E-drug: Me-too drugs: AstraZeneca disappointed
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Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca [AZ] will cut down on research in
Sweden, unless the countries take a more favourable stance towards AZ
drugs.
This threat was made today by AZ's global drug development executive
Martin Nicklasson. Nicklasson said "Why should we spend 11 billion
kronor [1.2 billion EUR] on research in Sweden when this country
doesn't appreciate the work of our 5000 researchers?".
The reason for Nicklassons chagrin is that the counties' drug &
therapeutics committees [DTC] recommend cheaper off-patent drugs such
as omeprazol instead of AZ's esomeprazol (Nexium) and simvastatin
instead of AZ's rosuvastatin (Crestor).
In reply to Nicklasson's statement, DTC chairman Ola Ohlsson said
that AZ should adapt to consumer demand and that health care doesn't
need more me-too drugs.
Source: Swedish public service radio
http://www.sr.se/ekot/artikel.asp?artikel=445969
Staffan Svensson, MD
Dept of Clinical Pharmacology
Sahlgren's Univ Hospital
Gothenburg, Sweden
"Staffan Svensson" <staffan.svensson@pharm.gu.se
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