HEALTH

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association recently issued the first piece in its “Your Health at Hand” awareness campaign with a cost analysis that found Americans can avoid approximately 50 million unnecessary visits to primary care physicians each year, resulting in $5 billion in annualized savings thanks to self-care. 


According to physicians surveyed, at least 10% of their office visits could have been resolved instead with a trip to the front-end of the pharmacy. 


PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new means of administration for a drug made by Daiichi Sankyo, the drug maker said Monday.

Daiichi Sankyo announced the FDA approval of Welchol (colesevelam hydrochloride) for oral suspension to be mixed with fruit juice or diet soft drinks. The drug, used to improve blood-sugar control and cholesterol levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, received approval in 2009 for mixing with water.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Children with Type 1 diabetes may achieve better blood-sugar control if their parents are more authoritative with them, a new study has found.


According to a study published online June 27 on the site of the Archives of Internal Medicine, the more dietary fiber you consume, the less likely you are to die from any cause. And that’s good news for retailers. Already the annual sales of the two leading fiber supplements — captured with laxative and stimulants by SymphonyIRI Group — total more than $105 million and are growing at a modest pace of some 2%. 


SUPPLIER NEWS — LELO launched a high-end line of Kegel exercisers called Laselle under the Intimina by LELO brand for women with incontinence issues. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials by the Cochrane Collaboration concluded that pelvic exercises should be included in first-line conservative management programs for women with urinary incontinence. The Kegel exercisers will retail for a suggested $12.95.

NEWTON SQUARE, Pa. — Boiron is making headway introducing a whole new natural external pain reliever into the mass outlet, having earlier this year won distribution through Walgreens and Duane Reade of its arnica gel Arnicare. And Arnicare already is the natural channel’s fastest-growing homeopathic topical pain relief brand, experiencing growth of 67.5% against sales of $5.9 million for the 52 weeks ended April 17, according to Nielsen. 


ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Lansinoh Labs has announced the acquisition of the Earth Friendly Baby brand of natural shampoos, bubble bath and skin care products.


The Food and Drug Administration last month published long-awaited draft guidance on new dietary ingredients in the Federal Register. Once finalized, the guidance will establish an additional pillar of credibility to the dietary supplement industry and help counter criticism that the FDA does not regulate the safety of supplement products — that is, if the FDA doesn’t force supplements off the shelf that are already on the shelf today.