Diabetes

WASHINGTON — More than 800 drugs are in development for diseases that affect women, according to a pharmaceutical industry lobbying group.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has announced that it was selected as 1-of-20 finalists for the 2011 URAC Awards for Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection.

The accreditation organization will honor the finalists during the URAC 12th Annual Quality Summit on Oct. 4 to 6 in Chicago.

WASHINGTON — The National Consumers League and the U.S. surgeon general are launching a new campaign to educate patients about the risks of not properly taking their medications, the organization said.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark’s annual meeting of stockholders held Wednesday morning was an emotional and momentous occasion for the company as it marked the official retirement of Tom Ryan, former chairman and CEO, and the beginning of a new chapter as Larry Merlo takes the reigns as CEO.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The blood test recommended for detecting Type 2 diabetes in overweight children may not be enough, and they may need two different tests to diagnose the disease, according to research conducted at Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo.

The researchers found that the hemoglobin A1C test missed more than two-thirds of diabetes cases in children at high risk for the condition, but they found that performing that test along with the oral glucose tolerance test dramatically could lower the risk of delayed diagnosis in overweight children.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark is “off to a good start” in 2011 as first-quarter results registered slightly above guidance for both the retail and PBM businesses, and the retail segment continues to gain share. But what president and CEO Larry Merlo wanted to clarify straight away during Thursday morning’s conference was the company’s commitment to its PBM division, and he outlined its plan to further improve PBM performance.

WASHINGTON — With the number of Americans with diabetes set to rise to 50 million by 2025, educating people is one of the most important steps for heading off the epidemic.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for Type 2 diabetes, the agency said Monday.

The FDA announced the approval of Tradjenta (linagliptin), made by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim.

“This approval provides another treatment option for the millions of Americans with Type 2 diabetes,” FDA Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products director Mary Parks said. “It is effective when used alone or when added to existing treatment regimens.”