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Community pharmacy, also known as retail pharmacy, is the most common type of pharmacy that allows the public access to their medications and advice about their health. Traditionally known as a chemist, it is the healthcare facility that is responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical service to a specific community group or region.

Amerigroup reports net income of $42.2M for first-quarter 2010

Amerigroup Corporation today announced that net income for the first quarter of 2010 was $42.2 million, or $0.82 per diluted share, versus $40.2 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2009.

30 Apr 2010

Acorda Therapeutics reports AMPYRA gross sales of $3.4 million for first-quarter 2010

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2010.

30 Apr 2010

Health law keeps 200,000 in state insurance plans instead of new high-risk pools

USA Today: About 200,000 people already enrolled in 35 state high-risk insurance pools "will not be allowed to enroll this summer in a new lower cost federal program for people like them because they already buy pricey state-run plans." In order to be eligible, "a person can't have had health coverage for six months.

30 Apr 2010

Obese children metabolize caffeine and dextromethorphan at different rates than healthy weight children

Researchers from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy have provided the first evidence-based data on changes in drug metabolism in obese children as compared to healthy weight children.

29 Apr 2010

87% of people risk dangerous levels of skin damage

Nearly nine out of ten people (87 per cent) could be risking dangerous levels of skin damage, which can lead to skin cancer, because they are either not using the right amount of sunscreen, not sure of the amount they use or are not using any at all - according to a new survey by Superdrug and Cancer Research UK.

29 Apr 2010

New MDC tool provides alternative choices to user's current prescription drugs

Healthcare reform legislation has enacted changes that will significantly affect the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. The most immediate impact of the reform aims to close the "donut hole", a component of the benefit design in which seniors must pay the full cost for their drugs themselves.

29 Apr 2010

Mass. legislation to push poor seniors into managed care plans stirs concerns

Legislation that could push more than 100,000 low-income senior citizens in Massachusetts into managed care health plans spurred intense lobbying yesterday, as consumer advocates argued the measure would strip patients of their freedom to stay in traditional Medicare, while proponents said it could save the state significant money.

29 Apr 2010

Cambodia closes 64.9 percent of illegal pharmacies

In a major crackdown, Cambodia has forced nearly 65 percent of illegal pharmacies operating in the country to close within the past five months. Led by an Inter-Ministerial Committee to Fight against Counterfeit & Substandard Medicines (IMC), the shops were targeted because of evidence that they were among the primary sources of substandard and counterfeit medicines in the country.

29 Apr 2010

Blind and sighted individuals have similar smell perception

An ongoing study by Mathilde Beaulieu-Lefebvre, a graduate student from the Universit- de Montr-al Department of Psychology, has debunked the myth that the blind have a more acute sense of smell than the sighted.

29 Apr 2010

Study evaluates cost benefits of new interventions for treating, preventing PDN and PHN

Constantly rising U.S. health care costs could be reduced significantly by preventing and treating neuropathic pain conditions associated with diabetes and herpes zoster virus infections, according to research published in The Journal of Pain, the peer review publication of the American Pain Society, www.ampainsoc.org and jpain.org.

28 Apr 2010

Top ten tips for managing healthcare

America's healthcare system is about to undergo the most fundamental transformation in our nation's history. An already over-stressed system must absorb 32 million new patients at the same time that the country's huge baby boomer population is likely to need ever more medical attention as they age. And many of our most experienced and talented physicians will soon reach retirement age, leaving fewer experienced doctors to treat more patients.

28 Apr 2010

Trade negotiations between EU, India could affect access to low-cost generics

The Associated Press examines the ongoing free-trade negotiations between the EU and India - a country that according to PricewaterhouseCoopers currently "makes one-fifth of the world's generics." The negotiations "could make it harder for millions … across the developing world to get lifesaving drugs. The deal is taking shape as India tries to transform itself from a generics powerhouse into a base for drug discovery - a trend that could ultimately do more than any trade agreement to curtail its reign as a pharmacy to the poor."

28 Apr 2010

Centene's first-quarter Premium and Service Revenues up 12.5% to $1.022 billion

Centene Corporation today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. The results of operations for our New Jersey health plan, University Health Plans, are classified as discontinued operations. The discussions below, with the exception of cash flow information, are in the context of continuing operations and all financial ratios exclude premium taxes.

27 Apr 2010

Advair to remain favored fixed-dose LABA/ICS combination therapy through 2013 for asthma and COPD

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, despite increased competition from several emerging agents, GlaxoSmithKline's Advair will remain surveyed pulmonologists' and primary care physicians' (PCPs) favored fixed-dose long-acting beta2 agonist (LABA)/inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) combination inhaler through 2013 for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

27 Apr 2010

Dozens of states pass, debate greater restrictions on abortion

Dozens of states are passing or debating new restrictions on abortion, a trend fueled in part by passage of the nation's new health care law. Both sides of the hot-button issue are seeing new approaches to reduce abortions. … So far, 2010 has been 'very successful,' said Mary Spaulding Balch of the National Right to Life Committee.

26 Apr 2010

OICR makes equity investments in three promising Ontario technologies

Frank Stonebanks, Vice-President, Commercialization and Chief Commercial Officer of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research today announced that OICR has made equity investments in three promising Ontario technologies to accelerate their commercialization.

26 Apr 2010

Humana reports first-quarter EPS of $1.52

Humana Inc. today reported diluted earnings per common share (EPS) for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 (1Q10) of $1.52, ahead of management's guidance of $1.10 to $1.20. EPS for 1Q10 included earnings of approximately $0.37 per share from higher-than-anticipated favorable prior-period development of medical claims reserves as well as $0.04 per share in higher-than-projected income tax expense due to recently enacted health reform legislation. Excluding these items, 1Q10 EPS was at the top end of the company's previous guidance range.

26 Apr 2010