"No Respect"? Ex-CEO Kindler ALSO Put Out As PhRMA Chair, Overnight -- Sanofi CEO Viehbacher In

I think it a smart move to have a non-US CEO as head of PhRMA, as everyone (at least) talks these days about globalization and claims a focus on the "pharmerging" markets (and yes, the upper right image is of an older vintage PhRMA head-swap, of last year -- as Billy Tauzin departed in a storm over the reform deals -- and then-CEO Kindler, of Pfizer, took over).

In passing, many will recall that (in rather stealthy-fashion, it would seem) Merck and Sanofi-Aventis are working to create what will likely be the largest integrated animal health venture company on the planet -- with a potential to control perhaps 29 percent of the worldwide market (unless the FTC/DoJ H-S-R authorities and the ECC get busy, and soon). We should expect that Merck CEO Frazier, and Sanofi CEO Viehbacher will work to rationalize this behemoth (and likely cut additional heads), once the required divestitures are announced. It does seem those announcements are overdue -- by about a month and a half.

In any event, the below is from The Hill press item:

. . . .Christopher Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi-Aventis, was tapped to head the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America’s (PhRMA) board of directors, replacing Kindler after his resignation from the world’s largest drugmaker this weekend. . . .

In a PhRMA statement announcing the leadership move, Viehbacher said he was dedicated to addressing chronic disease.

"As an industry, we will continue putting patients first by delivering innovative, difference-making medicines that address unmet medical needs," Viehbacher said in a statement. "Given the increased prevalence and costs of chronic disease, our industry needs to work with other healthcare stakeholders to encourage the prevention and better management of chronic disease. . . ."

And so -- when will we hear about those Merial divestitures, Messrs. Viehbacher and Frazier?