New Cebu-based pharmaceutical and retail store ThreeSixty will launch on May 27

Retail company eyes 360 stores Click this headline to read article

A NEW Cebu-based pharmaceutical and retail store will launch on May 27 some of its 11 branches but will hold the grand opening next month.  ThreeSixty

Arroyo eyes new round of price cuts on medicines–DoH

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Unilab to challenge other Pfizer patents

 Philippines' Unilab Says Pfizer's Lost Stay Petition

Arroyo eyes new round of price cuts on medicines–DoH

Local Philippine drug company offers branded yet affordable meds & Prices of 97 Philippine drugs, medical devices slashed by 50%

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Drug Firms Apply Brand to Generics

Prices of 97  Philippine drugs, medical devices slashed by 50%

 

Local Philippine drug company offers branded yet affordable meds

Pfizer fails to stop Unilab in Lipitor war & Unilab to continue selling Lipitor generics

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PHARMACEUTICAL giant Pfizer has failed to stop the local United Laboratories from selling its own version of
Court denies Pfizer petition to block generic drug variant Pfizer's best-selling anti-cholesterol medicine, Lipitor.
Pfizer fails to stop Unilab in Lipitor war
Pfizer suffers setback in its campaign against generic anti-cholesterol drug BusinessWorld <
Unilab to continue selling Lipitor generics
Pfizer fails to stop Unilab in Lipitor war

Note: Lipitor sells for P34.45 for a 10-milligram tablet, while Avamax retails for P25.

The safest and most effective Generic painkillers

 Ache? Pain? Sprain? Which pill works best for what ails you? With more than 75 percent of us taking over-the-counter painkillers at least once a month (per a Self.com poll), it's key to know the safest and most effective choice.


Acetaminophen (found in Tylenol)
Best for:
Fever
Mild to moderate musculoskeletal pain
Mild to moderate back pain
Mild to moderate headache


Pain-signal reducer
How it functions isn't well understood, but acetaminophen may block COX-3, a protein that helps send out the body's pain signals. It's not as potent as some other OTC painkillers such as naproxen and ibuprofen, so it's typically effective only for low-intensity aches. If you've had alcohol in the past 24 hours (or plan to), hit the brakes: Too much acetaminophen and alcohol can damage the liver. An advisory committee to the FDA has proposed lowering the maximum daily dose from 4 grams (which may be too much for some people); watch these pages for the new limit. If you feel weak or "off" after use, see a doc, stat.

Aspirin (found in Bayer and Anacin)
Best for:
Mild toothache
Moderately sore muscles
Mild to moderate back pain
Mild to moderate headache


Blood declutterer
Aspirin eases pain and inflammation by slowing the production of prostaglandins, molecules that activate pain receptors. The active ingredient, acetylsalicylic acid, also makes blood platelets less sticky, which is why people at risk for heart attack take aspirin to help prevent clots. In many people, acetylsalicylic acid reaches toxicity faster than do ibuprofen and naproxen (the maximum daily dose is 4 grams), so regular use has a higher risk for side effects such as gastric irritation. Thus aspirin is useful for mild to moderate, but not severe or chronic, pain. If you just had or are about to have surgery, steer clear.
See our tips: 10 secrets to staying pain-free!

Ibuprofen (found in Advil) and naproxen (found in Aleve)
Best for:
Acute muscle injury
Arthritis
Joint pain
Lower-back pain
Moderate to severe headache
Moderate to severe menstrual cramps


Anti-inflammatories
Like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen inhibit prostaglandin production to stop inflammation and pain. But they can also disrupt H2, a gut histamine, stimulating the overproduction of gastric acid and leading to stomach upset and even bleeding, warns Rollin M. Gallagher, M.D., of Philadelphia, past president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. If you have a history of stomach problems (like ulcers), these might not be for you. Call your doc if you have stomach pain, vomiting or black stools or if you cough blood after taking one. The max daily dose for ibuprofen is 1,200 milligrams; for naproxen, 600 mg.

The most important rule
Listen to your body! An OTC pill that works well for one person may not help another, so trial and error can be your best pal. One caveat for pregnant ladies: Ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen can cause heart problems in the fetus, so consult your M.D. before you take any pill.


Tags:  pills, pain killers, pain, medicine

Philippines Seeks Price Reductions on More Medicines

Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) -- The Philippines is seeking price cuts on more medicines, asking drugmakers including Pfizer Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline Plc to halve prices of some top-selling products for the second time in five months.  Medicines in the Philippines can be two to three times higher than in neighboring Asian nations, the government has said.

The reductions may affect more than 21 drugs and could be introduced by the end of March, Alex Padilla, undersecretary at the nation’s health department, said in an interview in Manila today. Five “major” drug companies have submitted lists of medicines and the health department expects others to submit lists this week, Padilla said. The deadline for submission was extended to Jan. 22 from Jan. 14, he said.  Continue reading here http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-18/philippines-seeks-second-round-of-50-percent-drug-price-cuts.html

Medicine prices in Philippines are higher than in other places

Costly medicine in the Philippines  The Philippine Star September 09, 2005  Other public officials have pointed this out before, as well as many people who have been abroad. Medicine prices in this country are higher than in other places, making the cost of basic health care prohibitive for millions of Filipinos.

In previous years the government has addressed the problem by promoting generic drugs and even importing some of the most widely used medicine for common ailments. The efforts have paid off, but there are still too many drugs that are beyond the reach of the masses. And there is still public resistance to using generic drugs as manufacturers of branded medicines warn of the unreliable efficacy of generic drugs, particularly those imported and made by little known companies.

Medicine prices are so high that many Filipinos suffering from debilitating illnesses that need lifetime medication, such as diabetes and cardiac ailments, simply wait for death. Many Filipinos don’t bother taking medicine to relieve the discomfort of mild afflictions such as coughs. Continue reading here  http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=295722