HEALTH

INDIANAPOLIS — Drug makers Eli Lilly, Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Alkermes are giving their long-acting form of an injected drug for Type 2 diabetes another try at the Food and Drug Administration.

WASHINGTON — Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., last week introduced the Medical Flexible Spending Account Improvement Act (S. 1404), a bill that would allow consumers to pay taxes on and withdraw any remaining funds in their employer-sponsored flexible spending accounts.

Current rules require that any leftover balance in an FSA must be forfeited to the employer at the end of the plan year, oftentimes identified as the "use it or lose it" provision.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Almost half of all smokers try and fail to quit their addiction to nicotine products each year, according to a study released Wednesday.

A contributing factor to the high rate of failed quit attempts is the low use of nicotine-replacement therapies, the study found. That may be because of misperceptions around the health effects of NRTs.

LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix will offer free diabetes screenings at more than 800 Publix stores this year, the grocer announced Wednesday.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Generic drug maker Perrigo has closed its purchase of Paddock Labs, the company said Tuesday.

Perrigo acquired privately owned Paddock, a manufacturer of generic prescription and over-the-counter drugs based in Minneapolis, for $540 million.

“We are very pleased to welcome the Paddock team to the Perrigo family,” Perrigo chairman and CEO Joseph Papa said. “This acquisition is another important step forward in executing Perrigo’s strategy to expand our specialty portfolio of generic Rx products.”

IRVINE, Calif. — Dr. Sears Family Essentials has appointed a new VP marketing.

Roeya Badri Vaughan will be responsible for driving awareness and sales of the company's doctor-formulated, kid-approved line of 100% all-natural snacks, beverages and supplements.

Prior to joining Dr. Sears Family Essentials, Vaughan served as head of product marketing at Arbonne, where she spearheaded the relaunch of its flagship anti-aging skin care line, introduced a comprehensive cosmetics line and developed a breakthrough line of nutrition products.

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Wednesday announced that Daniel Fabricant, director of the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs at the Food and Drug Administration, will deliver the keynote address at The Conference: CRN’s Annual Symposium for the Dietary Supplement Industry on Oct. 20 in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

SKILLMAN, N.J. — McNeil Consumer on Tuesday announced a partnership with 12-time Olympic medalist, best-selling author and mother Dara Torres, who will serve as a brand ambassador for the external analgesic Bengay.

In that capacity, Torres also assisted in the launch of the brand's latest innovation, Bengay Cold Therapy, which uses the pain-relieving power of menthol and the cooling benefits of Pro-Cool technology to alleviate minor aches and pains.