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Retail News Breaks Archives Amid a rising tide of criticism, Walgreen Co. today gathered investors and analysts in a meeting with its top executives and those of Alliance Boots to explain the rationale behind the companies' planned union. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores said this weekend's 2012 NACDS Marketplace Conference will bring top-notch business programming and opportunities to retailers and suppliers in the chain drug industry plus give a glimpse of what's in store at its new show for next year, the NACDS Total Store Expo. Seven leading health care organizations in Canada have partnered to launch new digital tools to help Canadians use their medications properly and safely. In letters to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the National Community Pharmacists Association has expressed "serious concern" over federal Medicaid officials' handling of proposed changes to pharmacy reimbursement. RxAlly plans to launch Heart to Heart, a blood pressure education campaign aimed at helping people prevent and control hypertension. CVS/pharmacy has revamped its website to offer consumers a more personalized experience plus more pharmacy and health care tools and information. Buoyed by an uptick in revenue and same-store sales, Rite Aid Corp. turned in a smaller net loss for its fiscal 2013 first quarter. Fresh off the launch of the "En Español" version of its website, Navarro Discount Pharmacy is now offering Spanish language capability in its mobile pharmacy application. As a final congressional vote approaches, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores called on lawmakers to pass the reauthorization legislation for the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) Rite Aid Corp. has reached a settlement with assistant store managers and co-managers in class-action lawsuits regarding overtime pay. The same day it unveiled a blockbuster partnership with global pharmacy, health and beauty retailer and wholesaler Alliance Boots, Walgreen Co. reported declined sales and earnings for its fiscal 2012 third quarter. Kerr Drug Inc. subsidiary Kerr Health is moving to a single platform for data analytics across multiple locations and lines of business. Walmart is slated to leverage technologies that will facilitate back-office pharmacy processing and expand access to health services through its retail medical clinics. Walgreen Co. plans to acquire a 45% equity interest in global pharmaceutical, health and beauty retailer and wholesaler Alliance Boots for $6.7 billion in cash and stock, with the option to buy the remaining 55% of the company in about three years for $9.5 billion in cash and stock. In a summit hosted by Walgreen Co. at the drug chain's distribution center here, top executives from over a dozen major U.S. companies and government officials kicked off a national public-private sector initiative to further employment of people with disabilities. Almost half of consumers plan to spend more this back-to-school shopping season than they did in 2011, according to a poll by PriceGrabber. Leading pharmacy benefit managers report that client interest in narrow pharmacy networks has picked up, but so far few have been willing to proceed.
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