Content about Studies and Surveys

NEW YORK — According to a study by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, text-message reminders do not increase the likelihood an expecting mother will receive a flu shot, Reuters reported this week.

WASHINGTON — According to the new report “An In-Depth Look at Keeping Young Children Safe Around Medicines,” released last week by Safe Kids Worldwide, 7-of-10 emergency department visits for medicine poisonings are due to curious young children getting into their grandparent’s or mother’s medicine that was left within reach.

ATLANTA — An early look at this season’s reports indicates that about 90% of flu-related pediatric deaths occurred in children who had not received a flu vaccination this season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. 

The number of influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported to the CDC during the current season surpassed 100 as an additional 6 deaths were reported in FluView last week. To date, this brings the total number of influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported to the CDC to 105 for the 2012-2013 season.

BAGSVÆRD, Denmark — A drug made by Novo Nordisk for Type 2 diabetes produced a 6% loss of weight in a trial of the drug in obese patients, the company said.

The Danish drug maker announced results of a 56-week phase-3 trial to investigate the potential of Victoza (liraglutide) to produce and maintain weight loss in overweight and obese patients with Type 2 diabetes.

ATLANTA — Norovirus has emerged as the leading cause of gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach and intestines — in children younger than 5 years, according to a new study.

WASHINGTON — The American Cleaning Institute, in conjunction with Echo Research, conducted a survey of 1,777 Americans and found most respondents are spending less on cleaning products due to economic factors.

NEW YORK — Rebates on healthy foods may lead patients to purchase them more frequently, according to a new study by researchers in South Africa.

The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, examined a program offered by Discovery, South Africa's largest health plan. The HealthyFood program provides a cash-back rebate of up to 25% on healthy food purchases in more than 400 designated supermarkets around the country.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — PharmaSmart International’s comprehensive blood pressure program has recently been validated in two new, independent scientific studies, the company announced today. The company also announced a partnership with Rx-30 Pharmacy System that offers an automated clinical integration of validated PharmaSmart biometrics within the patient record.

WASHINGTON — Retail sales for the month of February rose by 1.1% seasonally adjusted month to month, according to figures released Wednesday by the Department of Commerce.

The newly released figures include nongeneral merchandise categories, such as automobiles, gas stations and restaurants; excluding those, sales rose 0.7%, while rising 0.5% unadjusted year over year. The National Retail Federation noted that sales beat estimates as consumers adapted and adjusted spending in response to higher gas prices and the payroll tax increase.

NEW YORK — A new hybrid grapefruit removes the chemicals that interact with dozens of drugs and have led many to stop eating the fruit, according to published reports.

Reuters reported that Florida researchers had created a grapefruit, called UF914, that mostly removes chemicals known as furanocoumarins, which can interact with more than 80 drugs, including causing serious side effects in patients taking 43 notably statin drugs for cholesterol.

WASHINGTON — Nearly 1,000 biotech drugs and vaccines for more than 100 diseases are currently under development, according to a new report.

BERLIN — The global market for mobile health app services is expected to reach $26 billion by 2017 as smartphone applications allow the mhealth industry to successfully monetize its services, according to a new report.

Global Mobile Health Market Report 2013-2017, announced Friday by Berlin-based mobile market research firm Research2guidance, found that top mhealth publishers manage to generate more than 3 million free and 300,000 paid downloads in the United States on the Apple iOS platform.