How can we improve Industry News @-a-Glance? We encourage your feedback!

Canada signals crackdown on Internet pharmacies
The Canadian government signaled on Thursday it was ready to crack down on Internet pharmacies that send cheap medicine to the U.S., often without Canadian doctors having seen the patients. "This is a struggle to make sure that drugs for all Canadians remain safe and adequate in terms of supply, and for all Canadians there's a pricing regime that's affordable," Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh told reporters...
Yahoo/Reuters

Wal-Mart to match kettle donations
Folks dropping money in Salvation Army kettles at Wal-Mart stores can make their money go twice as far. The world's largest retailer announced Thursday it would match up to $1 million in donations. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has more than 3,600 domestic stores operating as Wal-Marts, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam's Club warehouse stores. The company said the clock started Thursday on the match and runs through Christmas Eve...
Forbes

Additional News:

• Walgreens will break into upstate New York region Drug Store News (Sub Req'd)
• Express Scripts names new chief executive officer TheStreet.com
• Wal-Mart fires three executives, four managers just-food
• Drug sites: Good info isn't enough BusinessWeek
• Walgreen says 'no more' to Amex cards Reuters

Back to Top

Lilly adds warning to Strattera label
Eli Lilly and Co. said Friday it added a warning to the label of its attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder medicine, advising patients with jaundice or a liver injury to stop taking the treatment. Lilly said the label change on the drug, known as Strattera, discusses two reported cases of severe liver injury out of the more than 2 million patients who have taken the medication since approval. Both patients have recovered with normal liver function after discontinuing the medication...
Yahoo/Reuters

First treatment for chronic insomnia approved
For the first time, the FDA has approved a sleeping pill without restrictions warning doctors not to prescribe the medicine for long-term use. Lunesta, formerly referred to as Estorra, will be available in pharmacies in January. For the drug's maker, Sepracor, the approval of Lunesta is a major win. Sepracor follows a strategy of altering existing drugs in order to make them better...
Forbes

Additional News:

• Eligard 6-month formulation approved Facts & Comparisons
• Antibiotic-steroid ophthalmic combination approved Facts & Comparisons
• Kepivance approved for severe oral mucositis in cancer patients Facts & Comparisons
• EU panel probes Glaxo restless leg syndrome drug Reuters
• Johnson & Johnson's Weldon shifts focus to devices from drugs Bloomberg

Back to Top

Vitamin E may stave off Lou Gehrig's disease
In a new study, regular users of vitamin E were at decreased risk for death from Lou Gehrig's disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), compared with non-users. Given that vitamin E is an antioxidant, the new findings support the hypothesis that oxidants play a key role in the development of ALS. Moreover, the results are consistent with earlier findings showing that increased brain levels of vitamin E seem to delay the onset of ALS in lab animals...
Reuters

Back to Top

Gillette hopes to power shaver sales to women with Vibrance
Gillette announced Thursday its strategy to go after a bigger cut of the women's shaving market this spring, including two new products in its successful Venus line. The Venus Vibrance, a battery-powered women's shaver with a suggested retail prices of $9.99 to $11.99, and a fancy Venus disposable at $6.50 to $7.99 for three razors...
USA Today

P&G to launch new Secret body spray line
Procter & Gamble is bringing flirty, fresh and sporty fragrances to the deodorant aisle with the February launch of its new Secret Body Sprays for young women. The collection features four mood-inspiring scents: romantic Moonlit Rose, fresh Peach Shimmer, spicy Vanilla Sparkle and breezy Tropical Radiance. The suggested retail price is $3.79 for a 2.1 ounce bottle...
Drug Store News (Sub Req'd)

Back to Top

Brach’s introduces Splenda-sweetened candies
Brach's Confection's Inc. introduced this month new Splenda-sweetened versions of eight of its traditional candies, including sugar-free Milk Maid caramels, Star Brites peppermints, and butterscotch and cinnamon hard candy disks. According to Brach’s chief executive officer Terry O’Brien, the company now anticipates significant crossover in its seasonal and better-for-you candy sales...
Drug Store News (Sub Req'd) | Times Leader

Hershey completes purchase of Mauna Loa
Hershey Foods has completed the purchase of the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp for $130 million from private equity group Shansby. Hershey announced in November that it had entered into an agreement to buy Mauna Loa, which processes and markets macadamia snacks. "Mauna Loa's portfolio of premium macadamia nuts, nut-based confections and cookies is a great addition to Hershey's stable of iconic brands," Hershey CEO Richard Lenny said at the time...
just-food

Back to Top

Microsoft, Fujifilm partner to offer new way to print digital photos
Digital camera owners using Microsoft Corp.’s Windows XP now can upload their digital photos directly from Windows XP, and pick up their prints in as little as an hour at participating retailers. The feature is available through a partnership with Fujifilm’s Get the Picture Online digital service, which is now accessible via a link appearing on Windows XP’s Online Print Wizard, MSN Photos and Microsoft Digital Image Suite...
Drug Store News (Sub Req'd) | ZDNet.com

Back to Top

Tauzin bolsters PhRMA staff with longtime aides
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) this week announced two new hires, Mimi Simoneaux and Ken Johnson. Both employees were longtime-serving aides to incoming PhRMA president and CEO Billy Tauzin during his 25-year tenure as a congressman on Capitol Hill...
PharmaLive

Some FDA staff had drug safety concerns in 2002
Nearly 20 percent of U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists surveyed in late 2002 said they were pressured to approve or recommend approval of a medicine despite their reservations about the drug's risks or effectiveness, according to documents made public on Thursday. Also, two-thirds of the scientists questioned by the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general said they lacked full confidence in the FDA's ability to monitor side effects of prescription drugs after they hit the market...
Reuters

Back to Top