Retail Clinics

WASHINGTON — Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday became the 11th senator to sign on as a co-sponsor for the Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act of 2011. The legislation was first introduced in February by Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C.

WASHINGTON — New guidelines that will ensure women receive preventive health services at no additional cost were announced Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Developed by the independent Institute of Medicine, the new guidelines require new health insurance plans to cover women’s preventive services, such as well-woman visits, breast-feeding support, domestic violence screening and contraception without charging a co-payment, co-insurance or a deductible.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — MinuteClinic has surpassed 10 million patient visits since opening its doors in 2000.

The retail clinic operator, which is owned by CVS Caremark, said that the 10 millionth patient was seen at a clinic in Quincy, Mass., one of the communities where MinuteClinic has opened new locations in the past 18 months.

PHILADELPHIA — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic version of a short-term adjunct treatment for obesity.

Lannett said that the FDA approved its abbreviated new drug application for phentermine resin extended-release capsules in the 15-mg and 30-mg strengths. The drug, which is equivalent to UCB's Ionamin, will be sold in bariatric clinics.

ORLANDO, Fla. — This year’s fourth annual Retail Clinician Education Congress kicked off on Monday, bringing together hundreds of retail healthcare professionals to network, receive exclusive accreditation and honor those providers and key executive leaders whose work throughout the year has distinguished them among their peers in retail health care.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — PharmaCline on Thursday announced it has secured the worldwide rights for drug delivery technology and existing antibiotic products from Phillips Co. that will enable production of a well-tolerated and broad-spectrum topical antibiotic.

BANGALORE, India — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic drug for diabetes made by Indian generic drug maker Strides Arcolab.

The FDA approved acarbose tablets in the 25-mg, 50-mg and 100-mg strengths. The drug is a niche drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes, Strides said.

Acarbose tablets have sales of about $21 million, according to IMS Health.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark is gearing up for flu season and will leverage both its CVS/pharmacy locations and MinuteClinic sites to provide flu shots for patients every day, including evenings and weekends, and will offer direct medical billing to many national and regional health plans that will cover all or part of the cost of a flu shot.