Content about Health

ALEXANDRIA, Va. Budget cuts in Washington state to its Medicaid programs have created a “perilous situation” for retail pharmacies and their patients, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores warned on Wednesday, and could “pose danger as a precedent for other states across the nation as well,” according to the group.

NEW YORK According to a recently published Dow Jones report, state-funded tobacco-prevention programs quickly are becoming the latest casualty of constricting state budgets, prompting concern among public health groups around the nation's progress toward getting adult smokers to quit.

The number of adults who smoke has remained relatively steady since 2004 — 20.6% of the population were smokers in 2009.

CAMP HILL, Pa. Rite Aid on Wednesday announced its pharmacists have been prepared to assist seniors during the 2011 Medicare Part D open enrollment period. With the first of the baby boomers officially turning 65 years old in 2011, more seniors are expected to hit drug stores looking for information about Part D options and open enrollment.

Open enrollment begins on Nov. 15.

SAN DIEGO Two drug makers conducting a late-stage clinical trial of a drug for treating overweight and obese patients said the drug produced significant weight loss in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Arena Pharmaceuticals and Eisai reported results of the one-year “BLOOM-DM” phase-3 trial of the drug lorcaserin, showing that a significant number of patients lost 5% to 10% of their weight by the end of the trial. Patients taking the drug also showed improvements in blood sugar levels, compared with those taking placebo.

NEW YORK Citi on Tuesday announced the launch of the Citi Flu Care card, a new corporate healthcare payment solution from Citi's Global Transaction Services. The Citi Flu Care card is a payment service designed to help employers reduce employee healthcare spending by shifting the administration of flu shots from doctors' offices or on-site clinics to more cost-effective pharmacy locations.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. The National Community Pharmacists Association Tuesday unveiled its complete list of newly installed officers and executive committee members for 2010-2011. All are practicing pharmacists who will serve one-year terms.

The independent pharmacy group tapped the new slate of leaders at its 112th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition, held Oct. 23 to 27 in Philadelphia.

NEW YORK While many consumers claim to have adjusted their diets to include more healthy foods and beverages, new data suggested that there may be a disparity between what is considered "good" by consumers and by experts.

Anew poll by Harris Interactive, conducted between Sept. 14 and 20 among 2,620 adults, found that the majority of all adults claimed that they:

WASHINGTON According to a study published in the November edition of Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, taking docosahexaenoic acid may improve memory and learning in older adults with mild cognitive impairments. The study found that DHA taken for six months improved memory and learning in healthy, older adults with mild memory complaints.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario A new study conducted by University of Toronto researchers found that GLP-1 analogues not only help to lower blood-glucose levels, but also have the added benefit of reducing body mass index and waist circumference.

WASHINGTON Under the Affordable Care Act, the average savings for those enrolled in traditional Medicare is expected to amount to more than $3,500 over the next 10 years — and will be even higher for seniors and people with diabetes who have high drug costs — according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.