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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Global Market Development Center on Tuesday announced the introduction of Telepresence service as part of its 42nd GMDC General Merchandise Conference to be held in Orlando, Fla., June 1 to 5. According to the association, the introduction of Telepresence will extend the reach of GMDC’s usual physical meetings to incorporate virtual connections to company headquarters or even more remote locations, such as home offices or those traveling who rely on tablet technology.

It was the cough, cold and flu season that wasn’t. The percentage of patient visits on account of influenza-like illnesses never eclipsed the 2.4% baseline that typically marks the beginning and end of a flu season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the closest the 2011-2012 flu season came to materializing was the week ended March 17, when 2.384% of all office visits were attributed to ILI symptoms nationwide. 


DALLAS — The Army and Air Force Exchange Service's leadership will undergo a historic transformation as it welcomes its first civilian director/CEO to the helm, the military retailer announced Wednesday.
 
The Defense Department has instructed AAFES to convert the Commanding General’s position to a nonmilitary director/CEO position, marking the first time in the AAFES’s 116-year history that a civilian will lead the organization. COO Mike Howard will take over as acting director/CEO as the organization’s board seeks a permanent replacement.

SUPPLIER NEWS — An iPhone and iPad waterproofing solution that offers antimicrobial product protection has hit the market. Seal Shields are form-fitting polyurethane covers that make iPhones and iPads 100% waterproof, washable and disinfectable, according to the product’s manufacturer. The product, which is completely invisible and preserves the original Apple design, contains an antimicrobial fungistatic agent that protects the product by inhibiting the growth of microbial bacteria, mold, mildew and fungi on the products’ surfaces.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — General merchandise retailers Shopko and Pamida have completed their merger that will create a $3 billion company that serves largely rural communities in 22 states.

The combined entity will retain the Shopko name. Shopko will be headquartered in Green Bay and Pamida’s corporate headquarters in Omaha, Neb., will be consolidated into the Green Bay office over the next several months.

SUPPLIER NEWS — Glade has introduced its Expressions collection, which features two new designs: the fragrance mist, a refillable home fragrance spray; and an oil diffuser, a nonelectric diffuser that can disperse fragrances for up to 30 days. The four available fragrances include cotton and Italian mandarin; pineapple and mangosteen; fuji apple and cardamom spice; and lavendar and juniper berry. Glade Expressions fragrance mist is available for $4.49; refills are available for $3.49 each.

NEW YORK — A new study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology examined the possible link between pancreatic cancer and drugs designed to treat diabetes, and found the association to be unclear.

Researchers conducted a case-control study based on the British-based General Practice Research Database, which included drug prescriptions, diagnostics, hospitalizations and fatality information. The researchers also took into consideration such factors as body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption and diabetes duration.

PHILADELPHIA — People who suffer from sleep disturbances are at major risk for obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease, according to new research released Thursday from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

MINNEAPOLIS — A General Mills yogurt brand is set to launch a new line of products, according to published reports.

Yoplait is set to launch its lactose-free line of yogurt, which is said to contain 50% the daily value of calcium in every cup, 99% fat free and includes vitamins A and D, according to reports.

Yoplait lactose free will be available in four varieties in January 2012.

While medication nonadherence is a perennial problem that costs the healthcare system $290 billion per year, one of the least explored facets of it is primary nonadherence, when patients receive new prescriptions on paper or electronically and never drop them off or pick them up. But some researchers hope to change that.


BOSTON — My Girls Cream (formerly known as My Girls Radiation Cream) is now available at select pharmacies, oncology boutiques and post-surgery specialty retailers, the manufacturer announced on Wednesday.