Cough-Cold and Flu

ATLANTA — A new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month in Pediatrics is the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination significantly reduced a child’s risk of dying from influenza. The study, which looked at data from four flu seasons between 2010 and 2014, found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated death by half (51%) among children with underlying high-risk medical conditions and by nearly two-thirds (65%) among healthy children.

There is no question that one of the top nonprescription categories contributing to both sales and foot traffic right now is allergy. According to IRI data, sales of nasal sprays — the category that captures all of the latest nasal corticosteroid Rx-to-OTC switches, such as Flonase and Nasacort — are up 10.2% to $1.2 billion across total U.S. multi-outlets for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 19.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Last week’s Walgreens Flu Index found that a number of states, including the Carolinas, Tennessee and Louisiana, continue to see widespread flu activity in the final week of March.

For the week of March 26, the top 10 markets by flu activity according to the Walgreens Flu Index were:

PITTSBURGH — Mylan on Wednesday announced the successful acquisition of the global rights to the Cold-Eeze brand cold remedy line from ProPhase Labs.

"The completion of this transaction is an important step as we continue to expand our consumer healthcare offerings," stated Heather Bresch, CEO Mylan. "Cold-Eeze is now Mylan's largest U.S. consumer healthcare brand and is part of a growing portfolio of over-the-counter products in the U.S."

EUGENE, Ore. — Quantum Health recently unveiled a refreshed look for its line of natural products, which range from lozenges to supplements. In redesigning its packaging, the company looked to its consumers for their opinion, settling on a look that consumers say is more natural and better display the products’ quality.

PHILADELPHIA — A study released Monday suggests that a simple behavioral economics technique known as "active choice" may be able to improve flu vaccination rates. In the study, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania programmed electronic health records  to alert care providers when a patient was eligible, and prompt them to choose to "accept" or "decline" a flu vaccination order.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — With this year's flu season coming to a close, citizens across the middle of America are still experiencing flu-like symptoms, according to the latest Walgreens Flu Index from Walgreens Boots Alliance.

The top 10 markets as measured by flu activity for the week of March 19 were:

PALATINE, Ill. — Acura Pharmaceuticals and MainPointe Pharmaceuticals last week announced that they have entered into a license agreement to have MainPointe exclusively market Nexafed and Nexafed Sinus in the US and Canada. The pseudoephedrine-containing Nexafed brand products utilize Acura's IMPEDE Technology which disrupts the extraction and conversion of the pseudoephedrine into the illicit drug, methamphetamine.  

MainPointe will assume all manufacturing and commercialization activities from Acura.