INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES

WORCESTER, Mass. — Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School said a diabetes prevention program they created was able to reduce prediabetes indicators among Latinos who were at risk of developing the disease.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — An orally administered drug made by Genzyme for treating multiple sclerosis did not appear superior to a biotech drug already on the market, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.

Genzyme, owned by French drug maker Sanofi, compared the once-daily drug teriflunomide with Rebif (interferon beta-1a), made by Pfizer and Merck KGaA, in patients with relapsing MS in the 324-patient "TENERE" trial. Merck KGaA, based in Germany, operates under the name EMD Serono in the United States to avoid confusion with U.S.-based Merck & Co.

NEW YORK — The tea market is expected to see a surge in sales this year and beyond, according to a Packaged Facts report.

"Tea and Ready-to-Drink Tea in the U.S.," which was published in October, projected that the tea market will grow 5.2% to $6.5 billion this year, with retail tea market growth climbing from 6.6% in 2012 to 8.7% in 2014, reaching $8.3 billion in that year.

SAN FRANCISCO — A new survey conducted by Visa revealed that 77% of consumers still need to buy holiday gifts this week. These last-minute shoppers will spend an average of $278 in the final days leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah.

CHICAGO — A hike in blood pressure during middle age significantly raises the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke, according to new Northwestern Medicine research released Monday. The study offers a new understanding on the importance of maintaining low blood pressure early in middle age to prevent heart disease later in life.

RESTON, Va. — Following recent e-commerce trends released by ComScore, online spending continues to grow at a consistent 15% rate. As reported earlier, holiday e-commerce spending rose 15% year over year to $26.8 billion for the first 42 days of the shopping season, through Dec. 12.

And on Sunday, ComScore released its latest findings, that online sales surpassed $1 billion on four days during the work week of Dec.12 to 16, a 15% increase over the same period last year.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — AstraZeneca and Targacept released results of the second of four phase-3 clinical trials that investigated the efficacy and tolerability of a drug that could serve as an adjunct therapy to major depressive disorder patients that had an inadequate response to initial antidepressant therapies.

WASHINGTON — One-in-eight Americans didn't fill prescriptions last year because they couldn't afford to, but despite difficulties with the economy, that proportion remained level, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.