Trending News Today: Anthem, Walmart Partner to Launch OTC Drug Program

A new study has found that black and Hispanic children may be less likely than white children to survive certain childhood cancers, partially due to differences in socioeconomic status, Reuters reported. According to the article, the researchers examined data on black, Hispanic, and white children who were diagnosed with 12 types of cancer between 2000 and 2011. Factoring in socioeconomic status reduced the original association between race and survival for black and Hispanic children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neuroblastoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the article reported.

Anthem Inc announced on Monday that it has partnered with Walmart to launch a program allowing its Medicare Advantage plan customers to purchase OTC medications from the retailer’s stores and website, Reuters reported. According to the article, the program will provide OTC drugs and health-related items, such as first aid supplies, support braces, and pain relievers at reduced costs. The program is expected to launch in January 2019, the article reported.

Healthy adults with moderate low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), known as “bad cholesterol,” are more likely to die an early death from cardiovascular disease than others with lower cholesterol levels, Reuters reported. According to the article, the study examined data on 36,375 adults with no history of heart disease or diabetes and a low 10-year risk for events such as heart attacks or strokes. Compared with individuals with very low LDL-C levels under 100 mg/dL, those with LDL-C levels ranging from 100 to 159 mg/dL had a 30% to 40% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and those with levels of 100 to 129 mg/dL died of cardiovascular disease about 1.8 years sooner.