@FiercePharma: U.S. lawmakers introduce "dual-eligibles" bill to hike rebates on drugs for low-income Medicare patients. More | Follow @FiercePharma
@EricPFierce: FDA decision on OxyContin tough for some drugmakers but a boost for others. Article | Follow @EricPFierce
> The Swiss government will cut the prices for 2,500 drugs in June in a move to save up to 720 million francs over the next three years; the deal with the pharma industry is a big switch from pricing policies more favorable to drugmakers. Report
> In a bellwether trial, Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical defended itself against allegations that it hid safety risks associated with its diabetes drug Actos, saying that the product did not cause a California man's bladder cancer. Report
> Abbott Laboratories ($ABT) posted a 1.8% increase in first-quarter sales, fueled by a 15.2% increase in emerging markets revenue; it's the company's first quarter without the pharma unit, AbbVie, it spun off at the beginning of the year. Report
> Baxter International ($BAX) is planning a $302 million plant renovation in Minnesota and is asking local officials for city and state tax subsidies. Report
> Mylan is rolling out a one-pill, once-a-day HIV drug in South Africa to simplify treatment for patients previously using a three-pill-per-day regimen. Report
> An Australian judge has questioned the fairness of Merck's ($MRK) settlement of Vioxx claims there, saying the $540,000 deal may not be equitable for all patients involved. Report
@FierceMedDev: Post-pharma Abbott soars on Dx, struggles with devices. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev
@MarkHFierce: Rather than sell its healthcare division outright, Panasonic is now looking for an investor. More | Follow @MarkHFierce
@DamianFierce: The first quarter wasn't all that kind to St. Jude, but the company still believes it can chart a big 2013. Story | Follow @DamianFierce
> For J&J, a hip lawsuit trial victory. More
> Baxter warned for marketing infusion pump minus PMA. Item
> Quest's Q1 2013 numbers dip, as expected. Article
Biotech News
@FierceBiotech: Alkernes announces positive PhII results for antiepressant ALKS 5461. More | Follow @FierceBiotech
@RyanMFierce: Top 10 Biotech IT Investments in the past year. Special Report | Follow @RyanMFierce
> Thiel's Breakout Labs awards new grants to biotech startups. More
> Biogen Idec, big biotechs trounce pharma players on multiple fronts this decade. Story
> Eli Lilly rolls the dice on combo approach against Alzheimer's disease. Article
Biomarkers News
> Scientists use fMRI, neurological pattern to diagnose pain. Item
> Presence of certain bacteria could indicate dangerous infant disorder. More
> Biomarker could help guide treatment for aggressive breast cancer. Report
> Discovery: Thousands of genes mark schizophrenia risk. Article
> Biomarker for liver problems also predicts lung cancer likelihood. Story
Drug Delivery News
@MichaelGFierce: UCLA team uses diamonds to tackle tricky form of breast cancer. Report | Follow @MichaelGFierce
> Inner-ear drug delivery draws $50.6M for Auris Medical. Story
> Delivery nanotech gives RNAi potential a boost. More
> Novaliq pulls in $18.1M for ocular delivery tech. News
> Self-propelled 'microrockets' carry drugs in active delivery approach. Article
> BIND Therapeutics completes PhI trial of first Accurin cancer drug. Item
And Finally... In addition to the usual drugs, doctors are prescribing 20 minutes of meditation twice a day. Report