More than 350 drug chain executives, pharmacists and pharmacy students from across the country took to Capitol Hill earlier this month to lobby lawmakers about the role community pharmacy can play in controlling health care costs.
Walgreen Co. is stepping out of the pharmacy benefits management (PBM) business. President and chief executive officer Greg Wasson said Walgreens’ deal to sell Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (WHI), its PBM unit, to Catalyst Health Solutions Inc.
Until now, chain drug stores have generally not had to cope with the specter of a Walmart pharmacy nearby. The retailer’s focus on opening its huge Supercenters in suburban and small-town locations has left to drug stores the advantage of being able to find sites in all kinds of markets and to
Joe Magnacca, who was integral to the renaissance at Duane Reade before its purchase by Walgreen Co., has been named president of daily living products and solutions for Walgreens.
The changing retail environment is putting new demands on the supply chain, according to Kantar Retail chief knowledge officer Bryan Gildenberg. Gildenberg spoke earlier this month at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Supply Chain & Logistics Conference here.
AmerisourceBergen Corp. chief executive officer R. David Yost plans to retire from the company on July 1. Steve Collis, who has been AmerisourceBergen’s president and chief operating officer since November, has been named to succeed Yost as the company’s top executive.
Rite Aid Corp. pharmacies are carrying specially designed drug disposal envelopes, targeting them to customers who want to safely get rid of unused, outdated or unwanted medications. Customers can put unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications in the envelope and, once sealed.
The dramatic growth of the food and beverages category at drug chains and its intersection with the channel’s wellness positioning will be a focus of this year’s National Association of Chain Drug Stores Marketplace Conference.
Prices for branded prescription drugs rose at a faster rate than costs for other medical goods and services over the last four years, according to a federal report.
Face-to-face interaction between patients and pharmacists can boost medication adherence and cut costs from the health care system, says Dr. Cheryl Pegus, chief medical officer at Walgreen Co.
In a stunning announcement out of Deerfield, Ill., earlier this month Walgreen Co.
Walgreens’ decision to sell its pharmacy benefits management business to Catalyst Health Solutions for $525 million is sure to intensify the debate about whether drug chains are well served by owning and operating such entities. For Walgreens, at least, the answer is clearly no.
