Retail Clinics

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. Americans can lower their total medical costs significantly by taking simple steps to prevent or manage disease and by switching to generic drugs whenever possible, new research from health insurance giant Cigna confirmed.

HYDERABAD, India Dr. Reddy's disclosed on Tuesday it will market a generic peptic ulcer treatment.

Dr. Reddy's lansoprazole delayed-release capsules will be available in 15-mg and 30-mg strengths, the drug maker said. The capsules are the generic version of Takeda's Prevacid delayed-release capsules.

The FDA approved Dr. Reddy’s abbreviated new drug application for the drug on Oct. 15.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. American Diabetes Month will be celebrated this November, and the group leading the fight to end the disease is encouraging others to join the movement.

Shortly after announcing that "Celebrity Apprentice" winner and Poison frontman Bret Michaels joined its "Stop Diabetes" movement, the American Diabetes Association has launched the "Share Your Vision to Stop Diabetes" video contest, and has asked Americans to:

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. McNeil Consumer Healthcare has pulled a lot of Tylenol off the market, following complaints of a musty odor.

McNeil said the uncharacteristic odor is thought to be caused by the presence of trace amounts of a chemical called 2,4,6-tribromoanisole. The lot of Tylenol 8-Hour, 50-count bottles are part of lot number BCM155 and carry the following UPC code: 3 0045-0297-51 8.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug for treating insomnia made by Actavis, the generic drug maker said Monday.

Actavis announced the approval of zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets in the 6.25-mg strength. The company has begun shipping the drug.

The drug is a generic version of Sanofi-Aventis’ Ambien CR, which had sales of around $129 million during the 12-month period ended in June, according to IMS Health.

NEW YORK Fera Pharmaceuticals has launched a preservative-free ointment for treating bacterial infections of the eye, the company said Monday.

Fera said the launch of Garamycin (gentamicin sulfate) was to meet an unmet need for a preservative-free version of the drug. The Food and Drug Administration had received reports of allergic reactions in infants who had received formulations of the drug with preservatives.

JERUSALEM The Food and Drug Administration granted approval for Teva's abbreviated new drug application to market a generic version of a drug designed to treat peptic ulcers.

The generic drug maker said that its drug, lansoprazole, is a generic version of Takeda’s Prevacid SoluTab. Annual sales of the branded product were approximately $453 million in the United States, according to IMS sales data.

Sandoz, the generics division of Swiss drug maker Novartis, also announced the launch of its own version of Prevacid SoluTab.

CHICAGO Spurred by a difficult economy, over-the-counter medications increasingly are playing a dual role for consumers looking to minimize healthcare expenditures, the SymphonyIRI Group found in a new research paper titled “Over-the-Counter Medications: State of the Industry 2010” that was released last week.