|
Retail News Breaks Archives The contract stand-off between Walgreen Co. and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) Express Scripts Inc. hasn't changed, but the situation continues to simmer. Despite the deflationary impact of generic drug price reductions, Jean Coutu Group and its franchised store network turned in solid sales gains for the fiscal 2012 third quarter. The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has proposed best practices aimed at preserving the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain — namely to reduce the risk of counterfeit drugs and mishandled medications. In Canada, pharmacists are at the top of the list of the most trusted professions, according to a survey by Ipsos Reid. A dozen retail pharmacies are set to change hands in the Philadelphia area as Giant Food Stores has agreed to buy 16 Genuardi's supermarkets from Safeway Inc. Lifted by a calendar day shift, Rite Aid Corp. ended 2011 on a strong note by turning in its biggest comparable-store sales increase for the year. Comparable-store sales growth again slowed at Walgreen Co. as the drug chain turned in a narrow increase in December. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced that election analyst and University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato will be a keynote speaker at the 2012 NACDS Annual Meeting. Though uncertainty still surrounds the economy and the U.S. health care reform law, North American drug chains have carved out a role as wellness providers. To encourage New Year's resolution makers to get healthy and lose weight, Rite Aid Corp. is offering customers expert advice in printed guides, online resources and face-to-face conversations with a Rite Aid pharmacist free during January. Shopko Stores and Pamida plan to merge, which will create a chain drug retailer with nearly 300 pharmacy locations in more than 20 states. The move by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to let states set their own definitions of "essential health benefits" covered by plans in upcoming health insurance exchanges spells opportunity for pharmacists, according to the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). This month, Sam's Club plans to offer an array of free health screenings and smoking cessation consultations as people get under way with their New Year's resolutions. In March, the Food and Drug Administration plans to deploy a single, shared Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for the transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) products. CVS/pharmacy has launched a service on its website that enables beneficiaries of Tricare, the U.S. armed forces' health and prescription drug benefit program, to transfer their prescriptions to one of its drug stores. Rite Aid Corp. has kicked off the new year with a new customer savings promotion called Resolution Rewards. Now that it's officially out of the Express Scripts Inc. pharmacy network, Walgreen Co. has served up a transition plan for patients who receive prescription drug benefits through the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). Another Supervalu Inc. food and drug chain has made a pitch to Walgreens pharmacy customers with Express Scripts Inc. prescription drug benefit plans. The editors of Chain Drug Review have named the employees of Walgreen Co. — and more particularly, five of the company’s top executives — as the publication’s 2011 Chain Drug Retailers of the Year.
|
