HEALTH

MINNEAPOLIS — Nonin Medical on Monday announced that its GO2 Personal Finger Pulse Oximeter was featured on "The Balancing Act" program on Lifetime Television on Dec. 13.

Yvonne Leonard, Nonin Medical consumer products marketing manager, shared with viewers how knowing their oxygen saturation and pulse rate can help them manage chronic respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

MILWAUKEE — Carma Labs on Wednesday announced the expansion of its Carmex Moisture Plus line with two new colors — sheer plum and sheer berry.

“Our new plum and berry Moisture Plus tints join our first tinted products — pink and peach. Women love the way the premium lip balm gives their lips intense hydration with a slight hint of color at an affordable price,” Carma Labs president Paul Woelbing said.

NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson recently named Michael Sneed to oversee its global marketing and public relations functions, according to a report published Tuesday on AdAge.com, effective Jan. 1. He will take over from Brian Perkins, J&J's top marketing executive who is expected to retire in March, according to the report.

Perkins, along with Ray Jordan, corporate VP public affairs and corporate communications, will report to Sneed during the transition.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services on Monday announced that the first U.S. facility to use a faster and more flexible technology to make influenza vaccine was dedicated as part of an initiative that could provide vaccine supplies sooner in an influenza pandemic.

MENLO PARK, Calif. — The unemployed and underemployed have limited access to health care and, in many cases, are putting off seeking medical care, according to the "Long-Term Unemployed Survey" released on Monday by NPR News and the Kaiser Family Foundation.

When they are sick or need medical advice, the long‐term unemployed and underemployed are much more likely than those with full‐time jobs to say they rely on a hospital emergency room or that they have no usual place to go for care (39% compared with 15% of full‐time employees).

NEW YORK — PureBrands on Tuesday announced its national Facebook competition to search for the brand's next commercial for its Sheets Energy Strips, to be judged by brand partner LeBron James of the NBA.

Beginning Dec. 13, entrants will have 45 days to submit their creative take on Sheets' advertising campaign through the Sheets Facebook page, and the winning commercial will have their spot aired on national television and in movie theaters nationwide in 2012.

SAN DIEGO — Cardium Therapeutics on Tuesday announced the availability of MedPodium Nutra-Apps — small, pharmaceutically sealed, tasteless, easy-use capsules in pocket-sized packaging. MedPodium's Nutra-Apps Neo-Energy and Neo-Carb Bloc products now are available in select convenience stores in the Southern and Southwestern United States, and Cardium plans to introduce two additional Nutra-Apps products — Neo-Chill for relaxation and to help reduce stress, and Neo-Sleep to help promote restful sleep. 

MADISON, N.J. — According to two new surveys of parents and pediatricians from Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, more than half of all parents report feeling anxious, fearful or helpless when their child comes down with a fever. In addition, many parents are not managing the fever correctly.

This actually is nothing new to the vast majority of pediatricians (94%) who believe that parents need more fever management education.