Abbott takes global view: Abbott Laboratories expects tighter spending on consumer products to affect its U.S. nutritional business more than international sales, which were a key driver in the firm's latest earnings period. "I think any concern of economic slowdown is a little more U.S.-focused," Chief Financial Officer Thomas Freyman says Oct. 15 during Abbott's third-quarter earnings call. Consumers see both pediatric and adult nutritional products "as more core to their essential as opposed to discretionary-type items," he adds. The Abbott Park, Ill.-based firm's international nutritional sales increased 22.2 percent to $629 million, but 5.5 percent of the growth was from the positive impact of currency exchange, according to a same-day release. Worldwide nutritional sales grew 14.5 percent to $1.26 billion, with U.S. sales up 7.8 percent to $633 million. The company says pediatric products accounted for $668 million of the nutritional total, a 10.8 percent increase, and adult products reached $584 million, up 19.1 percent. Abbott expects to start manufacturing nutritionals at a Singapore facility in early 2009 (1"The Tan Sheet" Oct. 22, 2007, p. 9). "It will be a much more convenient way to supply the Asian market, which currently we're supplying out of our European facilities," Investor Relations VP John Thomas says

Similac, PediaSure and the launch of NutriPals bars and shakes drove sales by Abbott Laboratories' Ross U.S. Nutritionals unit up 3 percent to $624 million in its fourth quarter, according to Abbott President and COO Rick Gonzalez

Using proton pump inhibitors to prevent GI bleeding from low-dose aspirin therapy for cardiovascular health is cost-effective only at OTC prices, according to researchers