HEALTH

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Despite a difficult economy and rising health costs, the benefits of an integrated pharmacy service were evident as CVS Caremark helped its pharmacy benefit manager clients — employers, health plans and third-party administrators — manage pharmacy costs, according to the company's annual "Insights Report."

WASHINGTON — The congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus held its first briefing for the 112th Congress April 6 to a capacity crowd of 60 House and Senate staffers, the caucus announced Thursday.

The DSC recently was relaunched for the 112th Congress. The caucus serves as a bipartisan, bicameral group of members to facilitate discussions among lawmakers about the benefits of dietary supplements, provide tips and insights for better health and wellness, and promote research into the healthcare savings provided by dietary supplements.

MIAMI — The push by retailers to offer and promote private-label brands remains strong as Navarro Discount Pharmacies unveiled its own private-label brand of Hispanic products across a range of categories, including beauty, over the counter, food, body and baby.

The new Vida Mia ("my life") line will feature bilingual packaging. It is being launched under Magellan Distribution Solutions, a wholesale and export company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Navarro.

NEW YORK — Healthcare reform has remained a major subject of debate since President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act last March, but what the law means for diabetes care was the particular focus of a conference call with diabetes stakeholders Tuesday.

LAVAL, Quebec — Neptune Technologies & Bioressources last week announced that Bayer HealthCare’s consumer care division formally has launched its Arctic Wonder proprietary Neptune Krill Oil in the United States following a successful market test.

Bayer's market test, conducted over the last year with NKO under its Arctic Wonder brand, was performed in the U.S. Internet direct-response e-commerce channel of trade.

ATLANTA — A bill passed by the Georgia House of Representatives Tuesday will restrict the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine to only pharmacies — a factor that will eliminate PSE products for sale at any gas stations, convenience stores and mass merchants/supermarkets without a pharmacy.

PSE, however, still  will be available without a prescription. The bill is headed to the governor's office for signing.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The 2011 allergy season is expected to be 27 days longer in the northernmost parts of North America, adding almost a month of suffering to the typical pollen allergy season of February through October, a study published Tuesday by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences determined.

ST. LOUIS — The road to waste reduction is paved with good intentions.

That’s the conclusion of pharmacy benefit manager Express Script’s "2010 Drug Trend Report," which found that 33% of annual pharmacy-related waste can be eliminated by encouraging patients to improve common behaviors linked to their prescription drugs by harnessing their good intentions.