Thursday, October 30, 2003

Drug Prices Relative to National Income: Study
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "Manufacturers' prescription drug prices, which vary by country and have been criticized as too expensive in the United States, generally correspond to differences in each nation's income, according to a study released on Wednesday. Researchers compared prices drug makers charged to wholesalers for the 249 most frequently used drugs in the United States in 1999 with prices in eight other countries. Average prices were highest in Japan, while prices in other countries were between 6 percent and 33 percent less than those in the United States, the study found. Canada's prices were lowest..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Group: Ban the Anti-Depressant Serzone
AP story at Yahoo - "The antidepressant Serzone, about to be pulled off the market in Canada and long gone in Europe, should be banned in the United States because of cases of deadly liver failure, a consumer advocacy group told the government Wednesday. It's impossible to predict which patient will develop liver failure, an unacceptable risk considering Serzone works no better than older antidepressants that don't come with that side effect, Dr. Sidney Wolfe of Public Citizen told the Food and Drug Administration..."