> As makers of medical devices like artificial knees and heart stents increasingly pitch their products directly to consumers, some lawmakers, medical groups and others are calling for restrictions on such advertisements, claiming they mislead patients. Report
> The pharmaceutical industry and U.S. law enforcers say they are increasingly worried about online pill pirates, but they are rarely successful in shutting them down. Report
> India may lobby US officials if the FDA ban on Ranbaxy meds and ingredients is not revoked following corrective actions taken by the generic drugmaker. Report
> A new coalition of 22 major medical groups says public confidence in vaccine safety needs to be restored to avoid risks for deadly disease outbreaks. Report
> Mylan got the FDA nod for its copycat versions of Schwarz Pharma's Parkinsons' disease treatment Parcopa. Mylan Release
> The FDA is delaying approval of Roche's new rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra, saying that it wants to see more information on the therapy. The news swiftly hit the share price of Chugai, Roche's partner on the drug. Roche release
> Novartis is touting new data showing that a single jab of one of its flu vaccines induced a protective antibody response in patients who had already been vaccinated as much as six years earlier. Report
> SIGA Technologies is getting a $20 million shot in the arm from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to accelerate development of the smallpox antiviral ST-246. SIGA Release
> The Financial Times says that the credit crisis and other market woes have begun to cut off other sources of cash for biotech companies, leaving them more willing to accept lower offers from cash-rich pharma outfits. Report
> Maxygen is pocketing a $10 million upfront fee from Japan's Astellas for marketing rights to its Maxy-4 therapies--a preclinical program focused on developing a next-generation CTLA4-Ig protein for autoimmune diseases. Report
> A new vaccine that targets HER2-positive tumor cells was successful in eliminating tumors in laboratory animals. Report
Emerging Drug Developer: S*BIO
And Finally... Parents use fish oil for ADHD kids, but docs say it's a complement to drugs, not a replacement. Report