New Year’s Health Resolutions, Black Health Awareness, and More Health News Trends

A look at the health industry news from PR Newswire in January and February that you might have missed.

 

 

By Wendy Brickner, Cliff Moore | Published March 3, 2023

 

It’s hard to believe we are already two months into 2023. However, health-related news remains a constant. In fact, PR Newswire distributed more than 5,700 healthcare-focused press releases in January and February.

As usual, healthcare releases cover an array of subjects, from being a healthier you in the New Year to health topics that impact women and minorities.

Let’s explore the healthcare trends we have noticed over the two-month period that started off 2023.

 

Some of the Most Popular Healthcare Releases:

Over the past two months, these healthcare press releases received a standout number of reads and/or engagement:

• There were a couple of very important healthcare acquisitions that garnered a lot of page views in February. They included the announcement that CVS Health is acquiring Oak Street Health and this press release about Abbott acquiring Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
• One important health-related breakthrough to start off 2023 was the FDA's approval of Eisai’s Alzheimer's treatment LEQEMBI™. One of the most viewed releases about this topic was Eisai’s January press release about U.S. pricing.
• Speaking of medication prices, the Synergie Medication Collective was formed in January to improve affordability and access to costly medications.
• In pet health news, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company issued a voluntary recall for Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental dog food.
• In FDA approval news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Jesduvroq - the first oral treatment for anemia caused by chronic kidney disease for adults on dialysis.

 

 

Healthcare News Trends

Here’s a look at a few of the trends we noticed among healthcare-related press releases in January and February, with a few examples of each.

 

Fitness and Wellness in the New Year

Did you make a New Year’s resolution for 2023? If so, you’d be one of almost 50% of Americans that started the year trying to better themselves. A resolution can be anything from improving your finances to getting more organized. However, the most common New Year’s resolutions are always the same: to exercise more and/or eat healthier.

Are we all going to keep our resolutions? Well...that’s a different story. However, many companies started off 2023 by offering options to help people keep their resolutions and reach their 2023 fitness and health goals.

Here are a few examples from January and February:

• Chris Hemsworth's Centr Announces 'Moves That Matter' to Create Healthier Habits in 2023 for All
• Shimmy, the Free Seven-Minute Fitness App, Promotes Healthy New Year Habits Through Charitable Donations
• U.S. News Reveals the 2023 Best Diets
• Zumba® Marks Big Return to Consumer Products with Launch of Zumba® 6 Week Transformation Program
• Jenny Craig, Leader in Weight Loss and Weight Management, Debuts Jenny Fresh, a Line of Fresh Entrees That Are Fully Prepared and Delivered

 

Black Health Awareness

With Martin Luther King Day in January and Black History Month in February, PR Newswire had no shortage of noteworthy press releases centered on Black health and wellness.

The main themes throughout these releases included health equity and disparities within the Black community, company and organizational efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, and enlightening medical research and surveys.

January and February delivered some of these interesting releases:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Shines Spotlight on Continuing Need to Address Health Inequities and Improved Access
• New Online Tool Provides Health Snapshot of All 435 U.S. Congressional Districts
• The Prostate Cancer Foundation Launches 'Black Men: Know Your Risk' Campaign and Teams Up With Atlanta Hawks for 'Black History Month Assist Challenge'
• American Cancer Society Announces New Center for Diversity in Cancer Research Training
• Investigating Neighborhood Redevelopment's Impact on Heart Health in the Bronx
• Efforts to Promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging in the Workplace Falling Short, New WebMD Health Services Survey Finds

 

Healthcare at Tradeshows

Two prominent tradeshows with an impact on health took place in January: the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

CES 2023 took place January 5-8 in Las Vegas. Technology touches every part of our lives – including our health. January and February saw nearly 1,000 press releases that mentioned CES or the Consumer Electronics Show. The health-related releases from CES were mostly about new tech products that could have a huge impact on our health – from contactless blood pressure monitoring to a smart bed that improves sleep.

The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference took place January 9-12 in San Francisco with keynotes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Eli Lilly. Companies sent out press releases about their time at the event covering everything from clinical data and their R&D pipeline to corporate updates.

Important health-related press releases from the tradeshows include:

• Movano Health's Evie Ring Wins 10 "Best of CES 2023" Awards
• Baracoda Unveils BHeart, World's First Health Tracker Powered Entirely by the User
• Abbott, Blood Centers of America Launch First-of-its-Kind Mixed Reality Experience for Use During Blood Donation
• Precigen Provides Pipeline and Corporate Updates at the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

 

Women & Health

In the opening months of 2023, a healthy amount of release subject matter dealt with women’s health.  Whether it was a new company, product, service, or campaign, women’s health was a hot topic in the healthcare world.

Timely events for women and their health were also observed in January and February, with Cervical Health Awareness Month in January and National Woman's Heart Day on February 2, during Women’s Heart Week.

These are some of the more prominent stories about women and health to hit the wire:

• Chrissy Teigen Partners with Cord Blood Registry®
• New Harris Poll Reveals Significant Gaps in Women's Knowledge About Cervical Cancer
• New Healthcare Company Julie Donates Nearly 200,000 Units of Emergency Contraception to Network of Partners
• It's Time for More Women to Become Survivors - #DensityTime
• New Ipsos Survey Reveals Nearly Half of American Women Forgo Preventive Care Services

 

Conclusion

We're only just closing out the first two months of 2023, and there is still plenty of time for huge announcements and clear trends to emerge as the months progress, like say, Eli Lilly’s insulin bombshell on March 1.

It will also be rewarding to see the progression of healthcare companies’ DEI efforts and the way they navigate these challenges.  And speaking of challenges, hopefully, everyone can stay on track and create better and healthier lifestyles for themselves with their health resolutions for the new year.  Until next time…

 

 

About the Authors

Wendy Brickner is a Senior Customer Content Specialist in PR Newswire's Customer Content Services department. She has been with the company since 2007. Outside of work, her favorite things are traveling, spending time with family and friends, and relaxing with her giant Golden Retriever, Roosevelt.

 

 

Cliff Moore is a Senior Customer Content Specialist in PR Newswire's Customer Content Services Department and has been with the company since 2013. When not assisting clients with their press release needs, he enjoys all things pop culture, plants, hosting gatherings, and playing any game you can think of.