Content about Health & Wellness

May 14, 2013
Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy sponsors local adult-fitness event

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is among the sponsors of a fundraising effort to expand an adult-fitness program run by a Flint, Mich.-based nonprofit.

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is among the sponsors of a fundraising effort to expand an adult-fitness program run by a Flint, Mich.-based nonprofit.

May 14, 2013
NPD study: Kids, teens heaviest snackers; Women outpace men

The typical American eats more than 1,000 snack-oriented convenience foods throughout the year, and kids and teens are the heaviest users of this assortment of snacks, which includes fresh fruit, sweets and savory snacks, according to a recent study by The NPD Group, a global information company.

CHICAGO — The typical American eats more than 1,000 snack-oriented convenience foods throughout the year, and kids and teens are the heaviest users of this assortment of snacks, which includes fresh fruit, sweets and savory snacks, according to a recent study by The NPD Group, a global information company.

The study also found women eat on average 3.1 snack-oriented convenience foods a day compared to the 2.7 snacks men eat a day.

May 14, 2013
Study finds large numbers of students abuse prescription drugs to cope with stress of finals

Finals can be a stressful time for any college or graduate student, with many hours spent studying and few spent socializing or relaxing. But many students are using prescription drugs to get through finals, according to a new study.

WASHINGTON — Finals can be a stressful time for any college or graduate student, with many hours spent studying and few spent socializing or relaxing. But many students are using prescription drugs to get through finals, according to a new study.

May 13, 2013
AstraZeneca encourages asthma awareness

Drug maker AstraZeneca is encouraging patients with asthma to control their disease and learn about how it may be affecting their lives as part of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, which takes place in May.

WILMINGTON, Del. — Drug maker AstraZeneca is encouraging patients with asthma to control their disease and learn about how it may be affecting their lives as part of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, which takes place in May.

May 13, 2013
N.J. law designed to address prescription eye drop adherence

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation into law that will allow patients using prescription eye drops to get early refills in order to prevent interruptions in therapy.

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation into law Monday that will allow patients using prescription eye drops to get early refills in order to prevent interruptions in therapy.

May 10, 2013
AllerMates launches online community

AllerMates on Thursday launched an online community at AllerMates.com for parents and healthcare professionals to exchange experiences, seek advice, post recipes, get breaking news and alerts, make friends, share photos and videos, use the “ask the doctor platform” and create a strong support network of allies among others dealing with allergies and asthma.

NANUET, N.Y. — AllerMates on Thursday launched an online community at AllerMates.com for parents and healthcare professionals to exchange experiences, seek advice, post recipes, get breaking news and alerts, make friends, share photos and videos, use the “ask the doctor platform” and create a strong support network of allies among others dealing with allergies and asthma. 

May 10, 2013
Snacks often don't provide kids' nutritional needs, study finds

Kids in child care are not meeting their daily nutritional needs with the snacks they tend to eat, according to a new study.

CINCINNATI — Kids in child care are not meeting their daily nutritional needs with the snacks they tend to eat, according to a new study.

May 9, 2013
Cancer practices hit hard by sequester, study finds

Cuts to Medicare payments due to the budget sequester have hit reimbursements for cancer drugs, according to a nonprofit group.

WASHINGTON — Cuts to Medicare payments due to the budget sequester have hit reimbursements for cancer drugs, according to a nonprofit group.

May 9, 2013
DEA collects more than 740,000 pounds of unused drugs

The Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 371 tons of unused medications last month as part of its sixth annual drug take-back program, the agency said.

WASHINGTON — The Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 371 tons of unused medications last month as part of its sixth annual drug take-back program, the agency said.

May 9, 2013
New Michigan store marks major milestone for Meijer

Meijer will open its 200th store next week, the mass merchandise retailer said.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer will open its 200th store next week, the mass merchandise retailer said Thursday.

Calling the opening of the Swartz Creek, Mich., store a "milestone," the company said it will open on May 16. The store is the first of six new stores the chain plans to open this year in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.

May 9, 2013
The beauty of health and wellness

While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, this month's Patient Views seeks to better understand beauty in the eye of the patient.

While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, this month's Patient Views seeks to better understand beauty in the eye of the patient. AccentHealth viewers — 73% of which are female — were surveyed as to the relationship between health and beauty, as well as their purchasing of personal care products in the areas of hair care, body care, oral care, cosmetics and more.

May 8, 2013
Healthcare reform law provisions could affect pharmaceutical innovation, Bristol-Myers Squibb exec says

Drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb foresees significant effects on its business from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, company executives told attendees of its recent shareholder meeting.

WASHINGTON — Drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb foresees significant effects on its business from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, company executives told attendees of the its recent shareholder meeting.

May 8, 2013
New York pharmacist gives away free kids' vitamins

A pharmacist in Queens has received accolades for giving out vitamins to children whose families can't afford them.

NEW YORK — A pharmacist in Queens has received accolades for giving out vitamins to children whose families can't afford them.

New York television station NY1 earlier this year named Nina Shamayeva, owner of Austin Pharmacy in the Forest Hills neighborhood, as its "Queens Person of the Week" for her free vitamin program, whereby children younger than 12 years old can receive a free bottle of chewable vitamins each month for a year. "A lot of people cannot afford to buy vitamins for their kinds," Shamayeva said.

May 7, 2013
PrescribeWellness launches patient engagement tool through the American Pharmacy Allliance

PrescribeWellness on Tuesday announced a partnership with the American Pharmacy Alliance to provide independent retail pharmacies with a low-cost, easy-to-implement patient engagement solution.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — PrescribeWellness on Tuesday announced a partnership with the American Pharmacy Alliance to provide independent retail pharmacies with a low-cost, easy-to-implement patient engagement solution. The APA is a consortium of leading pharmacy software providers for more than 12,000 independent and small chain pharmacies in the United States.

May 7, 2013
Survey: 4-in-10 seniors concerned over Rx cost; half of those delay refills or skip doses to make do

A Walgreens survey found that 37% of Medicare Part D beneficiaries have daily concerns about their prescription drug costs, and 1-in-5 say they’ve had to make sacrifices, such as delaying filling a prescription or skipping doses, to help manage medication costs.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — A Walgreens survey released Tuesday found that 37% of Medicare Part D beneficiaries have daily concerns about their prescription drug costs, and 1-in-5 say they’ve had to make sacrifices, such as delaying filling a prescription or skipping doses, to help manage medication costs.

That's almost 11.7 million seniors. 

May 6, 2013
L'Oréal Paris teams up with Melanoma Research Alliance to battle melanoma

In recognition of "Melanoma Monday," L'Oréal Paris has released a new survey on melanoma awareness and prevention among women of all skin tones, and announced a philanthropic alliance with the Melanoma Research Alliance.

NEW YORK — In recognition of "Melanoma Monday," L'Oréal Paris has released a new survey on melanoma awareness and prevention among women of all skin tones, and announced a philanthropic alliance with the Melanoma Research Alliance.

May 6, 2013
Pregnant women shouldn't use valproate drugs to prevent migraines, FDA warns

Pregnant women should not use migraine-prevention medications containing valproate sodium due to a higher risk of decreased IQ scores in children, the Food and Drug Administration warned.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Pregnant women should not use migraine-prevention medications containing valproate sodium due to a higher risk of decreased IQ scores in children, the Food and Drug Administration warned Monday.

In addition to being used to prevent migraines, valproate drugs are used for treating epilepsy and bipolar disorder and include related drugs such as divalproex sodium and valproic acid. Most are available in generic form as well as under brand names like AbbVie's Depacon and Depakote and others.

May 6, 2013
Rite Aid to launch sixth annual Healthy Skin Tour

Rite Aid is sending out a customized 38-ft. van to 50 stores around the country as part of a campaign to promote skin care.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is sending out a customized 38-ft. van to 50 stores around the country as part of a campaign to promote skin care.

The retail pharmacy chain announced Monday the start of the Road to Healthy Skin Tour, which it is sponsoring on behalf of the Skin Cancer Foundation to coincide with Skin Cancer Awareness Month. The tour is in its sixth year and will visit Rite Aid stores in the Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

May 6, 2013
Sam's Club offers skin, weight, stress screenings

Sam's Club is offering free skin and weight screenings during the weekend, the club retailer said Monday.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is offering free skin and weight screenings during the weekend, the club retailer said Monday.

Sam's Club said all of its stores that operate pharmacies would offer the screenings, as well as screenings for the effects of stress on both, on Saturday. The screenings include body mass index, blood tests for the stress hormone cortisol, weight, height, blood pressure and vision. The stores also will give away certificates for free samples of the probiotic supplement Align.

May 3, 2013
Higher rate of pelvic pain found among women taking low-dose estrogen oral contraceptives

Women who take low-dose oral contraceptives may be at increased risk of chronic pelvic-pain symptoms and pain during sexual climax, according to a new study.

SAN DIEGO — Women who take low-dose oral contraceptives may be at increased risk of chronic pelvic-pain symptoms and pain during sexual climax, according to a new study.

The study, scheduled for presentation to reporters at the American Urological Association's annual scientific meeting in San Diego on Tuesday, was conducted by researchers at New York University and the Waitemata District Health Board in Auckland, New Zealand, compared CPPS in young women who used oral contraceptives with the condition in those who didn't.

May 3, 2013
Study finds testicular cancer rates on the rise among males aged 15-34

Rates of testicular cancer among young men have risen significantly over the last two decades across racial and ethnic groups, according to a new study, and researchers are wondering what accounts for it.

SAN DIEGO — Rates of testicular cancer among young men have risen significantly over the last two decades across racial and ethnic groups, according to a new study, and researchers are wondering what accounts for it.

May 2, 2013
Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim launch educational program for healthcare professionals

Drug makers Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly have started a campaign designed to educate healthcare professionals about the role a type of protein plays in maintaining blood-sugar balance.

INDIANAPOLIS — Drug makers Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly have started a campaign designed to educate healthcare professionals about the role a type of protein plays in maintaining blood-sugar balance.

BI and Lilly created the website sglt.com to inform users about the role of sodium glucose co-transporters. The program also includes a video, Glucose Perspectives, in the form of a sketch animation by the United Kingdom's Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

May 2, 2013
More than 80% of mothers regularly experience pain, survey finds

The vast majority of mothers experience pain throughout their bodies, according to a new survey.

STERLING, Ill. — The vast majority of mothers experience pain throughout their bodies, according to a new survey.

The survey, commissioned by electric massager maker Wahl Clipper Corp. and conducted by Harris Interactive, found that 84% of mothers experience pain. This includes 80% who experience lower back pain, 76% with shoulder and neck pain, 70% with upper back pain and 65% with joint pain. The survey included 2,000 men and women, including 300 mothers with children younger than 18, who were asked about their pain and how they cope with it.

May 2, 2013
RxResults picks Mirixa for MTM program

A company that manages pharmacy services for employer groups and health plans has selected a company founded by the National Community Pharmacists Association for its medication therapy management services.

RESTON, Va. — A company that manages pharmacy services for employer groups and health plans has selected a company founded by the National Community Pharmacists Association for its medication therapy management services.

RxResults said it had chosen Mirixa Corp.'s MirixaPro platform to administer MTM services for members of its employer groups. The services will include a person-to-person comprehensive medication review and quarterly interactive follow-up medication reviews delivered by a pharmacist using the platform.

May 1, 2013
PharmaSmart deploys kiosks in all Kinney Drugs stores

PharmaSmart International's blood-pressure screening program is in use in all the stores of a regional retail pharmacy chain in the Northeast.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — PharmaSmart International's blood-pressure screening program is in use in all the stores of a regional retail pharmacy chain in the Northeast.

PharmaSmart said it had deployed the peer-reviewed and clinically validated program at Kinney Drugs, which operates 97 stores in upstate New York and Vermont.