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ASH Daily News

24 October 2003

HEADLINES

Irish smoking ban to start Jan 26 2004
Hospitality alliance consults lawyers as smoking ban is signed into law

Lancet punctures AstraZeneca
AZ says Lancet attack a bitter pill to swallow

Tekel set to go for $3bn
Gallaher to re-use 'happiness' slogan



FULL TEXT

Irish smoking ban to start Jan 26 2004

The Irish Minister for Health and Children has published regulations which prohibit smoking in all workplaces, including bars and restaurants. There are no exemptions. The Regulations come into effect on 26th Jan 2004.

The regulations are available at:
http://www.doh.ie/pdfdocs/tobreg2.pdf
Full story:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1023/smoking.html


Hospitality alliance consults lawyers as smoking ban is signed into law

The ban on smoking in all workplaces, including pubs, has now been signed into law. Within hours of the announcement by the Department of Health yesterday, publicans and hoteliers opposed to the measure were threatening to mount a legal challenge to the new regulations.

Mr Finbar Murphy, of the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance, said it would be referring the regulations to its lawyers to seek their advice on a judicial review.

The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, appealed to the powerful lobby group to stand back and think before taking any such action.

"Why would you take legal action against a measure designed to protect and improve public health?"

The regulations, which come into effect on January 26th, state that the smoking of tobacco products will be prohibited in all places or premises of work other than private dwellings.

There are no exemptions for prisons or psychiatric institutions, but Mr Martin has said that, given their unique circumstances, discussions are ongoing with these sectors with a view to devising separate measures for them.

Full story:
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2003/1024/3278041097HM1SMOKEFRONT.html
Source: The Irish Times, 24 October 2003



Lancet punctures AstraZeneca
AZ says Lancet attack a bitter pill to swallow

Pharmaceuticals group AstraZeneca yesterday reported better than expected results but still found itself on the defensive after an attack on its new anti-cholesterol drug from medical journal the Lancet.

Britain's second largest drugs manufacturer beat City analysts' expectations with a 21% increase in third quarter pre-tax profit to $1.1bn (£649m) and a 12% rise in sales to $4.8bn over the quarter, both helped by favourable exchange rates.

It also reported positive results for the recent launch in the United States of anti-cholesterol drug Crestor, which has gained 1.9% of the market in its first few weeks on sale and sold $88m worth of product worldwide in the first nine months of the year.

Crestor is one of the company's biggest hopes and AstraZeneca increased its research and marketing spend by 15% to $2.5bn in the quarter, primarily because of the drug's launch.

The results were overshadowed, however, by a hard hitting editorial from the Lancet which questioned the strength of Crestor's clinical trials and the company's sales tactics.

"AstraZeneca's tactics marketing its cholesterol lowering drug, rosuvastatin [Crestor], raise disturbing questions about how drugs enter clinical practice and what measures exist to protect patients from inadequately investigated medicines," the journal said.

Full Guardian article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1069905,00.html
Source: The Guardian, Financial Times, The Independent, 24 October 2003



Tekel set to go for $3bn

British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco and Philip Morris are the favourites among the bidders in the privatisation of the former Turkish cigarette monopoly Tekel that is expected to fetch about $3bn, according to investment bankers.

But some analysts believe that the auction, due to end today, could come down to a two horse race between Altria's Philip Morris International, the makers of Marlboro cigarettes, and Japan Tobacco.

Martin Steinik of JP Morgan believes the two bidders, with their chunky existing market shares in Turkey, could squeeze out BAT.

"Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco have deep pockets and existing operations, so if they buy the monopoly they have cost-cutting opportunities, so they could pay more. Given that, this will be as or more competitive than other auctions," he said.

Tekel, with 58 per cent domestic market share, is one of the last major cigarette manufacturers in a large market not acquired by multinationals. Turkey is the world's sixth-largest cigarette market, estimated to be $4.5bn in 2002.

Full FT article:
http://search.ft.com/search/article.html?id=031024000815
Source: Financial Times, 24 October 2003



Gallaher to re-use 'happiness' slogan

Hamlet aims to bring joy to smokers with the launch of a special edition Happiness pack this Christmas, according to the Morning Advertiser.

The new-look design is based on the brand's advertising slogan "Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet. Gallaher will release Happiness in five -pack formats: Hamlet 5s, Hamlet 10s, Hamlet Miniature 5s, and the Hamlet Miniatures 10s tin.

Jerry Blackburn, trade communications manager at Gallaher said "Its about using our heritage in a different format. "Many smokers can recall the strap-line, which is now a powerful element of the Hamlet brand."

Gallaher will release the new packs on the 3 of November accompanied by a cash and carry road show [?] until the end of the year.

Source: Morning Advertiser, 23 October 2003



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