Healthcare Matters

Birth control for everyone?

Sperm gene discovery may lead to male birth control, scientists say

(CBS News) A male birth control pill might not be so far-fetched, now that Scottish scientists have uncovered a key gene essential for sperm development. The gene – called Katnal1 – is critical for sperm production because it enables sperm to mature in the testes. Thus, if scientists can somehow regulate this gene with a pill, sperm production will be stalled…

Take with caution…

Calcium pills pose ‘heart risk’

People who take calcium supplements could be increasing their risk of having a heart attack, according to researchers in Germany. Calcium is often taken by older people to strengthen bones and prevent fractures. But the study, published in the journal Heart, said the supplements “should be taken with caution”. Experts say promoting a balanced diet including calcium would be a better strategy…

They approved it!

Senate Easily Approves Bill on Drug Reviews

The Senate voted Thursday to expand the number of drug companies that must pay the Food and Drug Administration to review new products and gave the agency new powers to regulate drug supplies. The renewal of an existing law would require drug and medical device companies to pay about $6 billion over five years to help cover the agency’s cost of reviewing their products. The 96-1 Senate vote marked a rare bipartisan agreement, with only Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) voting against the renewal. Mr. Sanders said the bill does too little to lower the cost of drugs for ordinary Americans…

Spend Matters

Friday Rant: A Transformative Week and a New Procurement Voice

This has been the most transformative week in procurement from a sector provider and sector criticism/insight perspective in memory. On the one hand, SAP announced its acquisition bid for Ariba, a transaction that if it goes through, will truly create the gorilla of the market (but that will leave figurative ripe fruit on the higher branches for a new species of nimble primate to pick and munch — out of the reach of the king of the metaphorical spend apes). And on the other, Mickey North Rizza left Gartner to join BravoSolution at the same time Spend Matters launched Spend Matters PRO (in beta, but at least it’s live). And no — if you must ask — the latter two had nothing to do with each other from a timing standpoint…

Spend Matters UK/Europe

Supplier feedback letters – what would you like to say?

We’re quite self-critical here, and critical of the procurement profession when it deserves it, but sometimes, it is the supply side who screw up. Here’s the first in a new series – open to readers to submit your examples if you’d like to get something off your chest. So… what would you have liked to say to suppliers in their feedback letters / conversations after they didn’t win your contract – but you couldn’t because it would have been too offensive, honest or damaging to your future relationship?  I’ll kick things off, but we’re hoping to get some different contributions here…