Vladimir Patras Blog

Clinical Pharmacology Seminars Presentations

2008-11-17T19:19:00.003+01:00

Clinical Pharmacology Seminars presentations to which I am about to give lectures at Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in this November and December are here to download.

Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs

Pharmacovigilance

Efficient Markets or ... Herd Get Slaughtered

2008-10-14T20:12:00.010+02:00

Rational Expectations Theory is cornerstone of modern economics. It implies that markets work highly or at least quite efficiently and this, applied to equity markets, has been described as Efficient Market Hypothesis. Under efficient markets conditions assets are priced fairly and reflect all available information. But do someone still believes that this applies to real-world markets?

Greenspan talks about irrational exuberance. Stock market crashes tended to repeat from beginning of securities trading - from South Seas Bubble, through Japan late 1980s stock crash until recent credit crunch downturn. And if equity markets are irrational can better informed traders profit from its irrationality?

The efficiency problem is clearly interconnected with investment strategies as inefficient markets would imply possibility of risk unadjusted profits and vice versa - abnormal profits point to market inefficiencies. The connection between equity market efficiency and investment strategies is focus of my MBA dissertation. It evaluates and compare common investment strategies based on time series of market data since 1990 until 2008. While some of the conclusions are at odds with popular notions on the stock market they are well consistent with other academic research on the subject and can provide framework for equities investment decision-making. The work is free to download following link bellow.

Investment Strategies Evaluation, MBA Dissertation

Patient Information on Clinical Trials Article

2008-09-22T22:05:00.008+02:00

No. 4/2008 issue of Slovak patients focused magazine "Bedeker zdravia" has published my article on clinical trials providing patients with basic information on the topic. The article (in Slovak only) can be found following the link bellow on page no. 88 of the periodical electronic version.

Bedeker zdravia 4/2008

Clinical Trials in the Czech Republic

2008-08-25T17:12:00.004+02:00

I prepared document which may be helpful to applicants for clinical trials authorizations in the Czech Republic. The overview includes summaries of documentation required for CTAs, amendments, procedures description, information on Ethics submissions, references to applicable laws and guidelines and much more useful information. To view/download the document follow the link bellow.

Regulatory Requirements for Clinical Trials Conduct in the Czech Republic

Recent Mutual Funds Performance and Efficient Investment Strategies

2008-02-19T20:27:00.013+01:00

This document is glimpse on performance of the US mutuals in last three years. The analyses aimed to provide basis for decisions on portfolio allocation and investment risk management employs data on 63 mutual funds marketed in the US. It summarizes basic performance data and uses statistical measures in their assessment. Morningstar Style Box is used as a tool in defining basic categories of investment strategy. The stress is on analyses of investment risk as core returns determinant and risk adjustment of returns. Outcomes and prospects of most common investment strategies (growth, value, index) are discussed and confronted with long-term equity market trends.

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Homeopathy Swindle

2008-01-20T16:35:00.000+01:00

Do you think it is right to legally prohibit regulatory agencies to require proof of safety and efficacy for products that have legal status and are marketed as drugs? Would you approve use of public funds in healthcare to be spent on the practices equal to shaman treatment or voodoo? Is this possible anywhere in the world? Yes, you are right if thinking this is happening in the European Union. Principles of homeopathy does not have any justification in science and have been proved to be ineffective for many times. It is unsurprising as concepts of homeopathy are derived from mysticism and sympathetic magic.
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Assignments Go Online

2008-01-05T18:03:00.001+01:00

I am publishing some of my MBA assignments from Nottingham Business School of Nottingham Trent University. All MBA works include official assessment made by module tutor on its last page. Some minor changes (like in formating) may differ the web versions from works submitted to NTU office but the content is identical.

Managing Operations - Process View on Pharmacy Operations

The role of Financial Analysis for Business Management and Decision Making – Fundamental Investment Analysis of Genzyme Corporation

International Business - Globalisation in Pharmaceutical Industry and Clinical Trials

There is an interesting point in the finance assignment that prognosis on selected biotech stocks returns put down there turned into reality as measured in 11 months (3^rd January 2008) after the analyses. It is understood that the prognosis is linked to huge potential profits as described bellow. As major biotechnology companies were analyzed following fundamental conclusions on their investment prospects are present in the work dated February 15^th 2007:

Genzyme
This stock (Genzyme) can be good portfolio investment for those who are willing to accept risk associated with biotechnology stocks.

Genentech
Investors should be rather careful about too high (P/E) ratio of Genentech. For company which now has highest capitalization in biotech sector it is not sustainable to hold unrealistically high P/Es over long time period. The company produced superb returns from 2003 to 2005 but failed to substantially rise profit. In this case high P/E may signal that shares are “overvalued”.

Gilead Sciences
... as company prospects are still good it may be worth higher share price.

The table bellow show the stock prices from 15^th February 2007 until recent - 3^rd January 2008 and confirm correctness of the assessment.

There are not any further (not accomplished) prognosis in the work. However, as I assume to publish more on subject of equity markets in this blog do not forget to check it in future or bookmark the page if interested in other valuable hints.

In addition I also publish my diploma thesis from Pharmaceutical Faculty dealing with genotyping in Alzheimer disease.

ApoE Genotyping – Relationship of ApoE Polymorphism and Alzheimer Disease (5.18 MB)

In any handling with these works my copyrights shall be fully recognized.

New Photo Albums

2008-01-01T23:24:00.001+01:00

I have recently moved my shared photos to Picasa. Some new albums are also included and you are invited to visit (follow the link) !

May be the hottest new album are photos from the Pharmaceutical Faculty of Class 2004 undisplayed until now on the web:

Class 2004

I publish here my world gallery photos as well:

London

New York

Memphis

Vienna

Cairo

Barcelona

Antalya

Prague