Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 352 pages
• Published by: Oxford University Press, USA
• Edition: 2nd Edition November 2, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0195300955
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0195300956
• Book Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 1.2 pounds

Product Review
"Dr. Schweitzerhas performed a valuable service by writing a broad overview of these topics.The chapter on pharmaceutical regulation and cost containment and the roles of the different players in this area was quite interestingThe chapter devoted solely to patents was also most welcome.Very valuable book. It contains current information, delivered in an evenhanded way, on a wide range of topics. It is a useful overview of an important area of health care."--Mark J. Goldberger, M.D., M.P.H., The New England Journal of Medicine

"Schweitzer's book is a much-needed, ambitious contribution to the field and an important starting point for graduate-level studies.Parmaceutical Economics and Policy is an important, useful contribution to the literature."--American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy

"This book is easy to read and provides an exellent overview of the pharmaceutical industry. The economic framework used to analyze the industry contributes substantially to an understanding of this industry. This book makes a useful contribution to anyone interested in understanding pharmacoeconomic theory and the characteristics of the pharaceutical industry."--Inquiry

"In summary, this book is both an interesting and valuable contribution to the policy discussion involving pharmaceuticals in this country."--Journal of Economic Literature

"this book is a must-have if you are seriously interested in the domestic and international pharmaceutical industry. Its greatest strength is concise yet comprehensive coverage of many of the important issues relating to the industry."--Journal of Public Health Policy --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description
The pharmaceutical industry is praised as a world leader in high technology innovation and the creator of products that increase both longevity and quality of life for people throughout the world. At the same time, the industry is also criticized for its marketing and pricing practices and for its apparent anticompetitive responses to generic competition. Even its research and development priorities are criticized as being too closely driven by the goal of maximizing shareholder value, rather than the health of the public. Unfortunately, many of the critics of the industry fail to understand the complexities of the industry and its role in the nations healthcare system. This book uses the tools of economic analysis to explore the conflicting priorities and aims of the pharmaceutical industry, from both an American and worldwide perspective.
This is the second edition of a uniquely comprehensive and balanced discussion of pharmaceutical policy issues. All the chapters of the former edition have been fully re-written and extensively updated.
In addition, the book includes six new chapters on emerging topics such as the broadened role of FDA regulations and the increasing diversity of the industry. An entire chapter is devoted to the biotechnology industry and one to alternative medicines, often called "nutraceuticals." Another new chapter discusses segments of the industry that specialize in particular activities including generic drugs and drug delivery systems. The recent controversial expansion of Medicare to cover outpatient drugs is discussed in depth. The introduction is also updated to address the volatile pace of pharmaceutical innovation and how the pharmaceutical industry has responded to the emergence of managed care.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (Hardcover) --- ...since its publication in 1997, for during the interval we've had (among other developments): (1) The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA '97), (2) The promulgation of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals (2002), and (3) The federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) formally weighing in with their final "anti-kickback" guidance from the Office of their Inspector General (OIG), incidentally shutting the door between pharmaceuticals marketing and the drug manufacturers' "support" of continuing medical education (CME) on April 28, 2003. (4) New concerns regarding drug safety issues (both pre- and post-marketing) have been raised by way of the COX-2 NSAID crisis, particularly by Merck's defalcations in the suppression of adverse events data in the 2000 publication of their VIGOR trial results (see Waxman's editorial in *The New England Journal of Medicine*, June 23, 2005;352[25]:2576-2578), and have invoked structural and procedural changes in the FDA's Office of New Drugs (OND) the end of which is not yet in sight. (5) Medicare Part "D" has gone into effect, with NICE long-term implications for future impact upon the pharmaceutical industry in these United States. Things have *changed,* folks. There's ten years' worth of critically important regulatory and pharmacoeconomic changes that neither the author nor the rest of the industry could have taken into consideration back when the galleys of this book were returned to the publisher. To the best of my knowledge, there is still no other source of information on the subject as ambitious (and as competently written) as is Dr. Schweitzer's work. Both author and publisher must certainly be aware of the fact that there is a need (and a definite market) for a new edition. ---