CVS names exec to lead specialty Rx
CVS Caremark Corp. has appointed Dr. Alan Lotvin executive vice president of specialty pharmacy.
News
Credit card settlement draws fire
A hearing on the proposed $7.2 billion settlement between merchants and credit card companies has been set for November 9. Retailers and others opposed to the settlement had until October 31 to file their written objections.
Appeals court to consider Medi-Cal case
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and several other heath care groups are continuing their efforts to block the state of California from cutting Medi-Cal reimbursement rates. In the spring of 2011 the California legislature passed and Gov.
Two regional drug chains go mobile
Kerr Drug and Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy have both teamed up with mobile pharmacy solutions provider mscripts to offer their patients the ability to manage their prescriptions from a mobile phone.
Bartell program supports healthy lifestyles
Bartell Drugs has launched a rewards program encouraging customers to pursue healthy lifestyles. The initiative is a joint venture with EveryMove, an online program that rewards people for healthy choices.
CVS, Walgreens tout vitamins’ benefits in lowering cancer risk
A recent study showing that long-term multivitamin use may lower cancer risk among men has the nation’s two largest drug chains promoting the role they can play in helping men ensure they take the right supplements.
The Top 100 Drug Store Markets
In the battle for market share among chain drug retailers, store formats are pre-empting numbers. Rather than seeking to dominate metropolitan areas by saturating them with new stores, drug chains are seeking to draw shoppers with distinctive retail concepts. Walgreen Co.
Rite Aid debuts next generation of wellness store format
About a year and a half after the debut of its first “wellness store,” Rite Aid Corp. has ushered in the next generation of the concept. The drug chain unveiled a new iteration of the wellness format — known internally as “Genuine Well-Being” — this month at a store here, near the
Role of pharmacists enlarged in Ontario
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty opted to himself announce the introduction of regulations that extend the powers of pharmacists.
Walmart to push smaller stores
Walmart is ramping up its small-store rollout, with plans to add 95 to 115 Neighborhood Market units next year. That would be up from a projected 80 additions in the current year. “This gives us the opportunity to build more stores for less money,” Bill Simon, president of the company’s U.S.
Rx satisfaction: Where pharmacies have room to improve
In previous issues Chain Drug Review has presented some of the major findings from the Pharmacy Satisfaction Pulse Survey by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. The September 24 issue highlighted the pharmacy industry’s strengths and best practices.
Monthly retail sales decelerate
Retail sales growth slowed in September, according to monthly sales figures released by a number of large U.S. retailers. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, which tracks 22 retailers, sales for the month rose 3.9%, down from a 6% increase in August.
NACDS’ Anderson talks about ‘5th estate’
Associations serve a vital function as the “fifth estate” in the 21st century American democracy, National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson told an audience of more than 1,100 association members here earlier this month.
Walgreens introduces ‘Taylor Swift Store’
Walgreen Co. has partnered with singer/celebrity Taylor Swift to introduce the “Taylor Swift Store at Walgreens,” featuring a selection of her music and other merchandise. The collection is available in Walgreens and select Duane Reade locations.
Rite Aid, McKesson renew distribution deal
McKesson Corp. has renewed its distribution contract with Rite Aid Corp., its second-largest customer, in a pact that stretches into 2016. The renewal, which was disclosed in a regulatory filing by Rite Aid, came earlier than was anticipated.
MinuteClinic signs Tricare pact
CVS Caremark Corp.’s MinuteClinic unit now offers care across the country to members of Tricare, the health insurance program for military personnel (including retirees) and their families. MinuteClinic has reached an agreement with TriWest, the Western region plan contractor for Tricare.