Top 10 Pharmaceutical, Healthcare & Life Sciences Headlines from UK To sell a medicine in the European Union (EU), a marketing authorisation (MA) is required. The 2009-2010 Social Care PFI round will move up a gear this Autumn when successful authorities will be allocated their PFI credits. A patent for a drug called fluvastatin, used to reducecholesterol, has been found to be invalid by the High Court on thegrounds of obviousness. A Court of Appeal judgment may have far reaching consequencesfor medical law, compensation claims and commercial relationshipsas regards the 'ownership' of body parts andmaterial. Alternative medicine is big business. From Acupuncture to Yoga(I couldn't think of an example for "Z",but I wouldn't be surprised if there is one) there are allsorts of remedies, treatments, techniques, practices, devices andindeed entire medical and philosophical systems available in the UKthat claim to cure disease, rebalance the body's energyfields and generally heal the sick. Following the decision in Savage last year, there has been much debate surrounding the duties placed on healthcare providers under the Human Rights Act in respect of patients who may pose a risk of suicide. In a Green Paper, 'Shaping the Future of Care Together', the Health Secretary Andy Burnham has invited everyone to join the ‘Big Care Debate’ on what a ‘National Care Service’ should look like and how adult social care should be paid for, with a consultation which is open until 13 November 2009. Claims arising out of delay in diagnosing and treating cancertend to be more common than those concerning the standard of careprovided once a diagnosis has been made. After an 18 month investigation the European Commission today published its final report in the pharmaceutical sector inquiry. On 1 April 2009, the Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints (England) Regulations come into force. This brings a new complaints system into effect, merging health care and adult social care complaints. | 
