Generic Cost Cutting Gives Pharmaceutical Industry Big Headache
The president of IMS Health, France today said cost cutting in government health budgets and the expiry of patent protection hit the global pharmaceuticals industry hard last year and worse is to come. According to the IMS study, pharmaceutical firms are expected to see a similar dip in their revenues this year, before losing 24 billion dollars in 2008, and 25 billion in 2010 due to the loss of patent protection.

Generic Versions of Ambien Approved
The FDA said yesterday they have approved generic versions of Ambien, a blockbuster sleeping pill from Sanofi-Aventis. Fourteen manufacturers were cleared to make the generic versions. The drug has been linked to potential risks like driving while asleep and allergic reactions and the new generics will have to carry warnings on their product labels.