INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES

OAKLAND, Calif. — Men taking long-acting medications for chronic pain are almost five times more likely to have low testosterone levels, according to a new study by Kaiser Permanente.

The study, which the healthcare system called the first to show a significant difference in risk between short-acting and long-acting opioids, appeared in The Clinical Journal of Pain.

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota and nearby healthcare institutions shows that patients with diabetes experience better outcomes when they undergo face-to-face medication therapy management sessions with pharmacists.

Walgreens promoted Joseph Magnacca to EVP from SVP. Magnacca also retains his title as president of daily living products and solutions. In this capacity, Magnacca will continue to oversee Walgreens merchandising and inventory strategy, private brands, insights and analytics, and the New York-based Duane Reade drug store chain, which Walgreens acquired in 2010. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Face-to-face medication therapy management services can improve health outcomes for patients with diabetes, according to a new study.

NEW YORK — A nutritional supplement may help ward off gestational diabetes in pregnant women, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by researchers at Italy's University of Messina and published in the journal Diabetes Care, found that pregnant women with family histories of Type 2 diabetes who received myo-inositol saw a significant reduction in the incidence of gestational diabetes, a condition that causes high blood sugar in some pregnant women.

NEW YORK — While experts say climate change could produce a wide range of side effects, a new one could be earlier and more severe flu seasons, according to a new study.

TORONTO — Most retailers in Canada are ready for a phase-out of 1-cent coins, a national retailing trade group said Wednesday.

The Retail Council of Canada said the majority of the country's retail businesses were prepared for the disappearance of the penny and will follow the government's proposals for determining prices.

NEW YORK — YouGov's BrandIndex has named 25 brands to its "2012 Annual US Top Buzz Rankings," YouGov said.

The index measures public perception of thousands of brands based on interviews with thousands of consumers every day, with more than 2.5 million interviews every year.