Opinion
How consumer health care has and hasn’t changed
The phrase “same but different” has its origins in Thailand and is reflective of the ambiguity built into the Thai language. It enables uncertainty in everything. The 2023 North American Consumer Healthcare world was aguably the same but different.
Relegate annual pharma marketing media planning to the past
In an era focused on changing consumer behavior and technological advancements, it’s no surprise marketers have had to adjust their approach when it comes to advertising.
From legacy proxy metrics to alternative data sets
Following the coronavirus pandemic, record-high inflation, and the rise of e-commerce and delivery options, pharmacies have had to adjust to a radically different consumer shopping experience. Add on the pending loss of third-party cookies, and pharmacies are at a crossroads.
Venture capital’s evolution should prompt innovation
For the better part of the last three decades, venture capital (VC) has underwritten many of the most significant innovations in our industry.
The future of retail pharmacy is personalization
Retailers face myriad challenges and decisions almost daily. Top among these is understanding consumer preferences and how those change over time.
Empowering pharmacists for better patient outcomes
Many changes that have been predicted in health care and pharmacy are now taking shape in the market. Pharmacists are increasingly becoming a driver in improving patient outcomes, a trend driven by broader market shifts. The stat sheet Patients and pharmacists are primed for this change.
Overhaul of pharmacy economic model is overdue
The retail pharmacy industry is at a crossroads. The traditional economic model, once robust and reliable, continues to show signs of significant strain and may even be inching close to its breaking point.
Make dynamic pricing, data granularity a priority
America’s large chain drug stores have been in a tough spot. Walgreens’ fourth quarter report shed light on a whopping $3.1 billion in net losses for the calendar year.
Desperate times cue drug middlemen’s loathsome measures
Estimates project that prescription drug middlemen – pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) – more than doubled their revenue over the course of the last decade and will do so again in the current decade.
Need to fix DIR points to bigger challenge
At the beginning of the month, retail pharmacy advocates were engaged in a full-court press to convince members of Congress, who were locked in a protracted battle over federal spending and a possible government shutdown, to include meaningful PBM reform in a final budget deal.
Chain drug retailing may never see another Turley
Stew Turley passed away last month, a victim of deteriorating health and advancing age.
Staying consumer-centric in a digital world
which included David Best, president and chief operating officer of Coborn’s Inc.; Sandy Douglas, chief executive officer of
Five reasons regional drug chains lead the industry
On the eve of the annual NACDS regional chain conference, about to convene in South Florida as this piece is written, now is perhaps the perfect time to reflect on the stunning success regional drug chains are experiencing in the U.S. chain drug community.
Misguided policies threaten biopharmaceutical gains
The last year has been remarkable for medical advancement, and with thousands of therapies in the development pipeline, 2024 promises to be just as exciting.
It’s time to rediscover the lost art of merchandising
CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens — succeeded as much for the zeal, creativity and accomplishments of their chief merchants as for the directions provided by their senior management. Indeed, it was a time when people like Vern Brunner, Chris Bodine and