New GS1 Healthcare US Success Story: EMD Serono

GS1 Healthcare US has posted a new success story,  

Emerging Markets to Encounter Perfect Storm Driven by Global Pharma Interests?

This morning, The Financial Express is running a front page story entitled ‘Generics Gateway ,’  

FDA Launches New ‘Safe Use Initiative’ to Reduce Medication Errors

I go to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website almost every day to glimpse their recent news releases. That’s because sometimes their announcements don’t seem to get much pick up in the usual places. Yesterday they issued this news release. The headline is: FDA Unveils Safe Use Initiative that Targets Preventable Harm from Medication [...]

In Emerging Markets, Big Pharma Pursuing ‘Branded Generics’ Strategy — Still Means GS1 Barcodes On Market Compliant Labels

In this article, entitled “Major pharmaceutical companies see generics as a bridge to the future,” writer Clay Boswell first provides a review of all the major acquisitions, mergers and joint marketing agreements by large pharmaceutical companies over the past couple of years.  

Pharmacists’ Professional Society Offers Barcode Problem Reporting Center

If you’re not familiar with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) — and especially if you are a pharmacist — you may want to check them out.

Drugs with ‘Made in India’ Label In Nigeria May Have Come from China

Okay, we continue to see bad actors in the supply chain and they continue to be . . .

Emerging Market Strategy Drives Sanofi’s Purchase of Controlling Interest in Shantha Biotechnics

Sanofi, the major pharmaceutical company based in France, has purchased a controlling interest in Shantha Biotechnics, a vaccines company based in India.

Findings of EU Pharma Traceability Pilot Published

We’ve covered this topic earlier but today’s news is that pilot organizers and participants have published their findings, recommendations and conclusions in the project’s Evaluation Report. The news release about this is here. A link to the complete recommendations document is here. The bottom line is: The project team found that full supply chain traceability systems [...]

Global GS1 Healthcare Conference News Items

For your convenience in keeping up with some of the things that made news at the recent Global GS1 Healthcare Conference

Pfizer Updates An Emerging Market Strategy; Explains Why

Everybody has their reasons for embracing, or shunning, an emerging market strategy. But if you want to know what ‘the world’s leading drug maker’ is thinking about emerging markets, and their reasons for thinking it, you’ll check out this very brief bulletin today in FinancierWorldwide featuring Jean-Michel Halfon, who runs Pfizer’s emerging market unit.

GS1 Healthcare US Director Featured in Update on Status of Drug Tracking

Writing for Modern Medicine, contributing editor Christine Blank filed a story late last week carrying the headline, “Pharma industry expands electronic tracking of drugs.”  

Pharmatech Exec on GS1 RFID: “…our industry has not discussed adopting these standards…”

In an article entitled Security and RFID’s Place in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, author Bikash Chatterjee, who is President and CTO of Pharmatech

Emerging Markets Webcast Wednesday by Pfizer Open to the Public

If you’ve been reading glowing emerging market forecasts here but haven’t been convinced it applies to you, especially if you’re in the healthcare products business in general and pharmaceuticals in particular, we have another third party for you: maybe this upcoming webcast from Pfizer will change your mind?

GS1 UK Pharma Track and Trace Pilot a Sign of Counterfeiting Trends?

Counterfeit drug seizures throughout the European Union (EU) increased 500% in 2005, which is apparently the last year for which there are contemporary figures. This story in PharmTech 

Pharmaceutical Market Share Opportunity Emerging in China

We at Loftware have no affiliation or vested interest in Decision Resources. But if you’re in the healthcare field and don’t already know about their syndicated report series for high-growth emerging markets

GS1 Director in Free Webcast on Drug Manufacturing Tech & Corporate Strategy March 12th

In this March 12 webcast,

Is Supreme Court Wyeth Ruling On Labeling a Victory for Consumers?

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6 to 3 decision, upheld a judgement of $6.7 million in damages awarded to a Vermont woman in a case against the pharmaceutical company Wyeth. You can find hundreds

GS1 Labeling UK Pilot, Funded by EU, Validates Pharma Track and Trace

Dave Bailey, writing for computing.co.uk, provides a brief report on the outcome of a pilot program to test GS1 standards for their ability track and trace pharma