INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES

WAKE FOREST, N.C. — A common test may help predict early death among diabetes patients, a new study found.

According to research lead by Donald Bowden, director of the Center for Diabetes Research at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, the examination of a patient's coronary artery calcium score — which measures the amount of calcified plaque buildup in blood vessels — through a computed tomography scan, or CT scan, could indicate the patient's risk of coronary heart disease, which can lead to premature death.

SAN DIEGO — HealthPrize Technologies and RealAge will launch a study next month that will test HealthPrize’s medication adherence technologies on patients taking asthma medications, the two companies said Wednesday.

HealthPrize is the creator of an Internet and mobile app that uses behavioral economics and gaming dynamics to improve medication adherence, while RealAge is a health website that uses the RealAge Test to assess a person’s mortality risk based on health-related factors.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Many people who provide care and support to loved ones said they are more likely to be nonadherent to their own personal medication regimen than to neglect providing medications to those they are caring for, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital and CVS Caremark. Given this, there's a significant opportunity for pharmacists and doctors to identify and work with caregivers to improve medication adherence and chronic disease management.

WASHINGTON — California-based companies are developing nearly more than one-fifth of the drugs to treat some of the deadliest diseases in the world, according to an analysis by the drug industry lobby.

According to two Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America reports released this year, of the 1,186 drugs under development for heart disease and cancer, 243 were from California companies. These include 188-of-the-887 drugs for more than 20 types of cancer, and 55-of-the-299 drugs for heart disease and stroke.

CHICAGO — Men shop, too, SymphonyIRI Group asserted in the release of its latest demographic shopper study titled “Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus … Or Maybe Not?” on Monday.

MADISON, N.J. — Ragweed and mold are driving increased allergies across America, Quest Diagnostics reported Monday.

In the study, sensitization rates to common ragweed and mold increased the most of the 11 common allergens evaluated over a four-year period. Sensitization to common ragweed grew 15% nationally, while mold grew 12%. By comparison, sensitization to the 11 allergens combined increased 5.8%.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark outlined on Tuesday at a consumer health engagement conference the results of a personalized consumer communications program designed to encourage patients to take their medications as doctors direct.

Early results of the program showed increases in consumers signing up for automatic prescription refills and more readily substituting branded medications for generic medicines to lower costs.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Women that experience body mass index gains between their first and second pregnancies are at an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes in the second pregnancy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study.