HEALTH

ALLEGAN. Mich. — Business for OTC store brands is expected to boom in the coming year, Perrigo chairman and CEO Joseph Papa told analysts discussing the private-label manufacturer's first-quarter results during a conference call Wednesday, even as the growth rate across the entire OTC category slows. "What we are seeing though, is the continued acceleration of store brand as being the reason why we're seeing the growth in our OTC category. For us to have a 9.4% growth in our OTC category, we think is a strong indication," Papa said. 

PRINCETON, N.J. — Church & Dwight will be initiating trial of its Trojan Vibrations personal massagers with a multi-city giveaway, the company announced Wednesday. Beginning in Washington on Nov. 13, Church & Dwight will feature its latest product innovations via a specially-designed Trojan Vibrations Pleasure Carts that are modeled after traditional hot dog carts.

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Valeant Consumer Products recently announced that its line of Ocean Saline Nasal Sprays has been the most recommended by pharmacists for 15 years running. 

Ocean offers nonmedicated relief from dry and irritated nasal passages due to allergies, colds, flu, sinusitis and rhinitis. The nasal spray is gentle enough for infants and has three delivery options — standing the bottle upright delivers a spray; horizontally, a stream; and upside-down, a drop. 

PALATINE, Ill. — Acura Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday shared with analysts details on its launch strategy of Nexafed, a pseudoephedrine formulated such that it inhibits the diversion to methamphetamnine. 

PHILADELPHIA – Recent research from the Rothman Institute at Jefferson has shown aspirin to be just as effective in preventing clots — specifically pulmonary emboli, life-threatening blood clots that can develop in the arteries of the lungs following joint replacement surgery — Thomas Jefferson University announced Wednesday. 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — MinuteClinic is offering free diabetes screenings during November to mark Diabetes Month.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — GlaxoSmithKline on Thursday announced the five recipients of its annual GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards. In total, the North Carolina and Philadelphia-area healthcare nonprofit organizations will receive $200,000 in grant funding ($40,000 each) for providing access to healthcare for the underserved in their communities.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration on Monday issued a warning letter to The Avalon Effect, a company based in Franklin, Tenn., for its marketing of a light therapy product that claims to cure or treat symptoms of fungal meningitis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, concussions, Lyme disease and other diseases.