WASHINGTON (Feb. 5) More than 30% of seniors in 36 states had not received vaccinations for pneumonia in 2008, despite recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a new report.

CLEVELAND (Feb. 5) According to a review of BIGresearch’s December 2009 "Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey" by WorkPlace Media, the recession economy is pressuring employees to work and perform through any upper respiratory illness during this year’s cough-cold season.

SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 5) A low-cost, nonprofit clinic located here recently celebrated its grand opening and is targeting uninsured working people and their families.

CHICAGO (Feb. 4) Talk show guru Oprah Winfrey is hoping to shed some light on a rising epidemic among Americans: diabetes.

SAN DIEGO (Feb. 3) BD Diagnostics, a segment of Becton, Dickinson and Co., on Wednesday launched its "Be a Flu Fighter" initiative, a program aimed at increasing awareness and preventing influenza.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Feb. 3) A new survey conducted by the University of Michigan Medical School revealed that diabetes patients and their doctors do not necessarily see eye-to-eye when it comes to health concerns.

PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 2) Future ex-smokers who utilize a nicotine-patch therapy longer may be less likely to relapse, according to a study published in Tuesday’s edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine, a journal of the American College of Physicians.

ATLANTA (Feb. 1) The flu news coming out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week is that there is no flu news to speak of, at least relative to flu seasons past.

TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 29) Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida opened here this month a walk-in retail location across from WestShore Plaza shopping mall that could serve as a prototype for future BCBS locations, according to a local news report.

ST. LOUIS (Jan. 27) A pharmacy benefit manager is gearing up to create a new independent, nonprofit charitable organization to improve access to prescription medicines for low-income, uninsured Americans and working families.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (Jan. 26) Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens, has contracted with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida to cover services for members at all Take Care Clinics in the state of Florida.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Jan. 26) Senate Finance Committee chair Max Baucus, D-Mont., and ranking member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, have sent a letter to Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius urging “administrative discretion” in the enforcement of the Medicare Part B durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies accreditation requirement for pharmacies.

ELMSFORD, N.Y. (Jan. 25) BioScrip will acquire a home infusion services provider that specializes in chronic and acute medical conditions, the specialty pharmacy company announced Monday.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Jan. 25) Providing grants to offset implementation and transaction fee costs and making two-way communication between prescribers and pharmacists easier were two suggestions for improvements to electronic prescribing that the National Community Pharmacists Association had for an e-prescribing committee Monday.

CAMP HILL, Pa. (Jan. 25) Rite Aid on Monday announced that it again is supporting the American Heart Association’s "Go Red For Women" movement by providing free heart health guides in all of its stores nationwide now through March and online at RiteAid.com/health/.

ROCKLEDGE, Fla. (Jan. 22) Wuesthoff Health System has partnered with Walmart to open several in-store health clinics in Florida.

EUGENE, Ore. (Jan. 22) Cascade Health Solutions, a local nonprofit healthcare provider, is opening here on Feb. 1 a membership-based primary care clinic that will be staffed by a full-time nurse practitioner to treat members.

PITTSBURGH (Jan. 22) The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Friday reported on a new health-and-wellness pilot taking place at Pittsburgh’s hometown grocer Giant Eagle — a-pharmacy-by-the-grocer concept featuring a wider selection of dietary supplements, a premium cosmetics counter and a pharmacy outfitted with a drive-through window within a 10,000-sq.-ft. box. In addition to the pharmacist, the new areas will field a dietitian, who will offer a host of on-site classes on food preparation and dieting tips, and a licensed skin specialist.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Jan. 22) HealthRight Products earlier this month introduced its patented Breathe Clear nasal strips as an improvement to the existing forms of nasal strips currently on the market. The new strips employ a patented Dual Lift Dual Flex technology that allows users to place each side of the strip independently, accommodating a variety of nose shapes including wider, broader nose bridges.

CINCINNATI (Jan. 21) Healthy Advice Networks, a provider of physician office-based, patient-education programs, earlier this week announced a partnership with the Consumer Healthcare Products Association to deliver a public service announcement to remind parents about the safe use of children's over-the-counter cough-cold remedies.

SILVER SPRING, Md. (Jan. 18) Healthcare professionals got a big “thank you” from the head of the Food and Drug Administration.

WASHINGTON (Jan. 15) A recent report by the National Center for Policy Analysis, a nonprofit public policy research organization, underscored the importance of retail-based health clinics and stated that the number of clinics is likely to grow to 3,200 by 2014.

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. (Jan. 15) McNeil Consumer Healthcare on Friday announced a voluntary recall of certain lots of over-the-counter products in the Americas, the United Arab Emirates and Fiji.

SAN FRANCISCO (Jan. 14) HealthyPharmacies.org announced Thursday a series of store-of-the-future-type pilot programs that will be showcased here beginning this summer. The new nonprofit is working to design and build turnkey wellness centers in retail pharmacy locations.