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PhRMA Offers “No Reasonable Expert” Standard For Addressing Fraud Charges

 
• By Brenda Sandburg

PhRMA is backing former InterMune CEO W. Scott Harkonen in his appeal of a fraud conviction for making false statements about Actimmune in a press release. The association argues that he expressed a scientific view that is protected from prosecution under the First Amendment.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America is going to bat for convicted industry exec W. Scott Harkonen, arguing that the government should not have held him criminally liable for expressing his opinion about the results of a clinical trial in a press release.

In a Nov. 4 amicus brief filed in Harkonen’s appeal, PhRMA contends that an affirmation of his conviction...

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More from Legal & IP

The Politics Of Divisionals: How European Patentees Are Still Gaming The System

 
• By Dave Wallace

At Medicines for Europe’s legal affairs conference last month, divisional patents were once again a major subject of discussion. Attendees heard fresh details of how patentee games are preventing generics from hitting the market and restricting wider access to major medicines.

Access Risks Loom For All Drugmakers With Fourth Circuit Mifepristone Decision

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith

The FDA law establishing REMS authority does not preempt a West Virginia law that would restrict mifepristone use in the state, an appeals court said, a decision that could have broader ramifications for the agency’s authority to ensure drug access.

US FDA Will Not Pull Teva And MSN Hetlioz ANDAs, Rejects Vanda Citizen Petitions

 
• By Dean Rudge

The FDA concluded that generic tasimelteon products held by Teva and MSN Labs meet all statutory bioequivalence requirements and there was no “mistake” or untrue statement in the original ANDA approvals.

EU Fines Alchem Over Buscopan API Cartel

 
• By Dave Wallace

After pursuing Alchem International for breaches of EU antitrust rules – relating to a cartel over the SNBB pharmaceutical ingredient used in Buscopan and its generics – the European Commission has now hit the firm with a €489,000 fine.

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Room For Improvement? EU Industry Prepares Feedback For SPC Manufacturing Waiver Review

 
• By Dave Wallace

As the European Commission prepares a formal evaluation of the SPC manufacturing waiver, the generics and biosimilars industry is getting ready to provide detailed feedback on what works – and what doesn’t. At Medicines for Europe’s legal affairs conference, delegates heard the latest updates.

Report Shows Extent Of AI Use In EU Medicines Regulation During 2024

 
• By Eliza Slawther

The AI observatory, created by the European medicines regulatory network to track the evolving use of artificial intelligence in medicines development and regulation, has issued its first annual report.

Prasad Cites Unproven Theory Defending His COVID-19 Vaccine Decisions

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith

In defending his decision to overrule agency staff on three recent COVID-19 vaccine applications, the CBER director questioned the original timing of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine authorization, reviving a long-held, but unproven grievance of President Trump.