Retail Clinics

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Reckitt Benckiser on Tuesday announced its purchase of the LiceMD shampoo brand from Combe.

LiceMD is a pesticide-free treatment that helps control lice outbreaks with dimethicone, an effective synthetic lubricant with a well-known safety profile that is odorless, nonirritating and hypoallergenic, the company said.

IRVINGTON, N.Y. — Pittsburgh and Green Bay, Wis., retailers ought to have plenty of sore throat remedies in preparation for the Super Bowl — 28% of sore throat sufferers got that pain by cheering and screaming, according to a new study released Tuesday by Prestige Brands.

PARIS — Sanofi-Aventis and its U.S. consumer healthcare division Chattem on Tuesday afternoon announced the Food and Drug Administration has approved the Allegra (fexofenadine HCl) family of allergy medication products for over-the-counter use in adults and children 2 years of age and older.

Products will be on store shelves in March, the companies announced.

WOBURN, Mass. — Advanced Vision Research on Monday announced results from a pilot trial published in the journal Cornea that demonstrated a reduction in dry-eye symptoms and an increase in tear volume and tear flow for those patients taking TheraTears Nutrition, an optimized blend of omega-3 oils.

Almost 3-in-4 symptomatic dry-eye patients who received the omega-3 supplement reported having no symptoms of dry eye after 90 days. In the placebo group, only 7% had a complete reduction of symptoms.

ATLANTA — Obesity rates continue to soar among the U.S. population, particularly in children. And the result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, leads both to “psychosocial problems and to cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterol and abnormal glucose tolerance or diabetes.”

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — The Little Clinic has promoted Chance Cole to VP business development and processes, handling business-to-business and overall business development, process improvement and nonclinical training activities.

Cole joined the company in July 2010 as The Little Clinic manager of integration. Prior to accepting a position with The Little Clinic, he spent 20 years with Kroger as a store manager, Kroger coordinator, Kroger merchandising, retail operations manager and marketplace merchandising manager.

HYDERABAD, India — Indian drug maker Dr. Reddy’s Labs has launched a generic treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The company announced Thursday the launch of pantoprazole sodium delayed-release tablets in the 20-mg and 40-mg strengths. The drug is a version of Protonix, made by Wyeth, now part of Pfizer.

Pantoprazole sodium delayed-release tablets had sales of around $1.8 billion during the 12-month period ended in September 2010, according to IMS Health.

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Wednesday released “Roadmap for Retailers: Safely Navigating What You Say About Dietary Supplements,” an educational tool to remind the supplement industry about its responsibilities with regard to the laws and regulations under which supplements are sold.