HEALTH

ST. LOUIS, Mo. Supplementing with fish oils could help improve gum health, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health found that dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids like fish oil, known to have anti-inflammatory properties, shows promise for the effective treatment and prevention of periodontitis, otherwise known as gum disease.

BALTIMORE Drug maker Pharmaxis got promising results from an investigative treatment for cystic fibrosis, the company said.

Pharmaxis announced results of two six-month phase-3 trials of 643 patients receiving Bronchitol (mannitol), which the company presented last week at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Baltimore.

EL PASO, Texas Merlot Skin Care, a natural grape-seed-based skin care brand sold at Walgreens and Ulta, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2011 with new product launches and new packaging.

"Merlot is a brand that knows the power of natural grape-seed antioxidants can be used to achieve beautiful skin," stated Wayne Beckley, founder and CEO of Merlot Skin Care."We are proud that our moisturizer has become a staple of so many women's daily beauty routines."

COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. Cirrus Healthcare Products recently announced the launch of ClearEars, earplugs that contain a polymer to draw water from the ears after water activities. Consumers with glue ear, a condition in which thick, sticky fluid collects behind the eardrum, discovered that ClearEars helps to alleviate this condition, the company said.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Matrixx Initiatives on Monday reported a decline of 17% in net sales to $21.3 million for the company’s second quarter ended Sept. 30. The decline, Matrixx president and CEO Bill Hemelt explained to analysts Tuesday morning, represented a course correction of sorts. The sales decline was “due to lower upfront buys by retailers,” Hemelt said. Last year, all of the hype around H1N1 drove retailers to heavily stock in cough-and-cold supplies.