Cough-Cold and Flu

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.

BALTIMORE, Md. –  App developer Sickweather on Tuesday announced it can predict allergy remedy sales through the analysis of user-submitted reports of seasonal allergies and flu.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — The Lone Star State remains the chief hold out with regard to extending a flu season that's been winding down. According to the latest Walgreens Flu Index, four of the top 10 markets still experiencing high levels of flu activity are in Texas, including three of the top five markets.

For the week of March 12, the top 10 markets for flu activity were:

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working closely with USDA APHIS and the Tennessee Department of Health to minimize any human health risk posed by the avian influenza outbreak in Lincoln County, Tenn., the agency announced Wednesday. This includes implementing a protocol to monitor the health of poultry workers exposed to commercial poultry involved in the  USDA/APHIS-confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H7N9) outbreak.