News Update: July 2007

Here are some interesting or curious articles about the pharmacy supply chain that didn’t merit their own post in July.

1) E-Pedigree Goes Mainstream
The venerable Pharmaceutical Executive ventured into the supply chain with Pharma Ramps Up for E-Pedigree, an overview of the California e-pedigree situation. The article is generally accurate, although the ratio of actual pharma executives (3) to technology vendors (7) was a bit low. Surprisingly, there are no comments from the pharmacists who will supposedly install systems to read serialized RFID/bar-codes and willingly transmit the information for free to everyone else.

2) Fun with Forrester
My June news update led to an interesting debate with Forrester research analyst Carlton Doty regarding my negative review of his online drug buying study. Make up your own mind by reading our back-and-forth exchange in the comments section below the June post.

3) Why do they put nails in coffins?
Whistleblower Peter Rost allows an anonymous pharma sales rep to post a deeply cynical look at Average Sales Price (ASP) reimbursement for oncology drugs. Caveat lector!

4) UK Distribution Update
Sanofi-Aventis became the latest manufacturer to trim its UK distribution network. In related news, it looks like the Alliance Boots buyout has hits some snags, with banks holding back on the debt sale until the market improves (See Alliance Boots Debt Sale Postponed).

5) Wonky
The new Health Wonk Review, a compendium of health policy blog postings, is worth reading. Plus, they picked up one of my Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) analyses.

6) Chicken Soup for a Pharmacist’s Soul?
You MUST read Welcome to the World of Retail Pharmacy, a poem about life in a community pharmacy. After all, how many poets would dare to rhyme words such as “Rx” or “pseudoephedrine”?