Pharma Roundup: Wyeth Restructures, Anti-Pharma Activist at FDA, and More

(MoneyWatch)  Wyeth restructures R&D -- The drug maker has announced a huge shuffling of its research division, reducing the number of its target diseases from 55 to 27 and ending its work on women's health. The company claims large layoffs will not happen, though some scientists may have to change their research direction. [Source: WSJ Health Blog]

FDA appointee causing problems for pharma -- Sidney Wolfe, a longtime consumer advocate, was named a permanent member of the agency's Drug Safety & Risk Management Advisory Committee in August. In Vivo reports that he asks tough questions, wields considerable influence, and will probably make FDA approval harder for new drugs. [Source: In Vivo]

BIO launches site to dispute TV show -- BIO, the biotech industry trade group, has opened a website called "Eleventh Hour Facts" in response to the CBS program "Eleventh Hour." The show depicts the bio-sciences industry and, in the eyes of BIO, depicts it unfairly--the site is supposed to correct on-air inaccuracies. The content will be updated after every new episode. [Source: Pharmalot]
Disclosure: BNET is owned by CBS.