Cough-Cold and Flu

This season, WebMD and Parsippany, N.J.-based Reckitt Benckiser are expanding their partnership with a new cold and flu chatbot designed to allow for more timely, targeted and personal connections with consumers.

BERGEN, Norway — Recent research revealed there is no negative to getting a flu shot each and every year. New findings debunked earlier studies that had suggested having repeated annual influenza vaccination can prevent natural immunity to the virus, and potentially increase the susceptibility to influenza illness in the event of a pandemic, or when the vaccine does not "match" the virus circulating in the community.

The findings were published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Blistex recently announced two new additions to its line of lip care lip relief products, including Blistex Lip Serum and Blistex Triple Essentials. Blistex Lip Serum contains a concentrated, advanced formula that conditions lips with a nutrient and vitamin E complex, the company noted, while Blistex Triple Essentials is formulated using three essential oils selected for their lip-beneficial properties.

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. —  Zicam on Tuesday announced the national launch of Zicam Cold Remedy Medicated Fruit Drops, offered in an assortment of fruity flavors.

CHICAGO — Winter is coming, and with it the sneezes and sniffles, the wheezes and coughs that typically make for a robust cough-cold season. According to a Neilsen blog post from Wednesday, more than half (59%) of annual over-the-counter cold and flu medications were purchased between November 2016 and January 2017, according to Nielsen retail measurement sales for the 52 weeks ended Aug. 26, 2017.

Overall, dollar sales grew 7% during last year's 2016-17 cold and flu season, compared to the 2015-16 period, Nielsen reported.

WHIPPANY, N.J. — Bayer Consumer Health on Wednesday introduced its hydraSense daily nasal care line exclusively through Walgreens. Company officials say will offer drug-free saline nasal care solutions for infants and children ages 6 months and older.

LONDON — If Pfizer follows through with its announcement last week to potentially place its consumer business up for sale, GlaxoSmithKline, presently the third-largest OTC seller in the U.S. marketplace, would certainly take a look at it, the company's CEO shared Wednesday morning.