HEALTH

WASHINGTON Vitamins and calcium supplements appear to reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to findings presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010, the association announced Sunday.

"It is not an immediate effect. You don't take a vitamin today and your breast cancer risk is reduced tomorrow," stated Jaime Matta, professor in the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. "However, we did see a long-term effect in terms of breast cancer reduction."

BARRINGTON, Ill. —Merix Pharmaceutical unveiled its new Fast-Results! genital herpes treatment March 1. The only over-the-counter treatment for genital herpes, Fast-Results! answers an unmet need of people who suffer painful symptoms associated with genital herpes outbreaks, and it can be used in conjunction with a prescription therapy for genital herpes.

CINCINNATI Kroger views its in-store health clinic business, The Little Clinic, as an important part of its commitment to health and wellness, and is in the midst of developing an expansion plan, according to a local report.

"It is part of our long-term plan," Kroger spokeswoman Meghan Glynn was quoted as saying in a Cincinnati Enquirer article. "Customers more and more are focused on health, fitness and wellness, especially with rising healthcare costs."

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT To borrow from the great Mark Twain, it would appear that the reports of the demise of retail clinic growth have been greatly exaggerated. Drug Store News has a two-word answer for why retail clinics will continue to grow for a very long time: health reform. And there are 32 million reasons why that growth will be quite dramatic.