The purchases were made ahead of price increases for Tagamet, SmithKline's ulcer drug.

The ulcer drug is under siege from three newer products.

Traditionally, the industry's cash machines are ulcer drugs, which can easily bring in annual sales of $1.5 billion or more.

In 1989-90, the prevalence of use of peptic ulcer drugs was 1.3% in men and 1.2% in women.

At the same time, the general reimbursement was cancelled for all peptic ulcer drugs.

Molly had asked if Bud Schwartz was interested in testing a new ulcer drug for the medical school.

The ones that have provide the basis for antibiotics, the Pill, dental cement, tranquillisers, heart and ulcer drugs.

Tagamet, SmithKline's $1 billion ulcer drug, has been losing ground to competing products.

Tagamet, the popular ulcer drug, also interferes with the enzyme, the study found, causing blood alcohol levels in men to double.

The Oregon project reviewed five heartburn and ulcer drugs, but did not find enough evidence to conclude that one was better than the others.