Diabetes

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has declined to approve a drug for Type 2 diabetes made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca, saying it needs additional clinical data, the companies said Thursday.

CHICAGO — The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is reminding consumers that the first-line defenses against Type 2 diabetes are a healthy diet and regular exercise, and that these defenses can be aided with the help of a registered dietitian.

The organization issued a press release following the announcement that celebrity chef Paula Deen had Type 2 diabetes and was working with Novo Nordisk to shed light on the issue.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk is partnering with cooking show host Paula Deen to launch a campaign to help adults find ways to manage challenges associated with Type 2 diabetes, the company said Tuesday.

Deen and her sons, Bobby and Jamie, star in a series of videos as part of the Diabetes in a New Light initiative, in which Deen is sharing her personal diabetes story for the first time.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration's latest message to consumers and healthcare professionals seems like a no-brainer: "Insulin pens are not for sharing."

But the agency said it knew of two undisclosed hospitals that it said had reused the cartridge components of insulin pens in administering insulin to more than 2,000 patients, though the hospitals reportedly changed the pens themselves.

NEW YORK — MagnaCare, a health plan management company, on Thursday announced its partnership with Telcare on that company's new wireless-enabled blood glucose meter. Through this partnership, MagnaCare's clients will be among the first in the country to receive the Telcare BGM meter.

MANNHEIM, Germany — Roche on Wednesday announced it has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for its Accu-Chek Nano SmartView blood-glucose monitoring system. The meter is smaller than a standard credit card, employs a large backlit display and does not require any manual coding or code key for enhanced ease of use, the company stated. It also offers improved functions such as customizable test reminders, pre- and postmeal markers and average glucose calculation.

SAN DIEGO — A special focus on its diabetes franchise will define Amylin Pharmaceuticals' corporate strategy, the company's chief executive said at a recent conference sponsored by J.P. Morgan.

WASHINGTON — CVS Caremark's chief healthcare strategy officer on Tuesday outlined how the company's integrated pharmacy-based program for such chronic diseases as diabetes, called Pharmacy Advisor, increased medication adherence rates and physician initiation of prescriptions for concomitant medications to improve patient health.