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SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration's director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Janet Woodcock, on Thursday identified three tools the agency wanted to use in potentially increasing access to appropriate medicines in her opening remarks at the FDA Rx-to-OTC Switch Hearing held here.

CLICHY, France — French beauty brand L'Oréal has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a business ethics think tank, as one of its 2012 "World's Most Ethical Companies." This marks the third time that L'Oréal has been recognized for promoting the highest of ethical standards.

WESTLAKE, Texas — Healthcare supply chain software developer Supplylogix has appointed a former Safeway executive as its director of product development.

Supplylogix announced the hiring of Glen Davis, saying he would help expand the company's suite of products that pharmacies and other healthcare providers use to improve supply chain performance.

WASHINGTON — The country's largest organization that certifies pharmacy technicians has a new leader.

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board announced Thursday the selection of retired Air Force colonel Everett McAllister as its new executive director and CEO, replacing interim executive director William Schimmel, who will return to his role of associate director.

After strong growth, the cereal/granola bar category is showing slower growth. A report on “Food Bars in the U.S.” by Packaged Facts estimated U.S. sales of 
cereal/granola bars at $3.1 billion in 2011, with flat sales for the overall category, despite some growth in premium granola bars. Experian Simmons data showed that 40% of adults use cereal/granola bar products overall, said David Sprinkle, research director at Packaged Facts.

SUPPLIER NEWS — Jelly Belly 
is expanding its Chocolate Dips line to include a new sweet flavor. The company said its strawberry flavor will be available in a 2.8-oz. bag. The family of Jelly Bean Chocolate Dips also includes coconut, mint, orange, raspberry and Very Cherry flavors.


ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Several Congress leaders last week penned a letter to the Department of Defense's Director of Tricare Management Activity warning of potential cost increases should the proposed merger between pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Medco Health clear regulatory hurdles.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Clif on Tuesday announced a flavor line extension — iced oatmeal cookie — for its Clif Kid Zbar brand.

“In a recent nationwide survey, Clif Kid learned that 75% of parents believe it’s actually harder to feed their kids healthy snacks than healthy meals,” stated Jennifer Yun, brand director for Clif Kid. “As parents, we know it’s helpful to keep healthier lunchbox snacks interesting.”

PHILADELPHIA — People who suffer from sleep disturbances are at major risk for obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease, according to new research released Thursday from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

BOSTON — Nicotine replacement therapies designed to help people stop smoking, specifically nicotine patches and nicotine gum, do not appear to be effective in helping smokers quit long-term, even when combined with smoking-cessation counseling, according to a new survey by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Massachusetts Boston posted in an advance online edition of Tobacco Control Monday.

The National Community Pharmacists Association recently unleashed a new front-end program that has seen more than 20% growth in test pilots. 
Driving that program is 35-year retail veteran Gabe Trahan, NCPA senior director of store operations and marketing. Drug Store News caught up with Trahan to discuss the kinds of tools that can be 
accessed as part of the new program. 


DSN: What are the primary elements?


SAN FRANCISCO — A new survey conducted by Visa revealed that 77% of consumers still need to buy holiday gifts this week. These last-minute shoppers will spend an average of $278 in the final days leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah.