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INDIANAPOLIS — Drug maker Eli Lilly has appointed Katherine Baicker to its board of directors, effective Dec. 12.

As a member of the board, Baicker — who is a professor of health economics in the department of health policy and management at the Harvard School of Public Health — will serve under interim election and will stand for election by Lilly shareholders at the company's annual meeting in April 2012. As a member of the board, she also will serve on the public policy and compliance committee.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a topical gel made by Antares Pharma for overactive bladder.

Watson Pharmaceuticals announced Thursday the approval of oxybutynin gel in the 3% strength, which it will launch next year under a licensing agreement with Antares.

INDIANAPOLIS — Drug maker Eli Lilly has expanded its Spanish-language portal, the company said Friday.

Subsidiary Lilly USA launched an expanded "En Español" section of the Lilly For Better Health website. The section features a 60-page interactive health album that provides tips on healthy eating, physical activity and managing health conditions, as well as health-and-wellness quizzes and risk assessments on weight management, diabetes and other topics.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Healthcare Distribution Management Association on Tuesday honored Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., with its Rx Safety and Healthcare Leadership Award. The award recognizes public officials for their leadership and commitment to public policies that support and promote the safe and efficient delivery of medicines.

WASHINGTON — A group of medical associations on Wednesday denounced the government's decision to maintain the status quo with regard to the prescription status of the emergency contraceptive Plan B.

INDIANAPOLIS — A drug currently under clinical development for Type 2 diabetes produced "meaningful" reductions in blood sugar, according to results of a late-stage clinical study.

Eli Lilly & Co. and Boehringer Ingelheim announced results of a 24-week, open-label arm of a phase-3 study of the investigational drug linagliptin combined with the generic drug metformin, presenting results at the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Conference in Dubai.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A combination of two insulins made by Novo Nordisk reduced abnormally low blood sugar in diabetes patients, according to study results presented at a medical conference.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — New legislation proposed in the Senate would strengthen penalties against people who traffic in counterfeit medications.

Introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., S. 1886, the Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011, would harshen laws against producing, buying or selling counterfeit drugs. The bill has received support from the chain retail pharmacy lobby.