Retail Clinics

WASHINGTON The Internal Revenue Service earlier this month issued guidance reflecting statutory changes regarding the use of certain tax-favored arrangements, such as flexible spending arrangements, to pay for over-the-counter medicines and drugs.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart Pharmacy is hosting its semi-annual diabetes education day on Wednesday at Kmart locations nationwide.

As part of its diabetes education day, Kmart is offering blood-glucose meter demonstrations; blood pressure, body mass index and memory screenings; and educational information on raising diabetes awareness to its pharmacy patients. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 23 million people in the United States have diabetes, which accounts for about 8% of the population.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. —Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens, built its retail-based clinics around a patient-centric model, and the success of that model is evident in the results of recent Gallup research.

ALCOA, Tenn. Blount Memorial Hospital is looking to open a retail-based health clinic inside Walmart here on Sept. 27, marking the retailer's first health clinic in Tennessee, according to published reports.

Two nurse practitioners and two support personnel members will staff "The Clinic at Walmart," which will have a footprint of 416 sq. ft., according to reports.

BOSTON Close to 400 drugs and vaccines are in development for fighting infectious diseases, according to one of the pharmaceutical industry’s largest lobbying groups.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America announced Friday that drug makers have 395 new medicines and vaccines in clinical development or under review by the Food and Drug Administration. These include five vaccines and six drugs for malaria, as well as agents for infections like cholera, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and the Ebola virus.

PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Business Group on Health’s LivingMyLife program, which helps diabetes patients with disease management through the use of “coach pharmacists,” will soon do the same for those with other diseases, according to published reports.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Friday that LivingMyLife also would help patients with asthma and heart disease. The program, which began in 2006, allows patients to manage their disease with visits to pharmacies, mostly Giant Eagle, Kmart and some independents.

LOS ANGELES A leading provider of award-winning mobile 3G technology and applications recently launched a mobile app for diabetics.

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.