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PHOENIX — Avella Specialty Pharmacy provided more than $7.2 million in financial assistance to patients last year, the company said Thursday.

The Phoenix-based specialty pharmacy said its representatives work with patients to secure funding to cover specialty medication costs as specialty drugs can often be too expensive, even for patients with health insurance and monthly co-pays in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — Mylan Specialty announced Thursday the introduction of a "$0 Co-Pay Offer" on a product used to treat severe allergic reactions.

The drug maker is offering a co-pay card to patients with or without insurance for the EpiPen in recognition of the 25th anniversary of its approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The co-pay card is available online at EpiPen.com, and the offer will expire on Dec. 31.

WASHINGTON — The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health heard testimony on Thursday morning from representatives of the Food and Drug Administration and several industry trade groups following the introduction of draft legislation that sponsors said would strengthen the country's pharmaceutical supply chain.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General will benefit a nonprofit outreach program focused on blood clots, the discount store chain said.

Dollar General announced it would match the $2,000 donation that NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brian Vickers made to Clot Connect. Vickers was diagnosed in early 2010 with blood clots that forced him to miss the remainder of the season and worked with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill physicians and Clot Connect to make informed decisions on his healthcare.

LANDOVER, Md. — More than half of people with nasal allergies report problems sleeping, while slightly more than a third proactively treat their symptoms, according to a new survey.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Teva Respiratory released results of the survey, showing sleeping problems among 59% of sufferers, while 48% said symptoms like congestion and sneezing interrupted a partner's sleep.

BEERSE, Belgium — Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen has launched an interactive educational website about diabetes for European healthcare professionals.

Dubbed the Janssen Diabetes Forum, the website is designed to educate users about the latest developments in the management of Type 2 diabetes. The website was launched Tuesday in Beerse, Belgium.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu posted sales of $3.89 billion and a loss of $1.41 billion in fourth quarter 2013, the company said Wednesday.

That result compared with sales of $3.98 billion and a loss of $424 million in fourth quarter 2012.

For the fiscal year, sales were $17.1 billion, compared with $17.3 billion in fiscal year 2012, while the company incurred a loss of $1.46 billion, compared with a $1.04 billion loss the year before.

WHITING, Ind. — Notice of nearby savings could bring smartphone owners into stores, according to a new survey.

CouponCabin released results of a survey Wednesday finding that 20% of smartphone owners have visited a store after receiving notification that specials, coupons or deals were available nearby. The online survey, conducted between Feb. 28 and March 4, polled 2,219 adults, including 1,096 smartphone owners.

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a second product in BD's new line of injectable drugs, the company said Tuesday.

BD Rx, the pharmaceutical arm of the medical technology manufacturer, whose name stands for Becton, Dickinson and Co., received FDA approval for metoclopramide, part of its BD Simplist line of ready-to-administer pre-filled generic injectables. The product is an antiemetic, a drug used to stop vomiting.

SHELTON, Conn. — Hawaiian Tropic has retired its Miss Hawaiian Tropic Bikini Contests and is looking for a woman who will serve as the "new face" of the brand, which is owned by Energizer Personal Care, a division of Energizer Holdings.

The brand, which has introduced new formulas and packaging, is launching the contest through Facebook, and the winner will become its new spokeswoman. The contest takes place from May 6 through May 31.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — An armed robber allegedly stole sensitive electronic information on pharmacy customers from a Kmart store in Little Rock, Ark., last month, the mass merchandise retailer said.