HEALTH

Lolleez fills niche sore throat need with kid friendly solution
WASHINGTON, Conn. — Lolleez on Tuesday announced the launch of a new line of throat soothing lollipops for kids that capitalizes on the current "cleaner ingredient" trend with Certified Organic ingredients and alleviates a risk of choking associated with lozenges and cough drops.
10 Truths of OTC No. 4: It's about prevention and wellness, not category and cure
Truth 4: Everyone cares about prevention and wellness, not category and cure

Several hard realities have resulted in a mindset shift away from perceptions of medicine as a reactive cure doled out by healthcare practitioners, and towards people taking an active role in preventing illness via changed behaviors and products.

FDA approves new Bydureon formulation, auto-injector

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved an auto-injector and new formulation of a once-weekly treatment for Type 2 diabetes from AstraZeneca. Bydureon BCise offers a single-dose auto-injector for adults with Type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is uncontrolled on one or more oral medicines.
Bayer makes 2 consumer health appointments

WHIPPANY, N.J. — Bayer’s consumer health business has two new executives. The company this week named Brenda Raphael SVP and general manager of its therapeutics business unit within the North American consumer health division, and named Jennifer Brendel VP and head of U.S. consumer health communications
Vitamin Shoppe adds RangeMe to its merchandising efforts

SEACAUCUS, N.J. — ECRM’s RangeMe online CPG platform has a new client. The Vitamin Shoppe has added the platform to its merchandise innovation and sourcing process, allowing its category managers to discover new products and brands that meet customers’ needs while fostering vendor relationships.
Crossmark inks preferred service provider agreement with Walmart

PLANO, Texas — As Walmart looks to centralize its merchandising activity planning process and establish standard operating procedures for in-store service providers, it has named sales and marketing company Crossmark as one of its preferred service providers. With the selection, Crossmark is one of five companies that can execute merchandising activity on behalf of suppliers in nearly 5,000 U.S. Walmart locations.
National digestive brands see mixed sales results

The upper gastrointestinal proton pump inhibitors segment saw a 9% decrease — national brands only — in sales in multi-outlets for the latest 12 months compared with the previous year, with losses primarily driven down by large decreases at Procter & Gamble’s Prilosec OTC (-13%) and for GSK Consumer Heathcare’s Prevacid (-15%).
Building loyalty in today’s digital market

NEW YORK — The Emerson Group last month hosted its 10th Annual Retail Industry Day in a packed room, with hundreds of merchants eager to discover how to better position their products for tomorrow’s ever-evolving consumer.

They weren’t disappointed.
Health Mart showcases independent pharmacy solutions at NCPA convention

ORLANDO, Fla. — Health Mart showcased a number of ideas and solutions to help independent pharmacists improve their clinical, operational and financial performance during the National Community Pharmacists Association Annual Convention held here earlier this week.
RiteAid.com now accepts Apple Pay

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid announced Thursday that it is now accepting Apple Pay for purchases made on the company's e-commerce site, making Rite Aid the first pharmacy retailer to accept Apple Pay as a form of payment online.