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NEW YORK — A study conducted by the University of Alberta found that women with Type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

PHILADELPHIA — Shoplifting, employee or supplier fraud, organized retail crime and administrative errors cost the retail industry $41.7 billion in the United States in 2011, representing 1.6% in sales, according to the Global Retail Theft Barometer released Tuesday by Checkpoint Systems. Of that, $18.4 billion was attributed to employee theft, $14.9 billion to shoplifters, $6.6 billion to internal error and $1.8 billion to suppliers.

Patients with one or more of four chronic diseases who take their medications as prescribed may save the healthcare system as much as $7,800 per patient annually, according to the findings of a CVS Caremark study analyzing annual pharmacy and medical costs over a three-year period.


NEW YORK — A study published in the Sept. 20 issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found a link between diabetes and the development of dementia.

PITTSBURGH — GNC on Monday named Nora Tobin — competitive beach volleyball athlete, National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified professional trainer, yoga instructor and upcoming author — to the specialty retailer's GNC LiveWell team as its newest brand ambassador.

SKILLMAN, N.J. — McNeil Consumer on Tuesday announced a partnership with 12-time Olympic medalist, best-selling author and mother Dara Torres, who will serve as a brand ambassador for the external analgesic Bengay.

In that capacity, Torres also assisted in the launch of the brand's latest innovation, Bengay Cold Therapy, which uses the pain-relieving power of menthol and the cooling benefits of Pro-Cool technology to alleviate minor aches and pains.

NEW YORK — A drug designed to boost high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels also may improve blood-sugar control for diabetics, according to a new analysis of a discontinued study.

Australian researchers found that torcetrapib, a cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor, could improve HDL or "good" cholesterol levels while improving blood-sugar control among diabetics.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A popular Type 2 diabetes treatment may help Type 1 diabetics achieve control of their blood-glucose levels, according to a small, observational study conducted at the University of Buffalo.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Louisiana State Senate passed legislation that would expand the authority given to pharmacists to administer immunizations.

State Sen. Fred Mills Jr., R-22, who serves on the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, is the author of SB 60, which would expand pharmacists' authority to provide immunizations to Louisianans ages 18 years and older against pneumonia, shingles, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis without a prescription.

NEW YORK — Patients that have been handling their diabetes for a long time are less likely to experience complications, according to a new study conducted by Joslin Diabetes Center researchers.

Among 351 participants in the "Joslin 50-Year Medalist Study," researchers found that among veteran Type 1 diabetics — who have been living with the condition for 50 years or more — 43% were free from advanced diabetic eye complications, while 87% were free from kidney disease, 39% were free from nerve disease and 52% were free from cardiovascular disease.

NEW YORK — The share of private-label brands and products will double to 50% by 2025, thanks to a continued emphasis made by retailers.

In a new report released by Rabobank's Food and Agribusiness Research division, author Sebastiaan Schreijen noted that national brands and smaller, secondary brands (referred to as "A" and "B" brands, respectively) will prompt an intense price competition and therefore will cause the private-label market to become chock-full of higher-quality "B"-brand products at lower prices.