Content about Disaster

NEW YORK — As employers try to engage employees in health management programs to slow healthcare cost inflation, fewer employees are placing a high priority on managing and improving their health, according to a survey released Wednesday of more than 9,000 employees at large and midsize employers, conducted by Towers Watson.

NEW YORK — Chauncey Billups, point guard for the NBA's Denver Nuggets team, was named the latest spokesman for a national multimedia campaign designed to educate preteens, teens and their parents about the importance of vaccination against serious, potentially life-threatening diseases.

As the latest spokesman for Vaccine for Teens, Billups will be featured in a new public service announcement, which will air on NBA media and network/cable game broadcasts.

WAYNE, N.J. — Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals sought to reassure healthcare professionals and their patients that a recall of alcohol prep pads distributed with its multiple sclerosis drug did not affect the drug itself.

The drug maker’s MS treatment Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) is distributed with prep pads made by Triad Group, which recently staged a recall of prep products due to potential contamination with Bacillus cereus bacteria, which would lead to life-threatening infections.

ATLANTA — Among those getting their health on track in time for New Year's resolutions are consumers who are concerned about the long-term, negative effects of drinking unhealthy beverages.

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes and the related costs of the disease could reach catastrophic proportions, according to new research by the UnitedHealth Group.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — A class of alcoholic beverages that rapidly became popular among young people over the last few years is headed for the drain.

The Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to four manufacturers of beverages that combine high amounts of alcohol and caffeine, effectively issuing a federal ban on the beverages.

SWIFTWATER, Pa. A vaccine for a bacterial infection that affects the gastrointestinal tract has been granted expedited approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis announced Tuesday that it had received fast-track designation from the FDA for its investigational Clostridium difficile vaccine. The FDA grants the designation to ease the development of new drugs and vaccines for serious or life-threatening conditions or unmet medical needs.

PORTLAND, Ore. Aisle7 on Thursday announced the launch of its Aisle7 online widget gallery, home to plug-and-play mini apps that easily can be placed on a website to inform shoppers of the latest health recommendations, provide shopping ideas and recommend products for health-and-wellness goals. The widgets also provide website content producers a cost-effective solution that automatically updates a page with the latest wellness content without extra development overhead.

COLUMBIA , S.C. (May 27) One of the nation's largest drug store chains has teamed up with a healthcare benefits company and a community solutions provider to raise awareness of the need for adequate vitamin D intake.

Walgreens, Aetna and United Way of the Midlands are continuing their efforts through a vitamin D giveaway program extension, which initially was kicked off earlier this year. The vitamin D awareness efforts will donate more than 25,000 samples, the companies said.

FRAZER, Pa. The Food and Drug Administration has approved risk evaluation and mitigation strategies for two sleep disorder drugs made by Cephalon, the drug maker said.

Cephalon announced that the FDA approved the REMS for Nuvigil (armodafinil) and Provigil (modafinil), both used to improve wakefulness in patients with sleep apnea, narcolepsy or shift work disorder.