It’s Deal Time: Johnson & Johnson is buying Synthes, which makes surgical devices used for orthopedic and traumatic injuries, for $21.3 billion in cash and stock, the WSJ reports . The boards of the companies support the merger, but some Synthes shareholders may think the company is worth closer to 165 Swiss francs ($189) per share than the agreed-upon price of 159 Swiss francs per share, the paper says. Earnings Rise: Health-insurer WellPoint saw first-quarter earnings rise a better-than-expected 5.7% to $926.6 million, or $2.44 per share, Dow Jones Newswires reports . The company increased its estimate for full-year revenue to $59.9 billion from $59.5 billion. Medication Misses: A study published in JAMA finds that about 58% of kids with newly diagnosed epilepsy don’t take their drugs as prescribed when they first begin therapy, Reuters reports . It’s unclear whether incorrect use

of medication in the first six months after diagnosis might increase the risk of seizures or death, as it does with adults. Research Pact: Medical device-maker Medtronic and drug company Eli Lilly are teaming up to research how medication for Parkinson’s disease might be delivered directly to the brain, the WSJ reports . Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed, and any potential treatment is years in the future, the paper says. Confusion in Aisle 4: A new American Heart Association poll of 1,000 adults finds that 61% believe sea salt has less sodium than the regular kind, the Los Angeles Times’ Booster Shots blog reports . About 25% of respondents correctly identified the recommended daily sodium cap for most people as 1,500 milligrams. Image: iStockphoto

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A.M. Vitals: J&J and Synthes Agree to $21.3 Billion Deal