HEALTH

Hisamitsu launches Salonpas gel patch
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Hisamitsu America has launched the new Salonpas Lidocaine 4% Pain Relieving Gel-Patch, the company announced Monday. The patch includes the maximum strength lidocaine available without a prescription and uses a proprietary hydro-gel technology to soothe aggravated nerves, the company said.
Double down on health: CVS Health is leading a retail health revolution
Who’s leading the retail health revolution? One of the chief innovators in the transformation of U.S. health care is surely CVS Health.

(To download Special Report: Double Down on Health, click here.)

Conversions complete, CVS brings customer service, pharmacy tools to Target shoppers

In the slightly less than one year since CVS Health acquired all of Target’s 1,669 pharmacies and 79 retail clinics, the company has completed the process of turning them into CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations, converting as many as 150 stores per week at the peak of the integration process.

(To download Special Report: Double Down on Health, click here.)
‘Be The First’ aligns profit, philanthropic goals

CVS Health rocked the industry in 2014 when it removed cigarettes and tobacco from its pharmacy shelves in an effort to promote health and reduce chronic illnesses associated with tobacco-use. Now, the retailer is taking yet another stance against tobacco-use with a hefty $50 million initiative to help deliver the nation’s first tobacco-free generation.

(To download Special Report: Double Down on Health, click here.)
Migraine may be next switch

The next big Rx-to-OTC switch opportunity in 2017 could be migraine treatments.

(To view the full Category Review, click here.)

“They did switch Imitrex [in Europe],” Laura Mahecha, industry manager healthcare for Kline Group, said, citing concerns of “potential cardiovascular side effects.” Mahecha called the potential of a 2017 migraine switch “low to moderate.”
Walgreens introduces Ship to Store program

DEERFIELD, Ill. — The latest offering from Walgreens will allow its customers to pick up eligible online and mobile app orders in-store at more than 7,600 locations, the company announced Monday. With the new Ship to Store program, customers who order items to a local Walgreens or Duane Reade store for pick up will receive free shipping with no minimum order requirement.
Private label, Bayer drive down internal analgesics

Internal analgesics is slightly down in retail sales with a 0.6% decrease year-over-year. As the largest segment in internal analgesics, tablets were down 0.4%. This performance was driven down primarily by private label and Bayer products. Private-label internal analgesics were down 5%, and Bayer was down 4%. Pfizer saw no change in sales. McNeil’s return to the market did well, reflecting a 17% increase over the same time period last year. The external analgesic category was up 7% year-over-year.
Next CHPA OTC Academy webinar to feature opitmization of Rx-to-OTC partnerships

WASHINGTON - The CHPA OTC Academy on Oct. 18 will host a webinar featuring Susan B. Levy Consulting and Chattem on how to develop a successful Rx-to-OTC switch partnership.

The webinar will explore best practices of successful partnerships between pharma companies with a viable switch candidate and consumer healthcare companies who can successfully bring that product to retail pharmacy.
FDA: Adverse events linked to teething tablets still under investigation

NEW YORK - The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday confirmed that while more than 400 reports of adverse events have been associated with homeopathic teething products in the past six years, the agency is still investigating that association.
HDA to host annual Traceability Seminar

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA, formerly HDMA) will host its annual Traceability Seminar Nov. 9–11, 2016, at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel. The seminar will host supply chain leaders — including distributors, manufacturers, pharmacists and third-party logistics providers — as well as federal/state regulators to discuss upcoming milestones and lessons learned as they continue to implement the Drug Supply Chain Security Act.