Three statutory regimes at impasse： ＂Reverse payments＂ in ＂pay-for-delay＂ settlement agreements between brand-name and generic drug companies

Antitrust authorities in both the United States and Europe have expressed deep concern over settlements of antitrust cases in the pharmaceutical sector, settlements involving ＂reverse payments＂ from plaintiffs to defendants, large sums paid by branded pharmaceutical companies to generic competitors in exchange for promises to stay offthe market. Such ＂pay-for-delay＂ settlements have proliferated in the United States since Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals have found them unproblematic despite the Federal Trade Commission＇s persistently strong position that they violate the antitrust laws. These cases arise at the intersection of three statutory regimes seeking to promote innovation, three clusters of doctrine and policy that have interacted only to reach impasse： the Patent Act, the 1984 amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and finally the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Antitrust is a late comer to the fierce competition over patented drugs, competition that permeates the approval process in the Food ＆ Drug Administration [FDA], competition that is restrained by these pay-for-delay settlement agreements. To set the stage, we begin with the Patent Act and its relationship to the FDA approval process. The story of pay-for-delay settlements then proceeds to the settlement agreements and their antitrust implications. We conclude that the best solution in these antitrust cases would be adoption of the FTC＇s approach of presumptive illegality. Together with an amendment proposed to fix the food and drug act, the presumptive illegality of pay-for-delay settlements under the antitrust laws would make the market for pharmaceuticals more price competitive, open weak patents to serious challenge, and as a result save consumers billions of dollars annually without taking from branded drug companies legitimately earned incentives to engage in research and development.     

关于我市部分企业劳动争议调解组织工作情况的调研报告

我市劳动争议调解组织网络,现已初步形成,劳调组织已成为化解劳动纠纷的"稳压器"。但其组织建设,尚有较大缺位;改制退出企业的劳调工作,也陷入了某种盲区;一些企业劳调水平不高,影响了调解的成效。今后应进一步贯彻落实相关法律法规政策,加大对劳调组织的组建力度,努力推进劳动争议调解与人民调解的有效衔接,以使我市劳调工作能够提升到一种新水平。     

Investing in Crisis: The Methods,Strategies, and Expectations of Investors in Single-Family Foreclosed Homes in Distressed Neighborhoods

In the wake of the U.S. foreclosure crisis, the magnitude of homes flowing into investor ownership since 2007 has been unprecedented. Based on interviews with investors and other key informants active on the south and southwest sides of Atlanta, we describe the key aspects of the business models of such investors, including their methods of identifying properties, determining acquisition prices and renovation costs, and managing properties for rent. We also examine their expectations for financial return, including the sensitivity of returns to market and property uncertainties. We conclude with key findings and some recommendations for policymakers.     

Citizenship,economy and social exclusion of mainland Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is often viewed as a Chinese immigrants' city. This article discusses three interrelated dimensions of the social exclusion of migrants designated as “new” Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong. First, it is argued that globalisation has triggered intense economic rivalry among world cities as they undertake economic restructuring. Second, the political attempts of territorial states to establish their own legitimacy and strengthen their governing capacity are major catalysts that induce the social exclusion of immigrants. Third, the nature and strength of local place-based social identity is vital to determine the difficulties new immigrants face in being included in the host society. After recounting the history of Chinese immigrants and their recent profile in Hong Kong, the article examines the relationships between Hong Kong's economic development and the state's immigration policies, and how Hong Kong's state policies have constructed a form of Hong Kong identity vis-à-vis Mainland Chinese, drawing out the mechanisms that determine the social exclusion of Mainland immigrants since the 1990s.

“We asked for workers but human beings came.” Max Frisch(quoted in Hollifield,2000:149)     

国家综合配套改革试验区的实践探索与发展趋势

近几年,为适应改革开放新形势的需要,国家推动了综合配套改革试验区建设,赋予其落实科学发展观、体制创新、探索新发展模式、提升区域竞争力以及建设和谐社会的历史使命。从目前已经推行综合配套改革的几个试点城市来看,改革方案的内容及举措均体现出鲜明的时代和区域特色,尤其是与以往经济特区模式相比具有较大的差异。在当前区域竞争日益激烈的情况下,能否利用自己的特色和优势,推进体制创新,掌握改革主动权,将决定一个城市或地区在未来竞争格局中的位置。获准设立国家综合配套改革试验区,对于一个城市或地区来说,无疑相当于获得一次体制创新、再创业和腾飞的机会。这也正是各地在申报建立国家综合配套改革试验区上竞争激烈的原因所在。     

中美政府人事管理价值的历史演进与比较分析

价值的进路是深入到政府人事管理内核的必由之路。美国政府人事管理价值的历史演进体现了政治回应、道德主义、效率、个人权利、专业的职业化、社会公平等价值,其发展趋势是维护传统理念、加强管理弹性和以结果为本。中国政府人事管理价值的历史演进体现了宗族主义、政治回应、道德主义、公平竞争、分权等价值,其发展趋势主要是法治主义、效率和分权。美国和中国在政府人事管理价值历史演进和发展趋势上呈现了许多共同点和差异。     

以人为本:我国政府的价值定位

强调以人为本,是对政府与社会之间关系的准确解读,也是校正政府价值定位的新起点。本文首先对以人为本的科学内涵进行解读,其次分析了以人为本在我国近现代以来的历史传承,并分析了以人为本理念下的服务型政府建设对全能主义模式下"为人民服务"的继承与超越。本文的结论是,以人为本理念的确立不仅是党和政府服务宗旨的再次张扬,而且是我国制度建设的逻辑起点,为政府行为模式的确定和制度体系的全面建设奠定了基础。     

西方发达国家基本公共服务均等化路径选择的经验与启示

基本公共服务均等化是一项复杂的社会系统工程,如何借鉴西方发达国家基本公共服务均等化的成功经验,并与我国的具体社会经济环境相结合,探索出我国基本公共服务均等化的有效路径,是社会面临的重要课题。本文在分析西方发达国家基本公共服务均等化的成功经验的基础上,结合我国客观实际,提出了我国城乡基本公共服务均等化的路径选择,包括确定基本公共服务均等化标准、建立基本公共服务体系、健全公共服务体制、完善基本公共服务均等化的财政保障、实施基本公共服务均等化的绩效评估与监督。     

政府年度工作报告:官员问责机制建设的一个新视角

政府年度工作报告作为系统披露官员政策承诺与业绩报告的重要途径,既是西方发达国家推进官员问责机制建设的最新趋势,也是中国政治制度的潜在优势。与选举、预算、司法审判、独立问责等官员问责机制相比,中国独特的政治架构使得政府年度工作报告在建立公众、政务官以及常任文官之间环环紧扣的问责链,实现汇报与验证、信任与质疑、授权与审查的动态平衡,全面提升信息、激励和约束功能等方面具有明显的优势,并最终有利于提高官员政策承诺的民意遵从度和实现程度,提升治理绩效。因此,以政府年度工作报告为着力点和突破口,完善其运行机制与配套制度应当是推进中国官员问责机制建设的首要途径。