coastal seawater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benotti, Mark J.; Brownawell, Bruce J.

    2009-01-01

    Microbial degradation rates were measured for 19 pharmaceuticals in estuarine and coastal surface water samples. Antipyrine, carbamazepine, cotinine, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim were the most refractory (half-lives, t 1/2 = 35 to >100 days), making them excellent candidates for wastewater tracers. Nicotine, acetaminophen, and fluoxetine were labile across all treatments (t 1/2 = 0.68-11 days). Caffeine, diltiazem, and nifedipine were also and relatively labile in all but one of the treatments (t 1/2 = 3.5-13 days). Microbial degradation of caffeine was further confirmed by production 14 CO 2 . The fastest decay of non-refractory compounds was always observed in more sewage-affected Jamaica Bay waters. Degradation rates for the majority of these pharmaceuticals are much slower than reported rates for small biomolecules, such as glucose and amino acids. Batch sorption experiments indicate that removal of these soluble pharmaceuticals from the water column to sediments is a relatively insignificant removal process in these receiving waters. - Microbial degradation rates were measured for 19 structurally variable pharmaceuticals in wastewater-impacted estuarine and coastal seawater

  5. Current Status of Regulatory Science Education in Faculties of Pharmaceutical Science in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tohkin, Masahiro

    2017-01-01

    I introduce the current pharmaceutical education system in Japan, focusing on regulatory science. University schools or faculties of pharmaceutical science in Japan offer two courses: a six-year course for pharmacists and a four-year course for scientists and technicians. Students in the six-year pharmaceutical course receive training in hospitals and pharmacies during their fifth year, and those in the four-year life science course start research activities during their third year. The current model core curriculum for pharmaceutical education requires them to "explain the necessity and significance of regulatory science" as a specific behavior object. This means that pharmacists should understand the significance of "regulatory science", which will lead to the proper use of pharmaceuticals in clinical practice. Most regulatory science laboratories are in the university schools or faculties of pharmaceutical sciences; however, there are too few to conduct regulatory science education. There are many problems in regulatory science education, and I hope that those problems will be resolved not only by university-based regulatory science researchers but also by those from the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory authorities.

  6. Five un-easy pieces of pharmaceutical policy reform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodwin, Marc A

    2013-01-01

    Improper dependencies slant policy over a drug's life span, biasing the development of new drugs, the testing and marketing approval for new drugs, and the monitoring of patient safety after drugs are marketed. This article examines five ways in which the public improperly depends on pharmaceutical firms that compromise the integrity of pharmaceutical policy. Today the public relies on pharmaceutical firms: (1) to set priorities on drug research and development; (2) to conduct clinical trials to test whether drugs are safe and effective; (3) to decide what clinical trial data to disclose to the public; (4) to monitor post marketing drug safety; (5) to supply product information to physicians and to finance continuing medical education and other professional activities. The article suggests options to overcome each of these dependencies. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  7. Radiopharmaceuticals using radioactive compounds in pharmaceutics and medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Theobald, A.

    1989-01-01

    This review of the latest techniques and developments indicates the importance of radiopharmaceutical techniques in the development of drug compounds. It presents practical demonstrations, offers practical exercises, as well as the underlying theoretical considerations: it will supplement existing (mostly American) texts in this subject, since most industrial pharmaceutical companies have a keen interest in the area and most pharmaceutical courses include the subject at degree level. The authors emphasize the pharmaceutical applications throughout. They review targeting aspects, including cell and protein labelling: and discuss radiotracers in testing dosage forms and formulation studies. Safety and legislation are considered, with reviews of the handling techniques, radiation monitoring, radiochromatography and the use of computer techniques. The latter part of the work discusses standards for radiopharmaceuticals, sterility and pyrogen testing, as well as both radiochromatographic and electrophoretic methods and their importance to quality control. (author)

  8. Raman spectroscopy in pharmaceutical product design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paudel, Amrit; Raijada, Dhara; Rantanen, Jukka

    2015-01-01

    Almost 100 years after the discovery of the Raman scattering phenomenon, related analytical techniques have emerged as important tools in biomedical sciences. Raman spectroscopy and microscopy are frontier, non-invasive analytical techniques amenable for diverse biomedical areas, ranging from...... molecular-based drug discovery, design of innovative drug delivery systems and quality control of finished products. This review presents concise accounts of various conventional and emerging Raman instrumentations including associated hyphenated tools of pharmaceutical interest. Moreover, relevant...... application cases of Raman spectroscopy in early and late phase pharmaceutical development, process analysis and micro-structural analysis of drug delivery systems are introduced. Finally, potential areas of future advancement and application of Raman spectroscopic techniques are discussed....

  9. Ranking of pharmaceuticals detected in the environment: aggregation and weighting procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voigt, Kristina; Brüggemann, Rainer

    2008-12-01

    Pharmaceuticals are omnipresent in waste-water world-wide. Research has shown that many pharmaceuticals are not completely removed during wastewater treatment, and as a result, this has led to their occurrence being reported in waste water treatment plant effluents, rivers and lakes, and more rarely in groundwater and in drinking water. Hence, it is only logical that pharmaceutical residues in the environment and their potential toxic effects have been recognized as one of the emerging research areas in environmental chemistry. A lack of data, especially ecotoxicological and fate data on pharmaceuticals, is evident. The extent to which data are missing should therefore be looked upon in more detail in order to trigger further political steps in performing studies concerning the risk assessment of pharmaceuticals in the environment. In this investigation, we evaluate the data-availability of 16 pharmaceuticals in 17 Internet databases which means we examine a 16 (objects) x 17 (attributes) data-matrix. The consideration of the chosen pharmaceutical in databases is coded 0 = not available, or 1 = available. For the evaluation of the data-matrix, we apply the multi-criteria decision method named METEOR (Method of Evaluation by Order Theory). In contrast to conventional multi-criteria decision aids, like the well-known PROMETHEE, AHP, SMART, ORESTE as well as different versions of ELECTRE, we support the basic consideration of environmetrics: let first the data speak and let us then include subjective preferences in order to get a unique decision. The basis of METEOR is a data-matrix in which the objects are characterized by a set of attributes (indicators). By means of the attributes, a partial order is derived. In the subsequent steps, attributes are aggregated by a weighting procedure, allowing a high degree of involvement of experts, stakeholders and other participants. All conducted approaches show that the data-situation on the chosen test-set of 16 well

  10. Proceed to the innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The case of Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aída Salazar García

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This article explores sectors identified innovation in Spanish pharmaceutical companies. It also considers domestic firms and foreign subsidiaries in the country. The analysis covers the period 2009 to 2011 for a population N=200 affiliates at that time Farmaindustria and Plan Profarma. The work involved a search of useful information on the websites of pharmaceutical companies based in Spain statically describes the innovative profile of the Spanish pharmaceutical through descriptive statistical analysis. Thus a foundation for documenting the results in a database in order to get a picture with determination on the behavior of Spanish pharmaceutical sector and possible trends is created.The high content of literary contribution on the pharmaceutical sector is expressed in a globalized national and international level, rejecting data and information that could provide signals threat or opportunity regarding short period time, and which in turn are comparable to other years since the Spanish pharmaceutical industry is constituted by companies of foreign origin (50.5% and domestic capital (49.5%. Of the latter SMEs are the protagonists of small innovations established in Madrid and Barcelona mainly.

  11. The accumulation and management of pharmaceutical waste in the community pharmacy

    OpenAIRE

    Latožienė, Rima

    2017-01-01

    The Accumulation and Management of Pharmaceutical Waste in the Community Pharmacy Authors: students Diana Patašienė and Rima Latožienė, pharmacy master program at Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Pharmacology. Work Leader: Dr. Kristina Garuolienė. The aim of the study: to determine pharmaceutical waste formation causes and to assess pharmaceutical waste management problems at community pharmacies. Materials and methods: The study was condu...

  12. Risk-based prioritization of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment in Iraq.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khazrajy, Omar S A; Boxall, Alistair B A

    2016-08-01

    Numerous studies have demonstrated the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment, raising concerns about their impact on non-target organisms or human health. One region where little is known about the exposure and effects of pharmaceuticals in the environment is Iraq. Due to the high number of pharmaceuticals used by the public health sector in Iraq (hospitals and care centres) and distributed over the counter, there is a need for a systematic approach for identifying substances that should be monitored in the environment in Iraq and assessed in terms of environmental risk. In this study, a risk-based prioritization approach was applied to 99 of the most dispensed pharmaceuticals in three Iraqi cities, Baghdad, Mosul and Basrah. Initially, information on the amounts of pharmaceuticals used in Iraq was obtained. The top used medicines were found to be paracetamol, amoxicillin and metformin with total annual consumption exceeding 1000 tonnes per year. Predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) and predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs), derived from ecotoxicological end-points and effects related to the therapeutic mode of action, were then used to rank the pharmaceuticals in terms of risks to different environmental compartments. Active pharmaceutical ingredients used as antibiotics, antidepressants and analgesics were identified as the highest priority in surface water, sediment and the terrestrial environment. Antibiotics were also prioritized according to their susceptibility to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria or to accelerate the evolution and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant genes in water. Future work will focus on understanding the occurrence, fate and effects of some of highly prioritized substances in the environment.

  13. Transparency in Nigeria's public pharmaceutical sector: perceptions from policy makers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kohler Jillian C

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pharmaceuticals are an integral component of health care systems worldwide, thus, regulatory weaknesses in governance of the pharmaceutical system negatively impact health outcomes especially in developing countries 1. Nigeria is one of a number of countries whose pharmaceutical system has been impacted by corruption and has struggled to curtail the production and trafficking of substandard drugs. In 2001, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC underwent an organizational restructuring resulting in reforms to reduce counterfeit drugs and better regulate pharmaceuticals 2. Despite these changes, there is still room for improvement. This study assessed the perceived level of transparency and potential vulnerability to corruption that exists in four essential areas of Nigeria's pharmaceutical sector: registration, procurement, inspection (divided into inspection of ports and of establishments, and distribution. Methods Standardized questionnaires were adapted from the World Health Organization assessment tool and used in semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in the public and private pharmaceutical system. The responses to the questions were tallied and converted to scores on a numerical scale where lower scores suggested greater vulnerability to corruption and higher scores suggested lower vulnerability. Results The overall score for Nigeria's pharmaceutical system was 7.4 out of 10, indicating a system that is marginally vulnerable to corruption. The weakest links were the areas of drug registration and inspection of ports. Analysis of the qualitative results revealed that the perceived level of corruption did not always match the qualitative evidence. Conclusion Despite the many reported reforms instituted by NAFDAC, the study findings suggest that facets of the pharmaceutical system in Nigeria remain fairly vulnerable to corruption. The most glaring deficiency seems to be the

  14. Transparency in Nigeria's public pharmaceutical sector: perceptions from policy makers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garuba, Habibat A; Kohler, Jillian C; Huisman, Anna M

    2009-10-29

    Pharmaceuticals are an integral component of health care systems worldwide, thus, regulatory weaknesses in governance of the pharmaceutical system negatively impact health outcomes especially in developing countries 1. Nigeria is one of a number of countries whose pharmaceutical system has been impacted by corruption and has struggled to curtail the production and trafficking of substandard drugs. In 2001, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) underwent an organizational restructuring resulting in reforms to reduce counterfeit drugs and better regulate pharmaceuticals 2. Despite these changes, there is still room for improvement. This study assessed the perceived level of transparency and potential vulnerability to corruption that exists in four essential areas of Nigeria's pharmaceutical sector: registration, procurement, inspection (divided into inspection of ports and of establishments), and distribution. Standardized questionnaires were adapted from the World Health Organization assessment tool and used in semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in the public and private pharmaceutical system. The responses to the questions were tallied and converted to scores on a numerical scale where lower scores suggested greater vulnerability to corruption and higher scores suggested lower vulnerability. The overall score for Nigeria's pharmaceutical system was 7.4 out of 10, indicating a system that is marginally vulnerable to corruption. The weakest links were the areas of drug registration and inspection of ports. Analysis of the qualitative results revealed that the perceived level of corruption did not always match the qualitative evidence. Despite the many reported reforms instituted by NAFDAC, the study findings suggest that facets of the pharmaceutical system in Nigeria remain fairly vulnerable to corruption. The most glaring deficiency seems to be the absence of conflict of interest guidelines which, if present and

  15. Pharmacy specialists' attitudes toward pharmaceutical service quality at community pharmacies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbonas, Gvidas; Jakušovaitė, Irayda; Savickas, Arūnas

    2010-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to analyze pharmacy specialists' attitudes toward the quality of pharmaceutical services at Lithuanian community pharmacies. Between April and June 2009, a total of 471 Lithuanian community pharmacy specialists completed a questionnaire designed to evaluate their attitudes toward the quality of pharmaceutical services at community pharmacies. The main dimensions of pharmaceutical service quality were extracted by principal component analysis. Two main dimensions of pharmaceutical service quality were extracted: pharmacotherapeutic aspects (provision of information about drug therapy, possible side effects, health promotion, the amount of time spent with a patient, and the ascertainment that a patient understood the provided information) and socioeconomic aspects (considering patient's needs and financial capabilities, making a patient confident with the services provided). Pharmacy specialists evaluated the quality of both dimensions positively, but the quality of the first dimension was rated significantly worse than that of the second dimension. The attitudes of pharmacy specialists working at independent pharmacies were more positive toward pharmacotherapeutic aspects as compared to the specialists working at chain or state pharmacies. Pharmacotherapeutic aspects were rated better by pharmacy specialists, aged ≥ 55 years, than those younger than 45 years. Moreover, the attitudes of 45-54-year-old pharmacy specialists toward the socioeconomic aspects were more positive as compared with those of 35-44-year olds. Pharmacists rated the socioeconomic aspects of pharmaceutical service quality worse as compared with pharmacy technicians. The attitudes of pharmacy specialists working at pharmacies with 6-9 specialists were more negative toward pharmacotherapeutic aspects than those of the pharmacies with 1-2 specialists. Pharmacy specialists working at pharmacies with ≥ 10 specialists reported lower scores of socioeconomic

  16. Probing Pharmaceutical Mixtures during Milling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walker, Greg; Römann, Philipp; Poller, Bettina

    2017-01-01

    interpret the spectral changes. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of low-frequency Raman spectroscopy, which has several practical advantages over XRPD, for probing (dis-)order during pharmaceutical processing, showcasing its potential for future development, and implementation as an in...

  17. UV imaging in pharmaceutical analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Jesper

    2018-01-01

    UV imaging provides spatially and temporally resolved absorbance measurements, which are highly useful in pharmaceutical analysis. Commercial UV imaging instrumentation was originally developed as a detector for separation sciences, but the main use is in the area of in vitro dissolution...

  18. [Access to drugs and the situation of the pharmaceutical market in Ecuador].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Galarza, Claudio; León, Fernando Cornejo; Ponce, Jorge

    2014-07-01

    In the area of public health, it is fundamental to understand the structure and dynamics of the Ecuadorian pharmaceutical market, its segmentation between the public and private sectors, and its relationship with supply and demand, both for generic and brand-name drugs. To achieve this, an observational descriptive study was conducted with information obtained from the available scientific, institutional, technical-administrative, and economic databases. Furthermore, the scientific information concerning the Ecuadorian and regional pharmaceutical market was reviewed through the PubMed and Ovid search engines. In Ecuador, 69.6% of dispensed drugs are brand-name and 30.4% are generics. Of all registered drugs in the country, 1,829 (13.6%) are considered over-the-counter and 11,622 (86.4%) are for sale under medical prescription. In terms of sales, 93.15% correspond to brand-name drugs and only 6.85% to generics. Ninety percent of the pharmacies are located in urban areas and only 10% in rural areas. In the last five years, prices have increased by 12.5% for brand-name drugs and 0.86% for generics. Brand-name drugs are dispensed and consumed 2.3 times more than generics. The majority of pharmacies are located in urban areas, showing that there is a relationship between purchasing power and access to drugs. Although the regulatory authority stipulates that 13% of drugs should be over-the-counter, approximately 60% of the population acquires drugs without a medical prescription.

  19. Studies of beneficial interactions between active medicaments and excipients in pharmaceutical formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalinkova, G N

    1999-09-30

    A review of "up to date" research findings leading to new concepts of the pharmaceutical formulations and their interactions has been presented. The rational approaches to the excipients choice as well as to their interactions with medicaments have been shown as a basis for modern modelling of pharmaceutical formulations. The importance of complexation, hydrogen bonding, ion-dipole, dipole-dipole and van der Waals attractions as the tools which can modify the physicochemical, pharmacological or pharmacokinetical behaviour of the medicaments has been emphasised. In vivo studies (carried out in healthy human subjects-volunteers, in beagle dogs, in rats etc.) and in vitro studies (on excised human skin, hairless mouse skin etc.) as well as studies of chemical stability and bioavailability serve also as a proof of these interactions. Therefore, excipients are important components of pharmaceutical formulations and they can take an active part in the improvement of the characteristics of formulations (but they may also reduce the effectiveness of some preparations). In this context, the so called active and inactive ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations are inexact, old and "out-of date". Their further use is only conventional. In conclusion, among the various modern techniques applied the combination of infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction has been estimated as the most successful in proving the interactions between drugs and excipients. Finally, pharmaceutical formulations and their interactions have constituted a diverse and rapidly expanding field of Pharmacy (Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmaceutical Industry and Pharmaceutical Sciences) which covers a wide range of numerical topics within an unified framework.

  20. Challenges in Translational Development of Pharmaceutical Cocrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kale, Dnyaneshwar P; Zode, Sandeep S; Bansal, Arvind K

    2017-02-01

    The last 2 decades have witnessed increased research in the area of cocrystals resulting in deeper scientific understanding, increase in intellectual property landscape, and evolution in the regulatory environment. Pharmaceutical cocrystals have received significant attention as a new solid form on account of their ability to modulate poor physicochemical properties of drug molecules. However, pharmaceutical development of cocrystals could be challenging, thus limiting their translation into viable drug products. In the present commentary, the role of cocrystals in the modulation of material properties and challenges involved in the pharmaceutical development of cocrystals have been discussed. The major hurdles encountered in the development of cocrystals such as safety of coformers, unpredictable performance during dissolution and solubility in different media, difficulties in establishing in vitro-in vivo correlation, and polymorphism have been extensively discussed. The influence of selecting appropriate formulation and process design on these challenges has been discussed. Finally, a brief outline of cocrystals that are undergoing clinical development has also been presented. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.