Retail Clinics

ALLEGAN, Mich. The Food and Drug Administration has approved Perrigo's generic drug for treating skin diseases, the drug maker said Wednesday.

The FDA approved Perrigo’s imiquimod cream in the 5% strength. The drug is a generic version of Graceway Pharmaceuticals’ Aldara.

The drug is used to treat actinic keratoses on the face and scalp, superficial basal cell carcinoma and external genital and perianal warts in patients ages 12 years and older.

SAN DIEGO Three-in-10 Americans recently surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute said they would use their cell or smart phone to track and monitor their personal health, and 40% would be willing to pay for a remote monitoring device that sends health information directly to their doctor.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. CVS Caremark is partnering with nonprofit Direct Relief USA to offer up to $5 million in free flu shots to community clinic and health center patients who lack health insurance, the company announced on Wednesday.

MILWAUKEE Concerns about last year's H1N1 virus have had an impact on Americans' hand-washing habits, according to a national survey conducted by Bradley Corp.

In Bradley's second Healthy Hand Washing survey, 50% of the 1,053 respondents said they "wash their hands more thoroughly or longer or more frequently" in public restrooms as a result of the H1N1 virus — that's up from 45% in 2009 when the same question was asked.

NEW YORK Lack of beauty sleep may up one's risk of developing a condition that leads to diabetes and heart disease, a new study found.

POCATELLO, Idaho Portneuf Medical Center has teamed up with Bellin Health FastCare to operate two retail clinics in Walmart stores in Pocatello and Blackfoot, Idaho, according to a report by the Idaho State Journal.

The partnership, effective as of Sept. 1, will offer treatment for such acute ailments as sore throats, pink eye and allergies. Next month, another FastCare is slated to open in a Walmart in Peru, Ill.

MINNEAPOLIS Preventative health services, such as daily aspirin use, tobacco-cessation screening and alcohol-abuse screening potentially can save 2 million lives and nearly $4 billion annually, according to a new paper produced by the National Commission on Prevention Priorities.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. LifeNexus recently introduced its personal health card, a dual-purpose payment/loyalty card that comes equipped with an embedded microprocessor, the iChip, designed for an individually controlled health platform.

The personal health card can be used to maintain personal health records by securely transferring accurate information at the time and point of need. This will allow professionals access to a patient’s personal health record through card-based consumer authorization, which is both encrypted and password-protected.