In this Issue

As soon as members of Congress took their seats last month, the new Republican majority announced it would make good on its pledge to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The effort largely is symbolic and unlikely to succeed, so at least one portion of the healthcare-reform law will likely remain in effect, namely the abbreviated approval pathway for follow-on biologics, also known as the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act.


ST. PAUL, Minn. — Convenient care industry pioneer Kevin Smith took a leap more than 10 years ago and helped create the successful nurse practitioner-staffed retail clinic concept. Today, the industry trailblazer is embarking on a new venture to further revolutionize access to health care. Enter Zipnosis.com.


LAS VEGAS — While Apple’s iPad and the long line of next-generation electronic tablets hitting the market this year may have been the “sexy” items at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show, it was the unprecedented number of healthcare-related consumer electronics that better served as a harbinger of what’s to come.

Thanks to technological innovations within mascara, the category has driven sales of eye makeup, and looking forward, mascara formulas that are infused with eyelash-enhancing treatments and packaging that offers greater customization not only will volumize lashes but also sales at retail.



Continued product innovation in the sugarless gum segment helped push dollar sales ahead nearly 5% for the 12 weeks ended Nov. 28, 2010, according to SymphonyIRI Group.


“Constant newness has been driving the category, and as manufacturers continue to invest in advertising, consumer interest remains high,” said Lisbeth Echeandia, VP trade marketing for consulting group Frey Enterprises.


Years 2009 and 2010 were up and down for the generic drug industry and its main trade group, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association. On one hand, there were the departures of president and CEO Kathleen Jaeger and member company Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.



It appears that even the “King of All Media” Howard Stern gets his news from Drug Store News. Traffic on the site spiked in late December when a DrugStoreNews.com story made it into Stern sidekick Robin Quivers’ daily news broadcast during the Thursday, Dec. 16 show. The Stern Web page also linked to the story under the “It’s Time for Robin’s News” section in the rundown for the satellite radio program’s show (“Use lanolin on your cracked nipples” at HowardStern.com/Rundown.hs).


According to the Calorie Control Council, an international association representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry, a focus on weight-gain prevention will help shape dieting attitudes in 2011. And newly released dietary guidelines from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services urge people to eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, foods with omega-3 fatty acids and low-calorie dairy products.