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Inside This Issue - News
A new store concept from Walgreen Co. brings the future of pharmacy into the present. Walgreens plans a major store pilot in Indianapolis as it experiments with various concepts in transitioning its drug stores into “health and daily living” stores. Andy Giancamilli, who for the past eight years has kept Katz Group Canada Ltd. in the forefront of efforts to secure a bigger role in health care for community pharmacy, will retire as the company’s chief executive officer on February 2. The Federal Trade Commission’s request for more information on the planned merger of Express Scripts Inc. and Medco Health Solutions Inc. has opponents hoping the deal will be scuttled. Community pharmacy advocates say that the “super committee” on deficit reduction should collaborate with community pharmacy on reducing health care costs while maintaining patient access to prescription drugs and pharmacy services. Rite Aid Corp. has joined forces with the health care information provider OptumHealth to give customers in greater Detroit what the drug chain says is “the latest in quality, convenient online health care.” Regional chains such as Lewis Drugs are making important contributions to the transformation of retail pharmacies into true community health care centers. Navarro Discount Pharmacy has expanded its management team, bringing in Luis Mier as chief financial officer and promoting Manuel Leon to vice president of wholesale and over-the-counter programs. Drug chains posted strong results last month, although anemic sales in other retail channels suggest consumers remain reluctant to spend any more than necessary. A federal appeals court here has dismissed two cases challenging the 2010 health care reform law, ruling the plaintiffs did not have grounds to sue. In recent years homeopathic products have entered many drug store categories, including cold and allergy, baby care, pain relief, feminine care, and ear care.
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