> Whistleblower Cheryl Eckard tells 60 Minutes what she saw in 2002 at GlaxoSmithKline's Cidra, Puerto Rico, plant that led the drug giant to a guilty plea and $750 million settlement for distributing adulterated drugs. GSK says it regrets the Cidra manufacturing issues. Article | 13-minute Video | GSK response
> Five workers are reported dead and eight others injured, some with serious burns, in an explosion at the Quanxin Pharmaceutical plant in southwest China. Article
> A financial analyst expects the trend of increasing prices on key biotech drugs that began last year to continue in 2011, despite healthcare reform. Story
> The FDA has become a member of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and the Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation Scheme (PIC/S). Item
> The European Medicines Agency anticipates similar workloads for drug applications and practically no increases to its budget for that work program in 2011. Report
> Particle contamination has driven another product recall: six lots of injectable acetylcysteine (Acetadote) manufactured by Cumberland Pharmaceuticals. Cumberland release
> Hong Kong is launching a name-and-shame campaign against retailers caught selling counterfeit medicines. Article
> Elder Pharmaceuticals says it has received approval from the Japan health ministry for its manufacturing facility in the West Indian state of Maharashtra. Report