Healthcare Matters

Very scary situation.

Wash. uses emergency cash to curb whooping cough

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire opened an emergency fund Thursday to help contain a spreading whooping cough epidemic, and officials urged residents to get vaccinated against an illness that particularly threatens infants. Gregoire is making $90,000 in crisis cash available to help strengthen a public awareness campaign about the need for the pertussis vaccination. The state Department of Health is already looking to spend about $200,000 on the effort…

A little news on Pfizer…

Pfizer’s Lyrica Fails In Inadequately Treated PDPN; Trial For New Use Halted

(RTTNews.com) – Pfizer Inc. (PFE) said Friday a late stage study of its neuropathic pain drug Lyrica failed to meet its primary point in patients with inadequately treated painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or pDPN – a form of nerve damage mainly characterized by pain in the feet. Pfizer said the drug failed to demonstrate statistical significance when compared with placebo. The Phase 3B study dubbed A0081242 is a randomized withdrawal efficacy and safety trial of Lyrica (pregabalin) in patients with inadequately treated pDPN…

Is it worth taking?

FDA notes cancer cases linked to Regeneron gout drug

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ ($REGN) Arcalyst heads to an FDA panel next week as a new treatment for gout flare-ups after a mixed review of the drug in FDA staff documents released Friday. The drug developer is seeking an expanded approval of the drug, previously OK’d for combating rare genetic auto-inflammatory conditions, for use in certain patients with the much more common ailment…

From Spend Matters

The AmazonSupply Customer Experience: First Fulfillment Impressions with MRO and Metals

Earlier this week, we had the chance to speak with a friend who placed an order on the Amazon site for a range of MRO and metals items. His impression was positive (but mixed). In short, industrial distributors focused on standard MRO items where value-added services (JIT, VMI, etc.) are not required should really pay close to attention to what Amazon is up to. We predicted this last week. The MRO orders placed on AmazonSupply arrived in the time specified. Moreover, our colleague received an advanced ship notice (ASN) within the first 24 hours of their order. The items that arrived (janitorial suppliers, degreasers, etc.) came perfectly, picked, packed and shipped like an Amazon consumer item. In fact, they came in the familiar Amazon box and arrived as promised with no surprises…

From Spend Matters UK

A critical weekend for the future of Europe

At some stage in the future, we may look back on this weekend as a turning point for the Euro, or even the whole direction of Europe and the integrated Europe ideal. The Presidential election in France is the biggest event, but there is also the vital general election in Greece, local elections in Italy which will test the climate faced by the caretaker Prime Minster, Mario Monti, and a key regional election in Schleswig-Holstein which could weaken Angela Merkel’s position in Germany…