PhRMA Chief Resigning

Billy Tauzin, the president and chief executive officer of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), announced in February that he will leave the trade association at the end of June. Mr. Tauzin noted in a statement that he took on the PhRMA role in 2005, shortly after a battle with cancer. “As the first ever cancer patient to lead PhRMA as its CEO, I now believe it is time I move on and hand the mantle of leadership of this great organization to others as passionate as myself, and to explore the many other interests I would like to pursue in this special second-chance life that I have been given,” Mr. Tauzin said. He also denied speculation that he was pushed out by PhRMA member companies unhappy with the deal that he made last year to support the Obama administration's health reform plan.

Big Market for Neurostimulation

Kalorama Information is predicting that within 5 years, the market for electrical and magnetic neurostimulation devices for treating depression could reach $16 billion a year. Currently, the market is limited because only one device is on the market, the vagus nerve stimulator made by Cyberonics Inc., and treatment with the device outweighs the cost of drug therapy, according to a report by the medical market research company. The analysis notes, however, that several manufacturers are developing external devices, such as Neuronetics Inc.'s repetitive TMS therapy system. Medtronic Inc., St. Jude Medical Inc., and the Boston Scientific Corp. are also looking into adapting their deep brain and spinal cord stimulators to depression treatment, Kalorama said.

Dissolvable Tobacco Info Sought

The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products got right to work after its launch last August. In February, the center sent letters to several tobacco companies, asking them to submit “a comprehensive and detailed summary” of research on their dissolvable smokeless tobacco products. The products “resemble candy,” according to the letters, and concerns about them include their use by people under age 26, potential misuse of the products, and accidental ingestion. The center said it wants the information to prepare for a meeting of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee. The letters expressed concern “that children and adolescents may find dissolvable tobacco products particularly appealing, given the brightly colored packaging, candy-like appearance, and easily concealable size of many of these products.”

Depression Screening Backed

Physicians should strongly consider screening women for depression both during and after pregnancy, according to a new position statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. There are significant benefits to women and their families if depression is diagnosed and treated, the statement said (Obstet. Gynecol. 2010;115:394-5). ACOG estimates that 14%-23% of pregnant women experience depression symptoms and that 5%-25% of women experience postpartum depression. “With over 4 million births in the [United States] every year, we're talking about a huge number of women with postpartum depression–between 200,000 to more than 1 million each year,” Dr. Gerald F. Joseph, president of ACOG, said in a statement. The ACOG statement includes information on seven depression screening tools, each taking less than 10 minutes to perform. Practices should have a referral program in place for women who have depression symptoms.

Autism Research Gets Boost

The Obama administration is seeking $222 million in fiscal year 2011 to expand research into autism spectrum disorders. The funding, which would be disseminated through the Health and Human Services department, would focus on detection, treatment, and other activities with the potential to improve the lives of families affected by autism. The National Institutes of Health also is putting a focus on the disorder. The agency plans to undertake a complete genome sequencing and DNA analysis of 300 autism spectrum disorder cases. Officials at NIH are also planning to launch the first epigenomic studies of brain samples from individuals with autism spectrum disorders and those without the disorder. NIH will also investigate patterns of environmental exposure during pregnancy and the perinatal period.

IOM to Study LGBT Health Issues

The Institute of Medicine plans to review the state of science concerning the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. An IOM committee will be charged with identifying knowledge gaps and outlining a specific research agenda for the National Institutes of Health. The committee is to examine LGBT health risks, health disparities, access to health care, and use of health care. Late last year, the Center for American Progress found in its own study that there are significant disparities when it comes to LGBT health status–for example, that lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults are twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience psychological distress.

–Alicia Ault

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