HEALTH

 SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration took the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 one step closer to being considered by the Supreme Court earlier this week. The FDA recently petitioned the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to revisit the court's August decision that ruled in favor of the tobacco industry and precluded the FDA from mandating that graphic images depicting the consequences of smoking be placed on all cigarette packaging. 

 SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — According to Nielsen analyses issued Thursday, higher consumer confidence levels, increased impulse buying and consumer intent to spend more could all lead to an upside surprise in 2012 holiday spending. 

For sales in 89 categories across five key departments (food, beverages, alcohol, health/beauty and homecare), Nielsen is forecasting spending for November and December 2012 to reach $98.3 billion. Nielsen expects dollar sales to increase 2.3% and unit sales to remain generally flat (0.1%). 

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — One of the most common reasons that retailers give for pet-medication programs is that pets are part of the family.

As analyst Debbie Wang of investment firm Morningstar told Drug Store News in April 2012, more empty nesters and young couples putting off having children are driving increases in pet ownership, and with that comes a need for pet healthcare.

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Hamacher Resource Group on Thursday announced it is offering its one-day workshop, "How to Grow Sales Within Independent Pharmacy," at the company's headquarters located here on Nov. 7. 

PITTSBURGH — Giant Eagle on Thursday announced it will help families better manage their grocery budgets by locking low prices through the holidays on hundreds of the items customers purchase most. 

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid pharmacists on Long Island in New York state are participating in a diabetes initiative run by health insurer UnitedHealth Group, the two companies said Thursday.

The pharmacists are part of the Diabetes Control Program, itself part of UnitedHealth's Diabetes Prevention and Control Alliance. The program is available to residents of the island enrolled in UnitedHealthcare's employer-sponsored health plans.

PITTSBURGH — GNC last week partnered with Discovery Fit & Health on "Transformation Diaries," a custom Web series that follows four women working to achieve their personal "live well" goals. Fitness expert JJ Virgin is serving as the women’s mentor.

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. — A drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes produced significant reduction in blood sugar in African-American patients, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly announced Thursday results of a phase-3 trial of Tradjenta (linagliptin) in which 226 patients with Type 2 diabetes received 5 mg of the drug once per day or placebo.