HEALTH

Hand sanitizer and hand-hygiene education reduces absenteeism rates
AKRON, Ohio — Using an alcohol-based sanitizer combined with hand hygiene education will contribute to a significant reduction in absenteeism over the cough/cold season, GoJo announced Tuesday.
Study: Cough-cold manufacturers' voluntary label change on pediatric products reduced ER admissions
BURLINGTON, Vt. — The voluntary action taken five years ago by manufacturers of cough and cold medicines — namely to no longer recommend the use of OTC cough-cold products in children under the age of 4 years unless directed to do so by a doctor — has worked, according to a study published Monday online by Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Patient Views - November 2013 Methodology

AccentHealth collected data through an online survey conducted from Oct. 14 to 21. Participants responded via AccentHealth's national, online panel of network viewers, and the survey yielded 520 respondents who were at least 18 years of age, and either themselves or a household member have prediabetes, Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes.

All data is self-reported and not validated.

Below is the demographic breakdown of the respondents and their behavior:

Gender
WSJ: J&J temporarily suspends shipments to Amazon.com over third-party resellers

NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson had temporarily stopped distribution of its products to Amazon.com over concerns that Amazon hasn't done enough to prevent third-party resellers from selling damaged or expired J&J products on Amazon's site, according to a report published Sunday by The Wall Street Journal.
Survey: Americans practice bad cold etiquette

EAST HANOVER, N.J. — As many as 56% of Americans who suffer from a cough or cold are still working out at the gym, jumping on public transportation and liberally shaking hands, according to a Mondelez survey in support of its Halls brand. And 43% of Americans continue to go to work when they have a cough or cold.

And it's not just sick people with unhealthy habits. According to the survey, 23% of healthy Americans make no effort to stay away from cough and cold sufferers.
FDA to USPlabs: Recall adulterated supplement products from the market

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration on Sunday announced that USPlabs of Dallas is recalling certain OxyElite Pro dietary supplement products that the company markets.

The company took this action after receiving a letter from the FDA stating that the products have been linked to liver illnesses, and that there is a reasonable probability that the products are adulterated.
Creating a diabetes ecosystem

Creating a home destination center for diabetic patients stocked with products appropriate to their condition —not only including sugar tablets, gels and liquids, but also nutritional supplements, homeopathic products, skin creams and lotions, oral care solutions, pain relief products and hypoglycemic products — has gained in importance thanks to the price pressures associated with competitive bidding in the diabetes space.
Dannon and American Diabetes Association unite to promote healthy eating

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Dannon will partner with the American Diabetes Association to raise awareness about diabetes and the importance of a healthy, balanced diet.
Sales of self-diagnostic devices inch higher

Today, sales of all self-diagnostic devices — including blood pressure monitors and glucose meters, as well as home-test kits and pregnancy test kits — stand at about $1 billion across food, drug and mass outlets, up slightly with a little more than 2% growth.

(For the full category review, including sales data, click here.)
At-home test provides consumers down-to-the-week results

CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble in August launched its Clearblue Advanced Pregnancy Test with Weeks Estimator — the first and only pregnancy test that also provides an estimate of time since ovulation for women testing pregnant. The introduction will play brand dividends — before the new product’s sales could be tracked, Clearblue pregnancy test kits were already up 23.6% to $39.5 million, across U.S. multi-outlets for the 52 weeks ended Sept. 8, according to IRI.