If the Affordable Care Act performs as advertised, tens of millions of Americans will benefit directly. But there will be other beneficiaries, too -- and some will make good investments. For example: Weight Watchers.
When you need to give yourself a whole new image, there's nothing like changing your name. Which may be why high fructose corn syrup, the scourge of dieticians and dieters everywhere, wants to rebrand itself "corn sugar." But there's one big obstacle: the sugar industry, which is going to court to protect its good name.
Pharmaceutical companies looking for fresh sources of profit are increasingly investing in a range of health care innovations that aren't drugs at all, from smartphone apps and educational websites to social media platforms and wireless devices, reports Ernst & Young.
Diabetes is a growing global scourge, but for Big Pharma it's more of a lifesaver -- and many drugmakers are cranking up their research efforts. After all, many existing drugs will soon be losing their patents, and diabetes could be a $55 billion market by 2019.
Abbott Laboratories is recalling roughly 359 million blood-sugar test strips for diabetics after the strips turned out to yield falsely low readings.
As many as one-third of American adults could develop diabetes in the next 40 years, according to a new analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease is also among the most expensive chronic illnesses to treat, and is considered one of the culprits in rising health care costs.
Soda and processed-food makers insist that all sugars are the same. Yet with studies linking fructose to obesity, diabetes and, most recently, pancreatic cancer, big brands are quietly backing away from using corn-based high-fructose sweetener. Could it eventually become another tobacco-like liability?
MannKind shares jumped about 10% in afternoon trading after the pharmaceutical company announced the Food and Drug Administration accepted its resubmission of its inhaled insulin, Afrezza. The FDA set a review date for Dec. 29.
GlaxoSmithKline diabetes drug Avandia has been found to have increased heart attack risk compared to similar medication. But a majority of the Food and Drug Administration's panel of outside experts have voted to keep the drug on the market -- though new restrictions are likely.
On Tuesday, the FDA will convene a panel of experts to discuss GlaxoSmithKline's type II diabetes drug Avandia. Once a blockbuster, sales of the drug have dropped by more than half since studies suggested it significantly increases risk for serious heart problems.
Problems for GlaxoSmithKline just seem to be getting worse. The European Medicines Agency said Friday it's launching a new review of Avandia's benefit-risk profile following new data on the possibility of cardiovascular complications.
GlaxoSmithKline's diabetes drug Avandia once again captured headlines Monday morning after two new studies linked it to heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications. The authors of the studies say the results should prompt the FDA to pull the drug from the market.
Pharmaceutical giant Roche said Friday that it would delay an FDA filing for its new diabetes drug for 12 to 18 months due to safety concerns. The beneficiary of Roche's misfortune is rival Amylin, which now jumps ahead in the race to get first approval of a once-weekly injectable type 2 diabetes drug.
The financial media's coverage of China tends to focus on trade-related topics, but China is undergoing deep cultural shifts that will significantly alter its economic landscape. These four long-term trends could drastically change China -- and its relationship with the world.
Resveratrol, a substance found in red wine, could slow age-related disease and extend patients' life spans. But GlaxoSmithKline has suspended a trial of a resveratrol drug as a result of safety concerns.
The FDA is considering halting a safety study on GlaxoSmithKline's diabetes drug Avandia, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. Previous studies have linked Avandia to an increased risk of heart attacks. The implication is a serious threat to the continued sale of Avandia in the U.S.
PepsiCo will stop selling its full-sugar drinks in primary and secondary schools around the world by 2012.
Federal regulators approved Novo Nordisk's new once-daily injection for treating Type 2 diabetes Victoza, driving shares higher. Shares of Amylin Pharmaceuticals also rallied as the approval of Victoza raises hopes that Amylin's rival drug will also get the greenlight.
While DaVita says health reform would allow the dialysis-center operator to offer more integrated care, it could hurt business if Medicare recipients become an even bigger part of its patient load. CEO Kent Thiry reviews the pros and cons of reform.
As it now exists, health-reform legislation is hardly a leap to "universal" coverage -- some 23 million Americans will be left out. Plus, neither the Senate nor the House version takes effect before 2013, leaving many newly eligible without insurance for years.
The U.S. diabetes drug market just got a little more competitive. Swiss drugmaker Roche (RHHBY) said Wednesday an experimental medicine in late-stage development works better in treating type 2 diabetes than Merck (MRK) Januvia, according to a clinical study.
