Business
Mergers and acquisitions for 2005 were highest in five years
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 30, 2006
The health care industry recorded 964 mergers and acquisitions in 2005, the most the industry has seen in five years, according to a report by Irving Levin Associates, a health care research firm based in Norwalk, Conn.
The merger and acquisition volume was valued at $158.7 billion, placing it second over the last five years in terms of dollar amount to only the $164.4 billion committed in 2004, according to the report.
The majority of mergers and acquisitions occurred in the pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology industries, according to the report.
There were 34 deals involving physician medical groups and 30 involving managed care companies, the report said. The hospital sector recorded 53 deals.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/01/30/bibf0130.htm.
