HEALTH

CDC: National ILI incidence drops slightly in fifth week of season
ATLANTA — Has the 2016-2017 influenza season already peaked?

A little more five weeks into the season, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported the national weighted average of patient visits for influenza-like illness for the week ended Jan. 7 dropped slightly from 3.3% to 3.2%. For the last 15 seasons, the average duration of a flu season has been 13 weeks, the CDC reported.
New ColdSense app from makers of Zicam sniffs out risk of catching cold
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Matrixx Initiatives on Tuesday launched ColdSense,an iPhone app designed to help evaluate a user's potential exposure to the common cold. The app utilizes smartphone sensors to actively listen for coughs and sneezes around a user to determine potential risk of exposure, and combines this with multiple other indicators to create a constantly updating personalized risk profile.

GMDC names 10 industry leaders to board of directors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Global Market Development Center on Thursday announced its 2017 board of directors – which is comprised of industry leaders who advance the association’s mission to inspire trading partners to connect, collaborate and create innovative growth in the general merchandise and health beauty wellness industries.
White paper: Diabetes diagnoses doubles across pediatric population

NEW YORK — Private health insurance claim lines with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis more than doubled in the pediatric population (ages 0 to 22 years) from 2011 to 2015, increasing 109%, according to data from FAIR Health, a national, independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information.
Stanford U: Wearables of the future will be used as early warning system

STANFORD, Calif. — The future of wearables may not only be in self-care, where users collect health data points to help guide their lifestyle choices, but also as a diagnostic tool to diagnose disease earlier in its cycle, according to a study released by Stanford University School of Medicine Thursday.

Wearable sensors that monitor heart rate, activity, skin temperature and other variables can reveal a lot about what is going on inside a person, including the onset of infection, inflammation and even insulin resistance, according the researchers.
Dexcom Glucose Monitoring System classified as ‘therapeutic’ by CMS

SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services classified Dexcom’s G5 Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring system as “therapeutic,” meaning treatment decisions can be made using the device.

According to Dexcom, it is the only continuous glucose monitoring system that falls under this designation.
Following Rite Aid deal, Walgreens will focus on patient care and beauty

SAN FRANCISCO — Two things will happen when, as many reports are suggesting, the merger between Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid is approved within the next week. Walgreens will bring to bear an augmented value to its health partners through a significantly greater market penetration. And that same national market heft will benefit the Chicagoland retailer as it breathes a little pizzazz back into its beauty offerings.
GNC, Walmart founding members of Supplement Safety and Compliance Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Natural Products Association on Wednesday formed the Supplement Safety and Compliance Initiative, bringing together some of the largest retailers of natural products and supplements, including GNC and Walmart, on self-regulating the sale of VMS products.
Walgreens Flu Index captures budding flu season by market

DEERFIELD, Ill. — The latest Walgreens Flu Index issued Thursday recorded sharp upticks in several U.S. markets, including those markets in Utah, Mississippi, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Nielsen expands Connected Partner Program

NEW YORK — Since the inaugural launch of the Nielsen Connected Partner Program, Nielsen has shown early success with its open ecosystem of third-party partners. On Thursday, Nielsen announced an expansion of its Connected Partner Program member roster to include retail-focused companies such as: 1010data, ciValue, Neogrid, Clear Demand, and RangeMe.