For the second time in three weeks I'm at a flu vaccine manufacturing plant today. Construction isn't finished on the Novartis site yet, but nonetheless they're doing the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony here in Holly Springs, NC this afternoon. Read More
In what appears to be a bet consumers will stick with discount retailers even after the economy rebounds, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway increased its Wal-Mart holdings by almost 90 percent during the summer. It added almost 18 million shares, currently worth almost $1 billion, in the third quarter. Read More
When I went to the FDA's Web site today I was surprised to see on the homepage a link to a letter written by Commissioner Dr. Peggy Hamburg. It's addressed to "Dear Healthcare Professional" aka a "Dear Doctor letter." That's a common type of communication from the agency and/or companies to the medical community, usually when they've got bad news to pass along about a drug or device. It's pretty rare for the commish to write one. Read More
Stacy and Clinton definitely had nothing to do with it, but Sanofi-Pasteur (the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis) greets visitors with a "What Not To Wear" brochure. Read More
GlaxoSmithKline is one of the handful of drug companies on the front lines of the fight against the flu. In fact, it is the only company that has products on both sides. GSK makes a vaccine and an antiviral. In the third quarter, GSK today reported that it sold nearly $300 million worth of the inhalable flu-fighter Relenza. That’s a more than 10-fold increase from a year ago. And CEO Andrew Witty reportedly forecast around $1.6 billion worth of flu shot sales in the fourth quarter. Read More
Notes from the front lines of the battle against H1N1. So, I've spent part of yesterday and most of today at the University of Kansas Hospital covering the first H1N1 flu shots being administered. Read More