Retail Clinics

NORTH WALES, Pa. — Teva earlier this week announced it had submitted a request to the Food and Drug Administration to allow for the sale of the emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step to women under the age of 17 years without a prescription, according to published reports.

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measured a steady rise in influenza — both in number of cases and severity — for the week ended Feb. 5.

There are 19 states that now are experiencing high levels of influenza-like illnesses as measured by outpatient visits — a measuring stick that provides a sense as to how severe the flu might be in a community but not how prevalent it is. The proportion of outpatient visits for ILI was 4.6%, which is above the national baseline of 2.5%.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Aisle7 on Thursday announced the availability of an online decision support engine to provide science-based, self-care product recommendations by way of questionnaires, interactive widgets and proprietary content-targeting technology.

The new Aisle7 online decision support tools include a “Homeopathic Medicine Finder,” which was created in partnership with Boiron, and will be featured across more than 2,000 in-store retail locations and 150 websites served by Aisle7.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — Actavis has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to market a generic version of a popular gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment.

The generic drug maker said it would market pantoprazole sodium delayed-release tablets in the 20-mg and 40-mg strengths. The drug is the generic equivalent of Pfizer's Protonix, which had U.S. sales of approximately $1.6 billion for the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2010, according to IMS Health.

Actavis said it would distribute the drug soon.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Take Care Health Systems announced Thursday that through April 30, the retail clinic operator will be offering sports and camp physicals for $35. The physicals, regularly $60, are administered by board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants at select Walgreens locations.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Diabetes Association is working with an organization that offers free prescription drug savings cards to help increase access to diabetes medications.

The ADA and Together Rx Access said Wednesday that the cards can help millions of eligible uninsured patients receive savings of 25% to 40% on branded drugs, as well as savings on generics. Nearly 26 million people in the United States are living with diabetes, mostly Type 2 diabetes, many of whom lack health insurance.

GUILFORD, Conn. — Mitchell-Vance Laboratories, which specializes in the treatment and prevention of scars, has announced the introduction of its new ScarAway scar diminishing serum.

The product is launching at Walgreens stores nationwide in April for a suggested retail price of $17.99.

ScarAway scar diminishing serum is designed to effectively shrink, flatten and fade hypertrophic (raised) and keloid scars, which may result from surgical procedures, injuries, burns, stretch marks or acne.

WASHINGTON — Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday announced a $750 million investment in prevention and public health, funded through the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the new healthcare law.

“Prevention is something that can’t just happen in a doctor’s office,” Sebelius said. “If we are to address the big health issues of our time, from physical inactivity to poor nutrition to tobacco use, it needs to happen in local communities.”