| Wednesday, March 10, 2010 |
 |
Take Care to implement Greenway's PrimeSuite in worksite health centers
CARROLLTON, Ga. (Mar. 5) Greenway Medical Technologies, a provider of electronic health records, ambulatory health care and clinical research business solutions and services, will supply its integrated EHR and interoperability solution to Take Care Health Employer Solutions, which builds and operates workplace-based health centers.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
APhA recognizes Touro College with immunization award
NEW YORK (Mar. 4) The American Pharmacist Association has given its Immunization Champion Award to a school of pharmacy in New York City.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
FDA survey notes increased awareness of diet, heart disease link
SILVER SPRING, Md. (Mar. 3) Consumers who often read food labels are increasingly aware of the link between diet and heart disease, according to the Food and Drug Administration's recent Health and Diet Survey.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Lowe’s launches mobile health screening tour for employees
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Mar. 3) Lowe’s is offering on-site health screenings for its employees through its Lowe’s Life Track health-and-wellness program. On March 1, two mobile health units began traveling across the country to provide more than 70,000 Lowe’s employees with free basic health screenings and guidance about how to improve and maintain their health.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
The Little Clinic kicks off 2010 free screenings program
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (Mar. 1) The Little Clinic, which currently manages clinics in 11 states, has announced the launch of its 2010 Free Screenings and Health Education Program.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Integrating health solutions for payers, Walgreens unifies pharmacy, wellness, led by Crawford
DEERFIELD, Ill. (Mar. 1) Walgreens’ long campaign to overhaul and integrate its pharmacy and clinical health components culminated Monday in the company’s announcement that it had restructured its healthcare divisions to create a unified pharmacy, health and wellness solution. That solution, Walgreens reported, is tailored to meet the needs of employers, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and government clients searching for more cost-effective care for their health plan members.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Drug store pharmacists want in on vaccine game
CHICAGO (Mar. 1) Prompted by fear of a severe outbreak of H1N1, Illinois health officials, along with other states, temporarily allowed pharmacists to administer vaccine shots to children ages 9 years old. Now, drug stores are looking to get rid of the age restrictions altogether.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
CDC panel expands influenza vaccination recommendations
ATLANTA (Feb. 26) A panel of immunization experts reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday voted to expand the recommendation for annual influenza vaccination to include all people ages 6 months and older, a marked change from recommendations in the past that identified high-priority groups by age and condition, groups that apply to approximately 85% of the population.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
CDC, Arthritis Foundation seek to raise awareness about osteoarthritis
WASHINGTON (Feb. 25) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arthritis Foundation in early February announced a major initiative to dramatically reduce the impact of osteoarthritis on Americans. In conjunction with the announcement, the Arthritis Foundation and the Ad Council are unveiling a national public awareness campaign in response to the recommendations outlined in the action plan, "A National Public Health Agenda for Osteoarthritis."
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Study finds Ulesfia effectively kills head lice
HOBOKEN, N.J. (Feb. 24) A new non-neurotoxic treatment for head lice has been found to have an average of 91.2% treatment success rate after one week, and to be safe in humans from 6 months of age and up, according to a study published in the latest issue of Pediatric Dermatology.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
WomenHeart, Colgate Total toothpaste launch Heartwarming Smiles campaign
WASHINGTON (Feb. 24) In recognition of American Heart Month, a national coalition for women with heart disease and a toothpaste brand have launched a campaign to help educate women throughout the United States about the impact proper oral care can have on their heart health.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
FDA recommends H1N1 vaccine is included with next year's inoculation
ROCKVILLE, Md. (Feb. 23) The Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on Monday recommended that protection against the 2009 H1N1 virus, which was first identified last April, be included in the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine starting this fall.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
N.Y. HearUSA centers to offer free hearing screening, diabetes video
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 23) A leader in hearing care is offering patients free hearing-loss screenings, along with a free 80-minute "Living With Diabetes" video, produced by the American Diabetes Association, during the month of March.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
FDA approves Menveo
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Feb. 22) Novartis has received Food and Drug Administration approval for a vaccine for meningococcal disease, the Swiss drug maker’s vaccines division announced Monday.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
GSK responds to FDA's labeling recommendations for asthma drugs
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (Feb. 19) British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline issued a response to new labeling requirements proposed by the Food and Drug Administration for a class of asthma drugs that an analysis by the agency indicated may lead to an increased risk of hospitalization or death among patients.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Merck accepting orders for seasonal flu vaccine from healthcare providers
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (Feb. 18) Merck is allowing healthcare providers to pre-order the flu vaccine Afluria (influenza virus vaccine) for the 2010-2011 flu season, the drug maker said Thursday.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Walgreens named 'innovative healthcare company' by magazine
DEERFIELD, Ill. (Feb. 18) Fast Company magazine ranked one of the nation's largest drug store chains among the most innovative companies in the healthcare industry.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Merck: Gardasil may prevent anal warts, cancer in men
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (Feb. 18) A vaccine made by Merck for preventing human papillomavirus works for preventing anal warts and cancer in men who have sex with men ages 16 to 26 years, according to results of a phase-3 trial announced Wednesday.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
CDC: Flu-like illnesses driven by three U.S. regions, but numbers remain low
ATLANTA (Feb. 18) For the week ended Feb. 6, visits to doctors for influenza-like illness nationally increased slightly over the week before but remained low overall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Feb. 14.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
FDA warns patients about asthma drug risks
ROCKVILLE, Md. (Feb. 18) Drugs belonging to the class called long-acting beta agonists should never be used alone for treating asthma in patients and should be combined with other asthma drugs, according to a new warning by the Food and Drug Administration, which is requiring that pharmaceutical manufacturers add the warning to the drugs’ product labels.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
Duane Reade opens fifth walk-in medical clinic in New York
NEW YORK (Feb. 17) A new walk-in clinic at a Duane Reade store in Chelsea officially opened on Wednesday, making it the fifth Duane Reade location with "Doctor on Premises" walk-in medical care.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
CVS Caremark, Polk County partnership demonstrates role of pharmacist intervention in improving diabetes outcomes
WOONSOCKET, R.I (Feb. 16) Diabetes patients who participated in a special disease management program implemented by CVS Caremark experienced significant improvements in key clinical measurements, including decreased HbA1c — a critical measurement of blood sugar levels — and lower blood pressure levels, after one year. The results — part of a case study, conducted by CVS Caremark in conjunction with Polk County, Fla. — were published in the current issue of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers projects expansion of retail clinics, offerings
NEW YORK (Feb. 11) Traditional care delivery models will continue to give way to alternative care delivery models, such as retail-based health clinics and work-site clinics, as the healthcare system continues to battle rising costs and capacity, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ list of health industry issues for 2010.
| |  |
|
 |
 |
'Life...supplemented' hopes to make consumers wiser about health
WASHINGTON (Feb. 11) Nearly half of Americans want to be healthier and have good intentions, but just don't know where to start, according to a recent study by the "Life...supplemented" consumer wellness initiative.
| |  |
|
 |
 |