Industry at Large
Astellas Pharma US President Jim Robinson concentrates on painting a wall at Angel Lodge resort, which provides free weeklong vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
Astellas is Changing Tomorrow Today
About 1,400 Astellas Pharma employees descended on Give Kids The World (GKTW) for the second time to tackle projects ranging from landscaping to assembling furniture as well as resurfacing parking lots and roads. GKTW is a 70-acre resort that provides free weeklong vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
This event launches the fifth year of Astellas’ Changing Tomorrow Day, a global volunteer initiative that empowers Astellas’ employees to make a difference in their local communities. Through the Changing Tomorrow Day initiative, Astellas employees throughout North and South America and around the world commit an entire day to community service.
Frontline and NORD Partner to Address Rare Diseases
Frontline Medical Communications and The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) are collaborating to develop innovative educational programs for HCPs to meet the urgent, unmet need for education on rare diseases, which was underscored in a recent study conducted by Frontline Medical Communications among 1,600 clinicians in 15 specialties.
“This partnership builds on NORD’s 31 years of leadership in improving the lives of the 30 million Americans — two-thirds of them children — who suffer from nearly 7,000 rare disorders and on FMC’s deep reach into the HCP community," says President and CEO of NORD, Peter Saltonstall. “For many, the time to diagnosis averages five to 10 years and a key stumbling block is the lack of awareness and understanding among healthcare providers.
Through this collaboration, FMC and NORD will offer a broad range of interactive resources that shorten the time to diagnosis and promote optimal treatment and management strategies for all people with rare diseases."
Multichannel educational programs, developed by both organizations and funded by commercial sponsors, will be distributed to more than 1.2 million HCPs using FMC’s portfolio of 30 well-respected journal brands, corresponding Websites, eNewsletters, and live events.
Predictions for Specialty Drug Spend
Next year, U.S. health plan sponsors are projected to spend $9.07 billion on specialty medication services that provide no additional value, according to a new analysis by Express Scripts. This could be reduced if payers applied cost-saving techniques from the pharmacy benefit on medications that are administered through the medical benefit. Express Scripts data also show that plans that implement medical benefit management services have, on average, saved 10% to 15% on their specialty spending.
Awards…
Rho Recognized for its Company Culture
Rho, a contract research organization (CRO), has been named by the Triangle Business Journal a winner of Best Places to Work in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. The award recognizes Rho’s achievements in creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains employees through a combination of benefits, working conditions, and company culture. Employees enjoy a number of perks, including programs such as phase back hours for new parents and a concierge service that runs personal errands for employees.
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Podcasts
Pharma Attempts to Ease the Pain
Sponsored by: Kantar Health
White papers
An Ounce of Prevention, a Pound of Cure — Social Media Risks and Benefits for the Pharmaceutical Industry
Provided by: Actiance
The Pain Market and the Promise of New Mechanisms of Action
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Sermo MDs: Representatives Are Welcome, But They Must Bring Their “A" Game
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Webinars
10 Killer Applications for Digital Signatures in the Life Sciences Enterprise
Oct. 1, 2014, 1 p.m. EST
Sponsored by CoSign by ARX
Expedited Programs for Serious Conditions: Drugs and Biologics
Oct. 8, 2014, 1 p.m. EST
Sponsored by Cardinal Health Regulatory Sciences
