Content about Mississippi

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Top Five Labs on Monday announced its intent to expand distribution of its XRP Energy product — endorsed by former National Football League quarterback Brett Favre — nationwide after a successful test launch in select convenience stores and marts throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target announced its donation of funds and product to support tornado relief efforts.

NEW YORK — Laura Geller, whose beauty products are sold at Ulta and Macy's Impulse locations, has partnered with Race to Erase MS and the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis to help raise awareness and funds for those afflicted with MS by creating a limited-edition Bring on the Bronze beauty kit.

The Bring on the Bronze kit is part of the "Orange Campaign" that the Nancy Davis Foundation is spearheading to raise awareness and funds for those with MS.

The Obama administration on the official White House website identifies “5 Important Numbers on Health Reform.” These include:

• Zero. The amount consumers would have to pay for premiums, co-insurance or co-payments on any preventive services;

• Fifty. The number of states that now offer insurance options to all people, regardless of any pre-existing conditions;

• One million. The number of doughnut-hole rebate checks mailed to seniors under Part D as of August 2010;

NEW YORK — Bills introduced in the legislatures of nearly a dozen states have pharmacy benefit managers and the generic drug industry fearing that the bills could lead to limits on doctors’ abilities to prescribe generics through e-prescribing.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, the main lobby for PBMs, said the bills would prohibit doctors from seeing lower-cost drug options, including generics and preferred brands; would prevent the e-prescribing software from showing safety information; and would disallow lower-cost pharmacy options.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The battle for the prescription status of methamphetamine precursor/popular cough-cold ingredient pseudoephedrine now is heating up in Kentucky, just a few days following a Nevada news report that suggested the state will be considering PSE prescription-only requirements just as soon as a bill is introduced by Nevada Sen. Sheila Leslie, D-Reno.

AKRON, Ohio — Hygenic/Performance Health, makers of Perform and Biofreeze pain relievers, donated Perform pain reliever product samples and coupons in support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society 2011 Run to Stop MS, MS Walks and MS Bike events.

LAKE MARY, Fla. — The Accreditation Commission for Health Care has accredited specialty pharmacy provider Axium Healthcare Pharmacy, Axium said Tuesday.

SILVER SPRING, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug for reducing relapses in patients with multiple sclerosis.

The FDA announced Wednesday the approval of Swiss drug maker Novartis’ Gilenia (fingolimod) capsules, saying it was the first oral drug that can slow the progression of disability in patients with MS and offered an alternative to injected drugs.

Around 400,000 people in the United States and 2.1 million worldwide have MS, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT This year's third annual Retail Clinician Education Congress, hosted by Retail Clinician magazine in conjunction with the Convenient Care Association, was pivotal, as the event attracted nearly 500 nurse practitioners and was held during the first official National Convention Care Clinic Week, which was created to support the goals and ideals of raising awareness for the need of accessible, cost-effective, quality healthcare options in the United States. To top it off, Lt. Col. Corina M. Barrow, Army Nurse Corps, Nurse Corps Detailee for Sen.