Pharma Roundup: Glaxo Wins Most Ethical, FDA Lacks Committee Leadership, and More

(MoneyWatch)  GlaxoSmithKline tops ethics ranking -- ... well, at least among other pharma companies, none of whom cracked the top 10. Bristol-Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson were second and third in the sector, respectively. The quarterly list comes from Swiss firm Covalence. The 7200 employees facing layoffs at Merck will probably not quibble over its tenth place finish. [Source: Eye on FDA]

Three out of four FDA advisory committees lack permanent leadership -- Of the 16 advisory committees at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, only four have a permanent chair. The agency is having trouble recruiting new committee members at a time when more drugs are coming before committees. [Source: In Vivo]

Great expectations lead to failed pharma alliances -- 36% of disappointed partners in alliances between pharmaceutical firms cite unrealistic expectations as the downfall of their partnership. Exit clauses, realistic time lines, and similar strategies can make partnerships more productive, a study from Cutting Edge Information concludes. [Source: FiercePharma]

Europe delays pharma bill -- The European Commission was expected to present new pharmaceutical legislation for debate this week, but the proposal has been pushed back. The proposal may ease bans on DTC advertising, a controversial provision rumored to be at the root of the delays. [Source: Pharmalot]