WebMD has announced plans to acquire QualityHealth.com, and its parent, Marketing Technology Solutions, for $50 million.

The National Consumers League (NCL) filed a petition with the FDA calling for standardized, single-document patient guides for prescription drugs.

Nielsen and Wolters Kluwer Health have formed an alliance to create HealthScape, offering marketers access to anonymous prescription-related transaction data as well as consumer purchasing trends.

The Cleveland Clinic has announced a pilot partnership with online search juggernaut Google to test a new online medical record service allowing patients to control who gets to see their health information.

Johnson & Johnson said its overall earnings increased 9.5% fueled by strong sales from its consumer products division and rising pharmaceutical sales.

US consumers are turning to the Internet, even more so than their doctors, to research health information, according to a report from digital marketing company iCrossing.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America launched its first DTC ad campaign for chronic constipation drug Amitiza, targeting women 40 and over with TV and print ads featuring the tagline: "Move to Amitiza."

With Abbott and Medtronic crowding into a market it has long split with Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson's Cordis is looking to raise the profile of its Cypher stent with a consumer advertising campaign - a possible first for the category.

The New York Times recently expanded its NYTimes.com Web site offering to include a new section focused on consumer health and wellness issues.

Just call it the Energizer Bunny. Despite drawing fire from consumer groups, legislators and other concerned critics wanting to curb it, direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising keeps on going.