Today starts a two-day FDA public hearing in Washington, DC on biopharma and social media. I decided not to go because talking heads in a meeting room just don't make for good TV. And this is just the first step in what is no doubt going to be a very long, involved policy-making process. But as it turns out, it looks like it might have been futile for me to try to attend anyway.    Read More

Recently, Merck came out with the first vaccine for shingles called Zostavax. But it had manufacturing and supply issues that hurt the launch. In its earnings press release today, Merck says as of last month it has "resumed normal shipping schedules for Zostavax."    Read More

I was wrong. I'd blogged a few times that I thought the FDA might have a problem with "Effient," Eli Lilly's proposed name for its bloodthinner, because it was too close to efficient and all the connotations that would have.    Read More

Perhaps reflecting concerns about the size and growth of the market for HPV shots and GSK's late entry, investors are not enthusiastic about the prestigious publication of the company's robust new test results. As I write this, GSK shares are the biggest percentage loser in big pharma.   Read More

Today the Food and Drug Administration announced that Pfizer's Chantix and GlaxoSmithKline's Zyban will carry new warnings about mental side effects. Not just any old warnings, but so-called "Black Box" warnings. Or, at least, that's what we in the news media used to call them. Until the FDA called us out today.    Read More

So tell me, who doesn't like to eat the chocolate chip cookie batter before it's baked? But some folks are learning the hard way that it's not a great idea. And Nestle is paying the price.   Read More