News Briefs

ScriptDrop, a healthcare technology company focused on prescription access, and Roadie, a UPS company and crowdsourced delivery platform, are expanding their partnership that began in 2020.

At the time, ScriptDrop needed a nationwide partner that could enable same-day and urgent delivery in a systematic, safe and scalable way.

ScriptDrop has graduated from manually posting delivery requests to Roadie’s platform to a full API integration, allowing both partners to mutually benefit from a streamlined workflow. Thanks in large part to Roadie’s reliable network and pre-screened drivers, ScriptDrop has significantly expanded its delivery footprint in all 50 states over the past 12 months, the company said.

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Recently ScriptDrop announced the release of its annual prescription access industry report, “Everything Old Is New Again: Social Determinants of Health and the Role of Prescription Delivery in Home Health Care.” This year, the report focuses in part on social determinants of health, which are non-medical factors that affect a person’s health. Examples of SDOH are “healthcare access and quality,” which includes a person’s vicinity to healthcare facilities and pharmacies.

ScriptDrop noted that over 40% of U.S. counties are considered pharmacy deserts, or geographic areas without easy access to a pharmacy. Many of these are rural counties. However, disparity exists in cities as well. In urban areas, Black and Latino neighborhoods are much more likely to be pharmacy deserts than primarily white neighborhoods, the company said.

“Seventy percent of patients who use ScriptDrop delivery for their recurring prescriptions never miss a delivery and have their meds in hand every month,” said Amanda Epp, CEO ofScriptDrop. “It’s clear that this partnership with Roadie has helped us begin to overcome negative social determinants of health and improve long-term health outcomes.” 

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Roadie’s large, local same-day delivery network and expertise in last-mile logistics have made it possible for ScriptDrop to offer safe, secure, same-day delivery to patients no matter where they live.

“When it comes to accessing quality health care, your zip code shouldn’t be a barrier to getting what you need,” said Marc Gorlin, CEO of Roadie. “Fast, frictionless delivery isn’t a nice-to-have for many industries; it’s table stakes. And with ScriptDrop, it’s a path to more equitable communities. We’re proud to work with ScriptDrop to expand healthcare access nationwide.”

Several brands are gearing up for fall by releasing their seasonal pumpkin spice beverages early, but Nütrl is taking a different approach with its seasonal products.

The brand recently announced that its seasonal cranberry vodka seltzer will be released for a limited time beginning Aug. 29 in its first all-cranberry variety pack.

Made with such simple ingredients as vodka, seltzer and real juice, the product is available in four flavors — classic cranberry, cranberry orange, cranberry grapefruit and cranberry apple.

Consumers can find Nütrl’s cranberry vodka seltzer variety pack online at such e-retailers as Instacart and Drizzly.

The Emerson Group announced that registration is open for Industry Day 2022. The event is slated to take place virtually on Oct. 12. 

Guest speakers include: Scott Galloway, NYU professor; Jimmy Chang of Rockefeller Capital; Luca Silipo of Geodis; Indra Nooyi, author and former CEO of PepsiCo; Mindy McKnight, celebrated YouTuber; Colleen Lindholz of Kroger Health; Musab Balbale of CVS Health; Jostein Solheim of Unilever; and Wendy Liebmann of WSL.

Industry conversations include Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, H-E-B, Kroger, Amazon and WSL.   

To save a virtual seat, register here.

Fall is just around the corner and Premier Protein is the latest brand preparing for the season by announcing the return of a fan-favorite flavor, pumpkin spice.

The brand’s pumpkin spice protein shares are making a return with an even bolder flavor. In addition, it contains 160 calories, 20 g of protein, antioxidants vitamins E and C, and 1 g of sugar per serving, the company said.

Made without the use of artificial colors, Premier Protein’s pumpkin spice protein shakes are gluten-free and will be available for a limited time beginning later this month.

Genital herpes is common in the United States.

The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates show there were 572,000 new genital herpes infections in the United States during the year 2018. Comparatively 1-in-6 American women between the ages of 14 years old and 49 years old are said to carry the HSV-2 virus, which causes genital sores, and 1-in-12 men in the same age group, according to Herstat, makers of a new OTC genital sore treatment.

The Jackson, Wyo.-based company said that despite it being a common condition, genital herpes sufferers are often subjected to the negative and unwarranted social stigma of the ailment, which is precisely why the packaging for GST has been thoughtfully designed with the consumer’s natural desire to shop in-store with privacy in mind. 

“We know from our extensive global experience within the herpes space that genital herpes sufferers will regularly reach for topical cold sore products, which they will use alongside taking oral prescription meds,” the company said. “With this in mind, we suggest that Herstat GST sits as comfortably within the personal care/feminine care section as it does adjacent to existing Herstat products in the cold sore assortment.”

For sufferers of cold sores (HSV-1) and genital sores (HSV-2), the Herstat brand is increasingly becoming synonymous with products that provide both fast acting relief and highly efficacious treatment for their unwanted symptoms, the company said.

The product will be available to retail pharmacies and mass retail Oct. 1.

Killing bad bacteria is not enough. A healthy mouth needs good bacteria. ProBiora delivers a daily dose.

Ever wonder why some people get more cavities? “It’s because they naturally have more bad bacteria in their mouth. ProBiora is the natural solution,” the company said. “It’s a patented blend of beneficial bacteria that inhibits the growth of bad bacteria for fresher breath, whiter teeth, and healthier teeth and gums. Just chew once daily.”

ProBiora is recommended by thousands of dentists because it is so effective and easy to use, and because good oral health is linked to total body health, according to the company.