Healthcare Matters

A big, interesting buy

Nestlé Buys U.S. Maker of ‘Brain Health’ Shake

Nestlé SA, NESN.VX -0.76% making a foray into “brain health products,” said it bought a stake in a company that makes milkshakes for Alzheimer’s patients. Nestlé, better known as the maker of Kit Kat chocolate bars and Nescafe coffee, didn’t disclose how much it invested in closely held Accera, which is based in Brookfield, Colo. It also declined to say how much of Accera it would own, but said it would take a seat on its board…

Pretty amazing little pill

Polypill ‘could save thousands’ of lives

A “polypill” combining a statin with blood pressure drugs could prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes every year, according to researchers.A UK study of 84 over-50s, published in the journal PLoS One, showed the pill could cut blood pressure and levels of “bad” cholesterol. They called for the pill to be made available “as a matter of urgency”…

Grab your measuring tape!

Move over BMI: There’s a new way to measure fat

A new way to measure and categorize an individual’s body shape appears to predict more accurately whether he or she is in greater danger of premature death, says a pair of scientists in a new look at alternatives to the body-mass index (or BMI). The proposed new measure is called “A Body Shape Index,” or ABSI, by the father-and-son team that has  devised and tested it, Dr. Jesse Krakauer, an endocrinologist at Middletown Medical in Middletown N.Y., and his Nir Krakauer, an assistant professor of engineering at City University of New York. Their study was published this week in the open-access journal Public Library of Science One…

From Spend Matters

Managing External Relations: Corporations Have to Be Careful Who They Get in Bed With

You already know that you need to vet your suppliers so you don’t start to engage with vendors relying on one of many potentially lethal practices:

• Abusive work environments (aka sweatshops) – when “Just Do It” shouldn’t mean throwing shoes at employees or kicking them
• Child labor – even if youngsters make such wonderful Afghan rugs (/sarcasm)
• Strong arm procurement – the “fair” trade movement against extortionist buying practices
• Dubious chain of custody or provenance – “conflict” metals, forestry products

No wonder Codes of Conduct these days can get quite lengthy for vendors to wade through…

From Spend Matters UK/Europe

Cabinet Office makes procurement and spending controls “permanent”

The Cabinet Office controls on spending across UK central Government  have been extended “permanently” by Francis Maude, the UK Minster responsible for Whitehall procurement and efficiency. “Permanent” is an interesting word of course when a new Government in three years time, or indeed a new Minster in three months’ time, could remove the controls at the stroke of the pen.  Even the change of Chief Procurement Officer might have an impact on the acceptance of and compliance to these controls. how well…