Opinion
High court ruling on health reform only one step on journey
The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act provides a greater degree of certainty for retail pharmacy operators and other health care providers, but it is far from the final word on the legislation’s ultimate impact.
Alliance Boots begins where other companies leave off
Quickly now, who is the most innovative, enlightened and successful drug retailing/wholesaling executive on the planet? Is it a) Larry Merlo, b) Greg Wasson, c) John Standley or d) Stefano Pessina. If you answered d), you clearly know your way around the retail and wholesale drug business.
NACDS Total Store Expo will require engagement
As retailers and suppliers go about their business at the final National Association of Chain Drug Stores Marketplace Conference, which runs through Tuesday at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, it’s not too early to start thinking about the event that will succeed it on the retail calendar i
An era of unprecedented achievement
One of the most productive tenures in the annals of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores ended two months ago when H-E-B executive Bob Loeffler stepped down as chairman of the association. Loeffler assumed the chairmanship at the 2011 NACDS Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Small format looks like a winner for Walmart
Amid all the attention directed at Walmart’s recent annual meeting, where the hoopla surrounding the discounter’s golden anniversary celebration vied with concerns voiced by many shareholders about the bribery scandal that hit the company in April, one important development has received less attenti
Merlo has CVS headed in right direction
a drug chain and a pharmacy benefits management business that
Gearing up for the industry’s main event
though invariably for different reasons each year. Last year it was notable for, among other things, the final appearance of both Tom Ryan and Mary Sammons, the outgoing CEOs of CVS Caremark and Rite Aid,
Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow
The Federal Trade Commission’s decision to end its eight-month investigation of the $29 billion merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions without taking action has received a surprising endorsement from The New York Times.
Post-recession, drug stores have golden opportunity
What do those economists know? For two-and-a-half years after the Great Recession was declared officially over in June of 2009, dark clouds continued to cast a long shadow over consumer spending behavior.
Linking OTC and Rx purchases
Americans trust pharmacists. Gallup Organization Inc. ranks pharmacists as the third-most-trusted occupation, placing pharmacists ahead of doctors. In fact, 80% of consumers would purchase an over-the-counter product if it were recommended by their pharmacist, according to Harris Interactive.
Technology emerges as game changer in retailing
mobile computing, Web-based interaction, social media, gamification, augmented reality and more. New-fangled gadgets, terminology and demands have changed the landscape of the retail business forever. As consumers become better at defining their preferred shopping experiences, they reevaluate people
Miller recognized for courage, determination
Bob Miller has just received the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, a recognition accorded those individuals “whose courage and determination allowed them to overcome the challenges they faced early in their lives and achieve success in their fields.” “There are no secret formulas for success.
Legal action aims to counter real threat to Rx
Once again, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, together with the National Community Pharmacists Association, has stepped forward to defend the vital interests of retail pharmacy and the patients the profession serves.