MPH 2008

Emerging market sales boost SSL

China, India and Eastern Europe boost revenue at the Durex to foot cream maker

Philips sales hit as consumers stop spending

Shares in the Dutch electronics giant fall 8 per cent as group announces it will slow its share buyback programme

Medicines shortage looms as winter approaches

Britain could face a shortage of medicines as the value of sterling slides and the introduction of new pricing is botched

Charities also hit by Iceland bank crisis

Naomi House charity in Hampshire for terminally ill children has emerged as latest victim of the Icelandic banking crisis

Southern Cross shares up on debt claims

Embattled care homes operator sees share price rise as it says it will resolve debt arrangements by end of the month

Eli Lilly revealed as mystery £6.1bn bidder for ImClone

The 'large pharmaceutical company' has emerged as the bidder that Carl Icahn said was prepared to acquire his biotechnology group

Glaxo plans to axe 850 jobs in UK and US

The world’s second biggest drugmaker announces it is to get rid of 850 research and development jobs in Britain and US

Management briefing: ageing population and pensions

Companies must pick up more of the burden of healthcare and state pension costs, according to World Economic Forum report

Management briefing: Vaccination programmes

Health expertise and cross-border co-operation can help to implement vaccination programmes in the developing world

Protherics slithers into the grasp of BTG

The agreed deal is likely to cost about £218 million and will create one of Britain’s biggest biotech companies

The cutting edge of healthcare

It was one of the great barriers of medicine, but now brain surgery is an option for patients, and doctors. David Rose reports