HEALTH

PHILADELPHIA — UnitedHealth Group is looking to evaluate the effectiveness of using video-on-demand programming to deliver its Diabetes Prevention Program.

The insurance company has tapped Comcast to find participants for the study, which will be test marketed in Philadelphia, and Knoxville, Tenn. Enrollment began on Feb. 13; the first VOD programming will be available Feb. 27.

LOS ANGELES — A California company plans to debut a series of health foods that it said would raise the bar on efficacy.

Newtritious will debut samples of its products at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Calif., between March 9 and 11.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is taking its promotion of health-and-wellness solutions further by launching its own branded, bimonthly magazine.

Sam' Club said its 8-million member circulation magazine, Healthy Living Made Simple, is the first warehouse club publication solely dedicated to health-and-wellness issues. Topics covered by the publication include items related to personal, child and pet health. Future issues will spotlight local Sam’s Club pharmacists, optometrists and associates, as well as members’ stories, Sam's Club said.

LAS VEGAS — Oasis Consumer Healthcare's Halo oral antiseptic on Wednesday evening received Best Product honors from ECRM for the 2012 Cough & Cold and Allergy EPPS conference.

Shipping in July, Halo contains cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in a patented formula that helps coat the back of the throat for up to six hours and helps to protect against airborne germs. According to company research, the recycled air in 67% of airplanes contain enough germs to get a person sick after a short flight.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — An investigational diabetes therapy made by Takeda helped lower HbA1C levels among patients with Type 2 diabetes, the drug maker said.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Diabetes Association said it is urging people with diabetes who currently are taking a statin to continue their medication unless instructed otherwise by their healthcare provider.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The National Psoriasis Foundation has introduced a Seal of Recognition that will be touted on select products that dermatology experts deem effective in relieving disease symptoms.

WASHINGTON — The National Community Pharmacists Association last week sent a follow-up letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services asking the agency to revisit a decision last month that effectively requires some pharmacies to pay duplicative fee-for-service Medicare enrollment/revalidation fees, according to the association.