HEALTH

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bausch + Lomb and Walgreens on Wednesday introduced a new SightSense online and in-store patient education program in an effort to heighten eye health awareness and encourage consumers to take proactive steps to protect and preserve their sight.

BETHESDA, Md. — The improvement in cardiovascular health that results from quitting smoking far outweighs the limited risks to cardiovascular health from the modest amount of weight gained after quitting, according to a National Institutes of Health-funded community study released Wednesday. 

WASHINGTON — The former president of Bayer HealthCare's Worldwide Consumer Care Division has won a lifetime-achievement award from a trade group focused on the OTC industry.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association announced that it gave its Ivan D. Combe Lifetime Achievement Award to Gary Balkema at its annual executive conference in Naples, Fla.

NAPLES, Fla. — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association's Annual Executive Conference was sold out for the first time since 2001, CHPA president and CEO Scott Melville told a packed morning session, and that is a strong prognosticator as to the health and vitality of the self-care industry. 

A 12-to-1 return on investment. That’s what researchers in Minnesota estimated public and private health plan payers can get when they pay pharmacists to provide medication therapy management.

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. — Public relations and digital marketing firm Robin Leedy and Associates has added three new clients, the firm said Tuesday.

RL&A said the clients were Matrixx Initiatives, which makes the Zicam family of pre-cold and nasal congestion products; Crosscare, which makes Colief Infant Drops for colic related to transient lactase deficiency; and Cirrus Healthcare Products, which makes EarPlanes air-pressure ear plugs, as well as AquaEars for children. The firm specializes in OTC, health and beauty aids and consumer lifestyle brands marketed to women.

PARAMUS, N.J. — Oceans Omega has a new supply agreement with DSM Nutritional Products for the production of Oceans Omega's OTEC emulsion ingredients, the company said Monday.

DSM is a supplier of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, carotenoids and other ingredients to the feed, food, dietary supplement and personal care industries. Oceans Omega supplies stabilized omega-3 EPA and DHA ingredients.

With private label across analgesics up an estimated 11.3% to $1.7 billion, retailers are going to need to make some tough decisions as two internal analgesic powerhouses — McNeil's Tylenol and Novartis' Excedrin — make their way back onto market after respective recalls. Within internal analgesic tablets, sales of store brand equivalents were up 15% off of a 2011 base of around $1.2 billion. The branded competition also were benefactors — both Pfizer's Advil and Bayer's Aleve generated more than $50 million in incremental sales on top of 2011 sales.