Insurer Coventry Health Care Inc posted an 18 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit on Friday, matching estimates, as premium revenue and membership increased. Reuters Health Information
Merck & Co agreed to pay more than $649 million to resolve litigation related to its cholesterol drug Zocor and painkiller Vioxx, a federal prosecutor said on Thursday. Reuters Health Information
HLTH Corp on Monday said it sold the remaining stake in a business services unit, announced its chief executive would take a medical leave and lowered its 2008 financial outlook for its WebMD business. Reuters Health Information
The FDA has granted 510(k) clearance for a venous blood collection device (Saf-T Closed Blood Collection System), a cervical plate system (Kinetic-SL), and a laser system (Waterlase MD). Medscape Medical News
A lawyer specializing in healthcare business shares his insights on how the medical profession is dealing with legal and regulatory demands. Medscape Med Students
New research shows that healthcare expenditures for back and neck problems have increased substantially over time, but with little bang for the healthcare buck. Medscape Medical News
Because of continuing severe adverse reactions, Baxter has stopped manufacturing multiple-dose vials of heparin. The FDA is recommending that heparin manufactured by other companies or alternative anticoagulants be used if possible. Medscape Medical News
Scientists and police have exposed a major Asian trade in life-threatening fake malaria drugs, resulting in the seizure of hundreds of thousands of tablets and the arrest of a dealer in southern China. Reuters Health Information
Drugmaker Perrigo Co said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted final approval to market a generic version of Pepcid, the antacid produced by Johnson & Johnson and Merck Consumer Pharmaceutical. Reuters Health Information
