An inter─ministerial committee formed by the Union health ministry has recommended amendments to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and regulations on nutraceuticals and health supplements, to shift regulation of

Finding regulatory violations in two private hospitals operating in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the Telangana drugs control administration (DCA) has issued advisories to all the private hospitals in the state mandating strict obtainment of NDPS licence (NDPS Form II) from the DCA to purchase and sell NDPS drugs.

The centrally sponsored scheme for strengthening of medical devices industry (SMDI), launched by the Central government last week, was widely welcomed by the medical devices industry in the country.

The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), under the Quality Council of India (QCI), has announced a collaborative effort with Man─Made Textile Research Association (MANTRA) in Surat to deliver a specialized technical training programme on medical textiles testing.

In this episode you can hear Olivia Friett, editor of Medical Plastics News talk to Erik Haines, managing director at Guidepoint Qsight where we will discuss Qsight Prospector, a data-driven sales intelligence programme.

Asahi Kasei Medical has launched the Planova FG1, a next-generation virus removal filter featuring higher flux for the manufacture of biotherapeutics, in October 2024.

Nvision Biomedical Technologies and Invibio Biomaterial Solutions have announced that the FDA has granted clearance of the first 3D-Printed PEEK Interbody System made from PEEK-OPTIMA.

Placon, an innovator in the medical packaging market, announced the release of a new stock line of BargerGard TPU pouches and tip protectors.

Robert Musselle, customer engineering manager EMEA at Protolabs shares what you need to consider with 3D printing and plastics prototyping.

TekniPlex Healthcare is set to unveil its strongest-ever reinforced paper for medical device packaging applications at Pack Expo 2024, 3-6 November in Chicago.

PolyNovo UK – a UK medical devices company specialising in the development of surgical solutions using the patented polymer technology NovoSorb will be exhibiting at MEDICA 2024.

Schultz Medical, a single use instrument company based in Southport, Merseyside have announced they will be exhibiting at MEDICA 2024 in Germany and on the UK Pavilion in Hall 15 hosted by Medilink UK.

The Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) is excited to unveil a diverse delegation of UK HealthTech innovators at MEDICA 2024, one of the world's largest and most influential medical trade fairs.

Brightmark CEO Bob Powell discusses Plastics Renewal technology and how to bring sustainability into the medical industry.

Ampacet has introduced ProVital+ Gamma-Protect, a medical-grade additive designed to preserve mechanical and optical properties of polypropylene-based medical and pharmaceutical articles during gamma and e-beam sterilisation processes.

Accumold, with over 40 years of experience in micromoulding technology, is set to participate at Compamed, taking place in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 11-14 November. The company will highlight its small and complex parts for medical device OEMs.

Regulatory experts LFH Regulatory have announced their attendance at MEDICA 2024 to provide insights and support to healthcare innovators facing the complexities of the UK and EU markets.

Mike Hodgin, director of strategic applications, Meridian Electronics Division discusses enabling and protecting vital medical implants with epoxies.

Surgical Holdings, a British manufacturer and repairer of medical devices, will return to MEDICA 2024 for the third consecutive year, focused on strengthening its partnerships across Europe and expanding its reach in key markets.

Syensqo, previously part of Solvay Group and a global provider of advanced performance materials and chemical solutions, is making its debut at Compamed 2024.

Joe Anderson, product and promotional marketing manager at Harland, explores the role of surface preparation in the application of hydrophilic and hydrophobic coatings.

Dr Euan McBrearty, head of commerical & innovation, Wideblue shares five steps to successful medical device development.

Trelleborg Medical Solutions showcases its comprehensive polymer-based solutions and capabilities for the medical technology and biopharmaceutical industries at Compamed 2024 in Dusseldorf from November 11 to 14, at stand F02 in hall 8A.

Rob Pitts, sales manager at Tri-Tech 3D, UK provider of Stratasys 3D printing solutions, explores how additive manufacturing (AM) can help speed up surgical workflows and reduce costs by transforming anatomical modelling.

Scientific American staff and sleep experts share advice on how to get better sleep in the stressful days leading up to the U.S. presidential election—and those that come after

No, but the direction of our hair whorls could teach us about human development

When chemist Dora Richardson’s employer decided to terminate the breast cancer research on the drug Tamoxifen in the early 1970s, she and her colleagues continued the work in secret.

Torrential rain, made worse by climate change, has lashed Spain, with Valencia bearing the brunt of the floodwaters

The outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election could reshape policies from health care at home to nuclear proliferation abroad

A galaxy cluster bends light from seven background galaxies around it, letting astronomers peer into space and time

Thousands of homes in Navajo and other tribal lands don’t have access to electricity. A $200-million federal funding effort aims to fix that problem with solar power and other clean energy

Famous people who die at age 27, such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse, get even more famous because of the mythology surrounding that number—an example of how modern folklore emerges

President-elect Trump vowed to promote fossil fuels, weaken pollution regulations and reverse Biden administration climate efforts

It is difficult to disentangle Russian and Chinese scientists from international science cooperation. That is a good thing

A mysterious electromagnetic mechanism may be more important than the firing of neurons in our brain to explain our awareness

Outside groups often offer their solutions for climate adaptation in Africa. But the best people to manage the climate crisis are the people in those communities themselves. For climate adaptation to succeed in Africa, let communities and local leaders show the way

The new president-elect can go beyond just pulling out of the Paris Agreement. But it may be more difficult to roll back clean energy policies

The 3.2-million-year-old human ancestor known as Lucy rose to fame through an incredible combination of circumstances

Two years of experimentation taught a Nashville guitarist not every musical myth makes sense

Researchers at Rice University have developed a magnetoelectric material that converts a magnetic field into an electric field. The material can be formulated such that it can be injected into the body, near a neuron, and then an alternating magnetic field can be applied to the area from outside the body. Magnetic fields are very […]

Researchers at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University have developed a microfluidic chip that can recreate some of the features of radiation-induced lung injury. The lungs are very sensitive to radiation, and this can limit the application of radiotherapy to treat cancer. Accurately modeling radiation-induced lung injury could assist in developing new methods to prevent […]

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a robotic prosthetic ankle that can provide stability for lower limb amputees. The ankle uses electromyographic sensors placed on the sites of muscles in the residual limb that then convey the intentions of the wearer with regard to movement. So far, the system has been shown to […]

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed a magneto-responsive hydrogel wound dressing that also contains two different regenerative cell types. The hydrogel is also embedded with magnetic particles that can be stimulated using an external magnetic field. The action of the magnetic field on the gel-encapsulated particles causes mechanical stresses within the gel […]

Engineers at the University of British Columbia have collaborated with the Japanese automotive company Honda to develop an e-skin for robotic prostheses that allows such devices to sense their environment in significant detail. The soft skin is highly sensitive, letting robotic hands to perform tasks that require a significant degree of dexterity and tactile feedback, […]

Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed plant-based microrobots that are intended to pave the way for medical robots that can enter the body and perform tasks, such as obtaining a biopsy or performing a surgical procedure. The robots consist of a hydrogel material that is biocompatible and the composite contains cellulose […]

On October 8, 2024, Drug Channels Institute will release our 2024-25 Economic Report on Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Specialty Distributors. This report—our fifteenth edition—remains the most comprehensive, fact-based tool for understanding and analyzing the large and growing U.S. pharmaceutical distribution industry.

9 chapters, 350+ pages, 178 exhibits, 750+ endnotes: There is nothing else available that comes close to this valuable resource.

We are providing you with the opportunity to preorder this thoroughly updated, revised, and expanded 2024-25 edition at special discounted prices. This means that you can be among the first to access our new report. Those who preorder will receive a download link before October 8.

• Review pricing/license options and place a preorder

• Download a free pre-publication report overview (including key industry trends, What's New in this edition, the Table of Contents, and a List of Exhibits)

You can pay online with all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover) or via PayPal. Click here to contact us if you would like to pay by corporate check or ACH.

Special preorder and launch pricing discounts will be valid through October 23, 2024.

Read on for more details.
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Today’s guest post comes from Josh Marsh, Vice President and General Manager, Sonexus™ Access and Patient Support at Cardinal Health

Josh discusses challenges manufacturers may face when outsourcing patient support programs. He outlines a process that smoothly transitions hubs and minimizes disruptions for patients and healthcare providers.

To learn more, download the 3-step guide to patient hub transitions.

Read on for Josh’s insights.
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Today’s guest post comes from George Moore, Chief Information Technology Officer at CareMetx.

As George explains using novel survey data, manufacturers view new technologies  as crucial for patient services. He then explains how digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) can be used to improve patient adherence and increase hub efficiencies.

To learn more, download CareMetx’s new 2024 Patient Services Report: Revealing Manufacturer Priorities: Patients Naturally Take Center Stage.

Read on for George’s insights.
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This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while we put the finishing touches on DCI’s new 2024-25 Economic Report on Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Specialty Distributors.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released the redacted version of administrative complaint against the three largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The FTC rightly calls out how the gross-to-net bubble can raise patients’ out-of-pocket costs, while also acknowledging how rebates can reduce a plan's (but not the patient’s) costs. Apparently, the FTC believes that PBMs’ customers are pretty dumb, because PBMs are able to prevent plans from “appreciating” such healthcare financing dynamics.

Section V.E. of the complaint (starting on page 23) focuses on the PBMs’ alleged unlawful conduct related to preferring high-list/high-rebate insulin products over versions with lower list prices. I thought it would therefore be fun to take the Wayback Machine to November 2021, when I wrote about this specific topic.

Below, you can review my commentary about the warped incentives behind Viatris’ dual-pricing strategy for its interchangeable biosimilar of Lantus. Much of the FTC’s description of the drug channel aligns with my commentary. But before you fist pump too hard for Ms. Khan’s FTC, you should pause to reflect on the agency’s legal theories in light of plans’ revealed preferences.

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The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first interchangeable biosimilar insulin product: the insulin glargine-yfgn injection from Viatris. Read the FDA’s press release.

Alas, I’m sad to report that the warped incentives baked into the U.S. drug channel will limit the impact of this impressive breakthrough.

Viatris is being forced to launch both a high-priced and a low-priced version of the biosimilar. However, only the high-list/high-rebate, branded version will be available on Express Scripts’ largest commercial formulary. Express Scripts will block both the branded reference product and the lower-priced, unbranded—but also interchangeable—version. Meanwhile, Prime Therapeutics will place both versions on its formularies, leaving the choice up to its plan sponsor clients.

Consequently, many commercial payers will adopt the more expensive product instead of the identical—but cheaper—version. As usual, patients will be the ultimate victims of our current drug pricing system.

Below, I explain the weird economics behind this decision, highlight the negative impact on patients, and speculate on what this all could mean for biosimilars’ future. Until plan sponsors break their addiction to rebates, today’s U.S. drug channel problems will remain.
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This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while we put the finishing touches on DCI’s new 2024-25 Economic Report on Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Specialty Distributors.

Click here to see the original post from June 2024.

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The 340B contract pharmacy market shows little sign of slowing down. Drug Channels Institute’s exclusive analysis of the 2024 market reveals that:Read more »