HEALTH

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — According to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center released Thursday, less than 45% of children were vaccinated against the flu during a five-year study period.

RARITAN, N.J. -- A panel of Food and Drug Administration experts has recommended approval for an experimental Type 2 diabetes drug made by Johnson & Johnson, the drug maker said.

J&J said the FDA's Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee had recommended approval for canagliflozin, which the company plans to market under the name brand Invokana. The FDA is not required to follow the votes of advisory committees when deciding whether or not to approve a drug, but usually does.

ATLANTA — The worst of the flu season may be over, at least for those in the South. In a late morning press conference with reporters, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "We are seeing a decrease in some regions."

EASTON, Md. — Konsyl Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday named Roger Giannico VP sales and marketing. Giannico has more than 25 years of experience in health care product sales and marketing management, most recently at ChaseHealthAdvance Patient Financing, a division of JP Morgan Chase. 

Giannico earned his MBA at Dowling College in Oakdale, N.Y., and has been an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University.

FERNDALE, Mich. — Ferndale Healthcare on Thursday unveiled a redesigned corporate web site www.ferndalehealthcare.com to make it easier for a variety of target audiences to navigate the site.

WASHINGTON — Most U.S. moms are concerned about breastfeeding in public even though they understand that breastfeeding is the best way to feed their babies, according to the 2012 Lansinoh Breastfeeding Study released Thursday. 

“Breastfeeding in public became one of the hottest publicly debated topics in 2012," stated Gina Ciagne, senior director, professional relations at Lansinoh. "We were interested to find out how that affected moms’ decisions to breastfeed.” 

MCHENRY, Ill. — The Calma breastmilk feeding system from Medela, which helps emulate the breastfeeding experience for babies, is now available in major national retail stores, Medela announced Thursday. Calma is a research-based nipple used with a BPA-free breastmilk bottle, designed to help babies maintain their natural feeding behavior and transition from bottle back to breast with ease.

LOS ANGELES — Actor Brad Garrett, best known for his role as Robert on "Everybody Loves Raymond," recently shared a moment with Salim Holder, Prestige Brands senior brand manager for Little Remedies products, at the "Winter Wonderland" holiday party benefiting The Children's Hospital of L.A.  

Little Remedies was a key sponsor of the event for children who are patients at the hospital, their parents and celebrity friends.