Generics

WASHINGTON — A group of medical associations on Wednesday denounced the government's decision to maintain the status quo with regard to the prescription status of the emergency contraceptive Plan B.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — New legislation proposed in the Senate would strengthen penalties against people who traffic in counterfeit medications.

Introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., S. 1886, the Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011, would harshen laws against producing, buying or selling counterfeit drugs. The bill has received support from the chain retail pharmacy lobby.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Healthcare Distribution Management Association on Tuesday honored Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., with its Rx Safety and Healthcare Leadership Award. The award recognizes public officials for their leadership and commitment to public policies that support and promote the safe and efficient delivery of medicines.

BOSTON — Women who work a rotating schedule that includes three or more night shifts per month, in addition to day and evening working hours in that month, may have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes when compared with women who only work days or evenings, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard's School of Public Health that was released Tuesday.

In addition, the researchers found that extended years of rotating night shift work was associated with weight gain, which may contribute to the increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.

NEW YORK — A drug made by Pfizer appears to work in treating symptoms of overactive bladder in elderly patients, according to results of a clinical trial released Monday.

Pfizer said that results of study A0221049 of the drug Toviaz (fesoterodine fumarate) worked better than placebo in reducing the number of urgency urinary incontinence episodes. The 12-week study enrolled 562 elderly people in the United States. The drug already has Food and Drug Administration approval for treating overactive bladder.

HAIFA BAY, Israel — Israel's Taro Pharmaceutical Industries has formed a special committee to review an offer by India's Sun Pharmaceutical Industries for all of the shares of Taro that it doesn't already own, Taro said.

Sun offered Taro $24.50 per share on Oct. 18. Sun has sought to acquire Taro since 2008.

Taro reported a 14.2% increase in sales in second quarter 2011 over second quarter 2010, while profits increased by $19.3 million during the same period.

MINNETONKA, Minn. — United Health Foundation’s "2011 America’s Heath Rankings," released Tuesday, found that increases in obesity, diabetes and children in poverty are offsetting improvements in smoking cessation, preventable hospitalizations and cardiovascular deaths. According to the report, the country’s overall health did not improve between 2010 and 2011 — a drop from the 0.5% average annual rate of improvement between 2000 and 2010, and the 1.6% average annual rate of improvement seen in the 1990s.

CINCINNATI — Generic drug maker Prasco Labs has named Christopher Arington its vice chairman and CEO.

In addition to Arington's promotion, David Vucurevich was promoted to president and COO, David Furniss was named CFO and Chris Gilmore was appointed VP strategic business ventures.

The moves were announced by Prasco chairman E. Thomas Arington.

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