Merck's Gardasil nabs anal cancer indication; FDA reviews growth-hormone meds;

@FiercePharma: Two killed in Dr Reddy's plant accident. Article |  Follow @FiercePharma

> Gardasil, the vaccine that can prevent most cases of cervical cancer in girls, has won the FDA's blessing as a vaccine to prevent anal cancer, a rare but growing diagnosis in the U.S. News

> U.S. health officials are taking a closer look at recombinant human growth hormone products made by Pfizer, Novartis and other drugmakers to see whether they increase the risk of death. Item

> Novartis said the FDA approved Amturnide, a high blood pressure combination pill that includes Novartis' drug Tekturna. News

> Jazz Pharmaceuticals won a new patent for sleep-disorder treatment Xyrem, its marquee drug, as a narcolepsy solution. Report

> Cumberland Pharmaceuticals said FDA did not approve the use of its liver drug Acetadote for an additional indication, sending its shares down as much as 16 percent. Report

> The FDA announced that it is working with Abbott Diabetes Care to recall 359 different lots of glucose test strips. FDA release

> The U.K. National Health Service is cutting back on so-called "low priority" procedures and looking to increase generic prescribing in order to make major savings. Story

> The head of Italy's biggest pharma company has been asked to pay more than €3 billion ($3.9 billion) as part of a tax inquiry into his business, ANSA news agency reported. Article

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Vertex trims a telaprevir study from its slate of hep C work. News | Follow @FierceBiotech

> The R&D revolution-Phase II. Story

> Partnering takes on fresh urgency. Item

> The little IPO engines that usually couldn't. Report

> The (government) check is in the mail. Report

> The FDA gets tougher on safety. Article

Manufacturing News

> Recall-o-rama further dents pharma's image. News

> Brazen cargo thieves meet determined pharma. Story

> Pharma ops jobs enter long, dark tunnel. Story

> Emboldened FDA struts before pharma. Item

> Counterfeits fight heats up worldwide. Article

Vaccine News

> Anal cancer vax gets FDA green light. Report

> Motavizumab failure shifts spotlight to RSV vaccines. News

> Novartis blueprints $36M vaccine research lab in NC. Article

> Novartis files for Bexsero OK. Story

> Pfizer hops on board Phylogica's vax discovery platform. News 

And Finally... The placebo effect, an improvement in health that occurs when a clinical trial patient is given a dummy pill, works even when the patient knows the medicine is fake, according to a Harvard study. Report