Generics

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Humana will offer Medicare Part D beneficiaries a prescription drug plan co-branded with Wal-Mart Stores, the two companies said Monday.

The plan, originally launched in 2010, will be launched again for 2012 and will include savings on monthly plan premiums, prescription drug copayments and cost-shares for beneficiaries.

BETHESDA, Md. — Coventry Health Care on Saturday announced that it has partnered with Walgreens, Walmart and Target for 2012 to offer a Medicare prescription drug plan known as First Health Value Plus.

As Coventry’s newest Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, First Health Value Plus is the lowest premium, zero-dollar deductible Part D plan in the United States, the company stated.

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday launched a new effort to address childhood obesity using successful elements of both primary care and public health. As much as $25 million in funding made available through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will support a four-year Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project. The project will build on existing community efforts and will work to identify effective healthcare and community strategies to support children’s healthy eating and active living, and help combat childhood obesity.

WASHINGTON — The American Pharmacists Association is marking Pain Awareness Month by encouraging patients to talk with their pharmacists about pain and pain medications they're taking.

According to a recent report by the Institute of Medicine, more than 116 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, which costs the country up to $635 billion per year.

NEW YORK — Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized $5.6 million worth of illegal pharmaceutical products, a 170% increase over 2005. Meanwhile, global sales of counterfeit medicines were estimated to be more than $75 billion last year, 90% more than in 2005.

In response, Pfizer and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy announced Thursday the launch of an effort to educate patients on how to safely buy medicines online and about the risks of counterfeit drugs.

NEW YORK — Supermarket pharmacies could see a slight rise in gross profits next year as branded drugs lose patent protection and go generic, according to a new report by Moody's Investors Service.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Sagent Pharmaceuticals has launched its new chemotherapy drug.

Sagent sent that its paclitaxel injection USP is available in 30-mg, 100-mg and 300-mg latex-free, multi-dose vials. Paclitaxel is indicated for use alone or with other drugs to treat ovarian cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, Sagent said.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Intensive control of blood-sugar levels beyond standard targets provides no additional protection against cognitive decline in older people with diabetes than standard treatment, according to a national study coordinated by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center that was published online in the The Lancet Neurology.