HEALTH

LOS ANGELES — "Gulliver's Travels" is arriving on Blu-ray and DVD formats this month.

The film is available as a three-disc Blu-ray with digital copy, two-disc DVD and four-disc Blu-ray 3-D from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on April 19.

"Gulliver's Travels" stars Jack Black, Amanda Peet, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt.

TORONTO — Mederma Skin Care scars gel and Mederma stretch marks therapy now are available in Canada at such retailers as Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Walmart and Pharma Plus, according to Merz Pharma Canada.

Mederma scar gel and Mederma stretch marks therapy are formulated with cepalin, a proprietary botanical extract derived from onions.

Mederma scar gel is designed to improve the appearance of scars caused by burns, injuries, acne and surgery.

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and BERLIN — Regeneron and Bayer HealthCare have initiated 1-of-2 late-stage clinical trials of their aflibercept ophthalmic solution in the treatment of a complication caused by diabetic retinopathy.

The drug makers said that it would evaluate the efficacy of VEGF Trap-Eye (aflibercept ophthalmic solution) in the treatment of diabetic macular edema, a prevalent cause of vision loss among diabetes patients, after promising results from its previous clinical trial.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services on Friday launched two plans aimed at reducing health disparities.

“For the first time, the United States has a coordinated road map designed to give everyone the chance to live a healthy life,” stated HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We all need to work together to combat this persistent problem so that we can build healthier communities and a stronger nation.”

TAMPA, Fla. — Nestle Performance Nutrition and its PowerBar brand have teamed up to introduce a new energy bar for women.

Iron Girl is a co-branded women's energy bar that was produced by PowerBar and Iron Girl, an athletic event series consisting of 13 races nationwide, ranging from 10K/5K to half-marathon, duathlon and triathlon. Iron Girl is part of World Triathlon, producers of the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

PITTSBURGH — GNC Holdings on Wednesday announced the closing of its initial public offering of 25.9 million shares of its Class A common stock at a public offering price of $16 per share. GNC's Class A common stock began trading Friday, April 1, on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "GNC."

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Circuit Judge John Belz on Tuesday ruled that Illinois pharmacists could refuse to dispense the emergency contraceptive Plan B, despite a 2005 edict that required pharmacists to dispense Plan B, regardless of their religious beliefs, according to published reports.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday posted a notification to healthcare professionals and patients that the agency continues to receive reports of methemoglobinemia, a serious and potentially fatal adverse effect, associated with benzocaine products, which are available as a spray, gel and liquids sold over the counter. Benzocaine products are used to relieve pain from a variety of conditions, such as teething, canker sores, and irritation of the mouth and gums.