Chain Drug Review back issues from October 2005:
CMS approves Medicare drug plan sponsors.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
Oct 10, 2005 ... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved prescription drag plans (PDPs) from a number of health insurers and pharmacy benefits management companies (PBMs) for providing the new Part D prescription drag benefit that takes effect January 1. ...
Coutu proves the skeptics wrong.(Jean Coutu Group Inc purchases Eckerd Corp.)
Oct 10, 2005 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- The mood of management at last year's annual meeting of the Jean Coutu Group, held just weeks after the consummation of the purchase of 1,549 Eckerd Corp. drag stores in the United States, was one of quiet optimism, but some shareholders and financial analysts were ...
Crawford exits post as head of FDA.(Lester Crawford resigns)(Food and Drug Administration administration commissioner)
Oct 10, 2005 ... WASHINGTON -- Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt says there is no timetable for the nomination of a permanent Food and Drug Administration commissioner in the aftermath of last month's sudden resignation of Lester Crawford, who relinquished his position less than three months ...
After Katrina, Rita packs less wallop.(drug stores closure on hurricane damage)
Oct 10, 2005 ... HOUSTON -- As they continued to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, chain drag retailers in the Gulf States were faced with a second crisis after Hurricane Rita rolled through eastern Texas and western Louisiana late last month. While the damage from Rita was not as ...
NACDS enters fray on credit card charges.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores price cutting battle)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and three other retail organizations have joined the legal battle to force credit card companies to lower the fees they charge for processing transactions. NACDS, the National Association of Convenience Stores, the ...
Rexall Pharma Plus unit showcases Katz' focus.(Katz Group Canada Ltd rebranding)
Oct 10, 2005 ... TORONTO -- As Katz Group Canada Ltd. continues to revamp its store base, the company has opened what it says is a new concept store in the country's largest city. The outlet--located at the corner of Yonge Street and Melrose Ave.--is a 7,635-square-foot store that executives ...
Flu vaccine clinics next for chains.(influenza vaccination)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Starting in October CVS Corp., Walgreen Co. and Longs Drugs Stores are offering flu shot clinics. From October 1 through late November, CVS will offer flu vaccinations in more than 3,500 of its stores across the nation. "Our annual flu clinics are part of ...
Three new members join Rite Aid board of directors.(elections of board members)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- The board of directors of Rite Aid Corp. has announced the election of three new members. Their terms will expire in June 2006, at which time it is expected that they will stand for reelection. Elected to the board are: * Joseph Anderson, ...
Walgreens to build brand with vitamin, skin care lines.(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. is rolling out exclusive vitamin and skin care lines. The drug chain has acquired exclusive rights to Theragran-M vitamins and has launched the Dr. Jan Adams Women of Color Total Skin Care System. Walgreens acquired the United States ...
Rx-men undergo Medicare training.(pharmacists training )(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... WASHINGTON -- Regional training sessions for pharmacists readying to enroll seniors in Medicare Part D are continuing through October 12. The programs are a collaboration of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation and the American Pharmacists Association under ...
DrugMax is shoring up its financial position.(private placements reports)
Oct 10, 2005 ... FARMINGTON, Conn. -- DrugMax Inc. has announced private placements totaling $51.1 million and a new $65 million credit facility. The company agreed last month to sell 41.5 million shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 20.7 million shares with an exercise price of $1.09 ...
Clarke named president of GSK Consumer Healthcare.(John Clarke appointed )(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- John Clarke, who now heads the global marketing team at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK), has been chosen to succeed Jack Ziegler as president. Clarke will assume his new responsibilities upon Ziegler's retirement on January 31. "Jack is recognized ...
Zestra Labs is new name for QualiLife.(Zestra Laboratories Inc.)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Zestra Laboratories Inc. has been selected as the new name of QualiLife Pharmaceuticals Inc. The company, which makes Zestra feminine arousal fluid, has also announced the appointment of Alan Fink as president. The name change is designed to ...
Sell goes to BLI as president, CEO.(Carl Sell appointed as Chief Executive Officer at Botanical Laboratories Inc.)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... FERNDALE, Wash. -- Carl Sell has joined Botanical Laboratories Inc. (BLI) as president and chief executive officer. "I am delighted to welcome Carl as Botanical Laboratories' new chief executive officer," remarks founder Jim Coyne. "Carl has held successful leadership positions ...
Despite posting loss, Rite Aid sees some positive trends.(Rite Aid Corp financial statements)
Oct 10, 2005 ... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Still unable to gain any meaningful sales traction, Rite Aid Corp. fell into the red during fiscal 2006's second quarter amid a downturn in adjusted EBITDA and a loss on debt modification. Nonetheless, management said that after turning slightly upward in the quarter just ...
Impressive half turned in by Kroger.(financial statements)
Oct 10, 2005 ... CINCINNATI -- The continued sales rebound at its southern California chains, coupled with comparisons against a weak prior-year period, produced a double-digit increase at the bottom line for Kroger Co. in the second quarter of fiscal 2005. With a strong first half in the books, management ...
'Strong momentum continues at McKesson'.(McKesson Corp financial management)
Oct 10, 2005 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- McKesson Corp. began fiscal 2006 with a single-digit rise in net income and a 26% surge in adjusted earnings--beating Wall Street forecasts by a wide margin. Including a $52 million net pretax charge ($35 million, after taxes) to increase the company's ...
For Besthoff, it's time to go back and rebuild.(social life at New Orleans)
Oct 10, 2005; ... Sydney Besthoff has been found, alive and well, in New York City. He arrived, with his wife, Walda, two days after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast on Monday, August 29. "Ordinarily, I wouldn't have left New Orleans," Besthoff explained on a Wednesday morning in ...
In retailing, differentiation is the critical element.(drugstores brand building to shoot sales)
Oct 10, 2005; ... Talk to chain drug retailers about their business and in candid moments they might reveal a troubling fact: In more than a few instances customers, particularly front-end shoppers, are not sure whose store they are in. In recent years much has been made of channel blurring. Mass ...
Rx distributors adjust as business model changes.(Wholesalers distribution management)
Oct 10, 2005 ... RESTON, Va. -- Despite slowed growth in the drug distribution market last year the industry is poised to flourish over the near term. The aging population, Medicare drug benefit and increased incidence of chronic diseases all point to a robust future for drug wholesalers, ...
HDMA teams up with NACDS to examine RFID.(Healthcare Distribution Management Association)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Radio Frequency Identification )
Oct 10, 2005 ... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) is cosponsoring the RFID Health Care Industry Adoption Summit, which will be held from November 13 through November 16 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City here. The event is billed as the first-ever ...
McKesson lends hand with Medicare Part D.(Wholesalers)
Oct 10, 2005 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Since its founding as a drug import and wholesale shop in New York in 1833 McKesson Corp. has grown to become the industry's largest pharmaceutical distributor. Consequently, the company plays a key role in keeping community pharmacies across the country ...
Acquisition of D&K was 'natural fit'.(D&K Healthcare Resources Inc acquires McKesson Corp)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- McKesson, already the industry's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, got a little bigger earlier this year when it acquired St. Louis-based D&K Healthcare Resources Inc. "D&K Healthcare represents a natural fit for McKesson in terms of geographic presence, ...
Auto-Rx-Net takes hassle out of pricing.(McKesson Corp management with online pharmacy )(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- McKesson has always relied on sophisticated technology to offer its customers the utmost in service. One of its latest technological solutions takes that concept a step further by helping pharmacies set prices. McKesson's Auto-Rx-Net, while aimed ...
Company steps up in Katrina's wake.(McKesson Corp. disaster relief services)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- The level of McKesson's commitment to its customers was driven home recently when it aided in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. With about 500 employees from six business units and dozens of hospital, pharmacy and physician customers in the affected areas of ...
Cardinal integrates supply chain.(Cardinal Health Inc new unit for supply chain management)
Oct 10, 2005 ... DUBLIN, Ohio -- A new business unit created by Cardinal Health Inc. offers the most comprehensive portfolio of supply chain services in the health care industry and is one of its largest providers, with more than $70 billion in annual sales, according to a company spokesman. The ...
'Pharm Fest' targets opportunities.(Independent pharmacies conference )
Oct 10, 2005 ... CHICAGO -- Independent pharmacies from across the country, along with Medicine Shoppe International Inc., were well represented at Cardinal Health's retail business conference here in July. The yearly gathering provides pharmacists with buying opportunities, continuing education ...
AmerisourceBergen ready to play integral part in pharmacy's future.(services)
Oct 10, 2005 ... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- AmerisourceBergen Corp. is one of the leading pharmaceutical services companies in the United States, and it is intent on enhancing that role. With more than $48 billion in operating revenue, the company employs more than 14,000 people and is ranked 23rd on the Fortune ...
Medicare Rx benefit "Made Simple".(prescription drug coverage under medicare program)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- Beginning in 2006 Medicare will offer prescription drug coverage to help cut the cost of patients' medication bills, and AmerisourceBergen is offering a "Medicare Rx Made Simple" wheel designed to estimate one's out-of-pocket expenses under the new benefit. ...
Innovations in patient care win recognition.(Longenecker Pharmacy achievements)
Oct 10, 2005 ... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- Longenecker Pharmacy of Parkesburg, Pa., received the Diabetes Shoppe Achievement Award at the AmerisourceBergen National Healthcare Conference and Exposition, held in July in Las Vegas. The pharmacy is the first recipient of this national award, which will ...
Chronic care moves into the spotlight.(AmerisourceBergen and iMetrikus Inc agreement )(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- AmerisourceBergen and iMetrikus Inc. have announced an agreement that will enable pharmacists to play a more central role in the management of chronic health conditions. Through the agreement AmerisourceBergen will make MediCompass Pro, an Internet-based ...
Critical issues in community pharmacy.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores meetings)
Oct 10, 2005 ... SAN DIEGO -- Speaking at the recent National Association of Chain Drug Stores Pharmacy & Technology Conference here, Mark de Bruin, senior vice president of pharmacy services at Rite Aid Corp. and chairman of the event, said the issues of Medicare and Medicaid reform "shake the very ...
BD aids Katrina relief efforts.(Becton Dickinson and Company Ltd)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... BD last month said it would donate up to $1 million in equipment to help meet the needs of diabetes patients affected by Hurricane Katrina. The company has sent blood glucose ...
SDM joins venture to sell minivans.(Shoppers Drug Mart)(Liberty Motor Co)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... The Shoppers Home Health Care division of the drug chain Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) has become Canada's exclusive seller and distributor of Liberty Motor Co.'s wheelchair-accessible minivans. "The addition of Liberty's wheelchair-accessible minivans to our ...
Group questions CMS final rule.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... The Restore Access to Mobility Partnership (RAMP) has raised concerns about the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS') recently issued interim final rule to govern the prescribing, documentation, supplying and reimbursement of such power mobility equipment as wheelchairs and ...
Medicare costs to increase in 2006.(Home Health Care News)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... Medicare premiums for visits to doctors and outpatient care, including durable medical equipment and other services, will jump next year to $88.50 a month from $78.20 a month, federal officials say. Medicare officials say the 13.2% increase in the so-called Part B ...
Access Point enters HME biz.(Access Point Medical home care business)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... Just three months after going into business Access Point Medical has entered the home health care arena. Executives say the St. Louis-based company will manufacture high-quality, low-cost home medical equipment, including ambulatory, bath safety ...
Invacare aids hurricane effort.(Home Health Care News)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... Home health care equipment manufacturer Invacare Corp. helped the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Louisiana last month by shipping a truckload of wheelchairs, nebulizers and oxygen equipment to the American Red Cross in ...
It's trending toward Sun City, USA.(home health care products demand and marketing)
Oct 10, 2005; ... NEW YORK -- The list of chain drug retailers offering home health care products continues to grow. And for those that have been in the category for a while, the aging of the population and people's desire to take greater control of their own care have made the market for home ...
Missouri DME payments halted.(durable medical equipment medicaid)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In what some say could become a trend that spreads across the country, Missouri's Medicaid program has stopped paying for durable medical equipment. State officials say the decision to stop covering the cost of such equipment as hospital beds, wheelchair ...
New aspects emerge in home health care.(Home Health Care products)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Home health care has come to mean more to retailers than just canes, walkers and bath products. For an increasing number of drug chains the category has been expanded to include a variety of muscle and body supports as well. Once thought of almost ...
Chains are destination for boomers.(Home Health Care for Baby boom generation)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... ATLANTA -- While the federal government has not updated its data on home and hospice care since 2000, those findings still show the broad scope of the category and point to the potential for retailers participating in it. According to the Centers for Disease Control's "2000 ...
Feds call for durable medical equipment quality standards.(Home Health Care)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... WASHINGTON -- As part of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, the federal government agreed to develop new rules to ensure that suppliers of durable medical equipment (DME) to Medicare recipients meet certain quality standards. The first draft of those rules was released late ...
Finding right equation a challenge.(Home Health Care products )(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Such factors as carrying products recommended by physicians, offering a wide selection of items and paying attention to merchandising all play key roles in making home health care successful for retailers, according to those in the industry. Consumers, they note, ...
'Chains need to pick products that work to grow sales'.(foot care market share analysis)
Oct 10, 2005; ... NEW YORK -- While foot care products continue to produce steady sales for chain drug retailers, many believe that the category is underachieving. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), sales of foot care products rose 1.8% across the three mass channels for the 12 months ...
Relief from fungal infections there for the asking.(Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp foot care products)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Fungal foot infections cause pain and embarrassment to millions of sufferers, and providing relief for such infections also provides an opportunity for strengthened sales in the category. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. has seized on this opportunity and is working ...
Foot care is a category worthy of promotion.(foot care industry market analysis)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Chain drug retailers are doing their part to boost sales in the foot care category with in-store promotions, an increase in lower-cost store brands on their shelves and increased mention of the category in weekly flyers. CVS Corp. is prominently displaying its store ...
It's time to make fashion more comfortable.(Foot Care products)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Vanity, thy name is foot pain. A survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association shows that 60% of female travelers under age 35 admit that they regularly sacrifice comfort for fashion when it comes to selecting footwear. Not surprisingly, 17% of ...
Diabetes is cause of myriad foot problems.(Diabetic foot prevention health campaign)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Every 30 seconds a person loses part of a foot or leg through diabetic foot disease, and chain drug retailers are striving to alleviate this distressing reality. According to the International Diabetes Federation, up to 85% of all diabetic foot-related problems are ...
Safe ways to treat tough conditions.(Foot Care products market analysis)
Oct 10, 2005 ... PRINCETON, N.J. -- A distinctive foot care product that has found success through exclusive availability at Longs Drug Stores is poised for broad distribution. Callex callus ointment from Xenna Corp. is formulated to solve the problem of dry, cracked heels and calluses. The ...
Doctors shouldn't overlook feet.(Foot Care campaings)(Brief Article)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- According to a survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), 73% of respondents say their primary care physician never inspects their feet. Because feet often show the first signs and symptoms of diabetes, doctors are missing opportunities to detect ...
Prilosec has enough going for it to jump-start antacids.(antiacids marketing trends)
Oct 10, 2005; ... NEW YORK -- The antacids segment continues to bring the only significant growth in the digestives market, driven by the success of Prilosec OTC. Sales of the heavily marketed Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) product rose 4.7% in drug stores in the year ended September 4, propelling ...
Chains in vanguard in promoting healthy living.(dietary fiber marketing)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- With most Americans eating far less fiber than they need for healthy digestion, community pharmacy operators are doing their part to help the population bulk up on this necessary ingredient. Rite Aid Corp., for example, is offering Shugr, a high-fiber natural sugar ...
Antacid tablets.(Illustration)
Oct 10, 2005 ... <Pre> ANTACID TABLETS Dollar Sales Total * $914.3 mil. (+3.1%) Drug stores $454.6 mil. (+4.9%) Unit Sales Total * 141.7 mil. (+0.3%) Drug stores 60.2 mil. (+2.4%) MarketDollar sales Leading brands ** ...
Rx-men could do more to treat common problem.
Oct 10, 2005 ... EAST HANOVER, N.J. -- Open discussions about chronic constipation and about irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) with pharmacists and other health care providers can help patients learn about treatment options, suggests a new survey of 1,000 people. More than ...
Fiber finds more favor as laxative ingredient.(dietary fibre market share )
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- While sales of liquid, powder and oil stimulant laxatives have been disappointing, innovative products have raised hopes for a resurgence of the category. Sales of the products slid 6.9% in drug stores during the 12 months ended September 2, as seven of the top eight ...
Brand names can still wield a lot of clout.(laxatives market share)
Oct 10, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- Sales of laxative tablets in drug stores were flat in the past year, but performances by brand varied sharply. Volume of No. 1 brand Dulcolax from Boehringer Ingelheim Consumer Healthcare rose 2.1% to $29.3 million, giving it a 12% market share, according to ...
Company maintains its competitive edge in Canadian market.(Jean Coutu Group keeps growing)
Oct 10, 2005 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Jean Coutu Group president and chief executive officer Francois Coutu, speaking at the company's recent annual meeting about its smaller but highly profitable Canadian operations, had a consistently upbeat message. In fiscal 2005 the company's franchisees in ...
Key execs switch jobs at Wal-Mart.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. promotes Mike Duke, John Menzer, and Eduardo Castro-Wright )
Oct 24, 2005 ... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- In a major realignment of its senior executive ranks, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has promoted both Mike Duke and John Menzer to the position of vice chairman while having them exchange their responsibilities. The move is a textbook example of Wal-Mart's philosophy ...
Rite Aid names Mastrian COO.(Jim Mastrian promoted to chief operating officer, and also Mark Panzer and Mark de Bruin promoted)
Oct 24, 2005 ... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- In a series of moves designed to enhance the performance of its drug stores, Rite Aid Corp. has elevated Jim Mastrian to the position of chief operating officer and promoted two other senior executives, both of whom will report to him. Mastrian had been the ...
Chains 'help seniors understand'.(CVS Corp. and Walgreen Co. educating benefits of Medicare drugs)
Oct 24, 2005 ... NEW YORK -- CVS Corp. and Walgreen Co. have initiated comprehensive counseling programs for seniors seeking to take advantage of the Medicare drug benefit. Both chains are educating beneficiaries about their options with in-store initiatives, and CVS is hosting more than 500 ...
SDM sees more growth opportunities in Canada.(Shoppers Drug Mart Ltd.)
Oct 24, 2005 ... TORONTO -- Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) is in no danger any time soon of running out of expansion opportunities in Canada because of real estate restraints. That was the principal message delivered by Glenn Murphy, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, when addressing a ...
HDMA urges uniformity in regulations.(Healthcare Distribution Management Association, drug distributors' licensure regulation)
Oct 24, 2005 ... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) has called for federal licensure of the nation's prescription drug distributors. It asserts that uniform standards are needed to further secure the pharmaceutical supply chain and to enhance patient safety. ...
Boots' scope expands with merger.(Boots Group PLC to merge with Alliance UniChem PLC)
Oct 24, 2005 ... LONDON -- Boots Group PLC has shed its nonprescription drug business and agreed to merge with Alliance UniChem PLC. If shareholders and regulators approve the deal the new entity--to be named Alliance Boots--will operate some 2,600 stores in the United Kingdom and 300 in continental ...
WHS buys specialty pharmacy.(Walgreens Health Services acquires Schraft's A Specialty Pharmacy LLC)(Brief Article)
Oct 24, 2005 ... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The Walgreens Health Services (WHS) unit of Walgreen Co. has agreed to acquire Schraft's A Specialty Pharmacy LLC, a family-owned pharmacy specializing in infertility treatments. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the transaction is expected to close later ...