Chain Drug Review back issues from October 2007:
Community Rx flexes its lobbying muscle.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... WASHINGTON -- Community pharmacy executives from across the country met with members of Congress last month to discuss pending changes to the Medicaid system that hamper the industry's ability to fill prescriptions under the federal program. "We received some encouraging ...
MTM means fundamental change.(News)(medication therapy management)
Oct 01, 2007; ... PHILADELPHIA -- If pharmacy is to step up delivery of medication therapy management (MTM) it will have to transform itself, Kerr Drug director of clinical services Rebecca Chater said at an MTM conference here last month. While traditional change is hard, "what we're talking ...
Revitalized Longs eyes expansion.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Longs Drug Stores Corp. has returned to an expansion mode after focusing on a thorough revamp of its business model in recent years. But there remains ample opportunities for improvement, according to vice president of finance Steve Erickson. Speaking at the Goldman ...
Cardinal teams up with Alliance Boots.(News)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... DUBLIN, Ohio -- Cardinal Health Inc. and Alliance Boots PLC have agreed to jointly source and market Boots' Almus generic prescription medicines in the United States. To help the companies achieve the utmost from their venture, Cardinal and Boots have formed a separate marketing ...
Chains offer flu shots.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- The industry's three largest drug chains have all unveiled plans to offer flu shots this fall. Walgreen Co., CVS Corp. and Rite Aid Corp. say they will provide the vaccinations to patients in selected markets across the county. The Walgreens and CVS ...
Boots Retail International elevates exec.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NOTTINGHAM, U.K. -- Boots Retail International (BRI) regional director for North America Martin Waters has become the company's managing director. He succeeds William Cotton, who has left Alliance Boots to pursue other interests. Waters has extensive retail ...
Supervalu appoints division presidents.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Larry Wahlstrom, president of Supervalu Inc.'s Jewel-Osco division, has replaced Carl Jablonski as president of the company's Shaw's division. Jablonski retired at the end of last month. Keith Nielsen, Jewel-Osco's senior vice president of operations, who ...
Progess in meth fight.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WASHINGTON -- Recent efforts by chain drug stores have helped curb illegal methamphetamine production in the United States, a chain drug executive speaking on behalf of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores told a Senate panel last month. ...
NACDS asks for delay in rule.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- For the second time in a month the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has joined a group of other health care organizations to oppose the impending deadline for pharmacies to use tamper-resistant paper when filling Medicaid prescriptions. In a letter to ...
Mansuy is recognized by Rite Aid.(News)(Obituary)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Gary Mansuy, who had been senior director of merchandising for Rite Aid Corp., has been honored posthumously with the chain's President's award. The award honors a Rite Aid associate who consistently demonstrates high standards of performance, talent, ...
Health insurance plan upgraded by Wal-Mart.(News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has revamped the health care coverage it offers its workers, reducing employee costs, expanding coverage and giving employees access to thousands of inexpensive prescription drugs. "We worked closely with our associates to design an even ...
Kroger flourishes by 'placing customers first'.(Business)(Statistical table)
Oct 01, 2007 ... CINCINNATI -- Buoyed by a combination of formidable same-store sales growth, improved gross margins and lower interest costs, Kroger Co. rang up a 27.9% earnings gain on a 6.6% top-line increase for fiscal 2007's second quarter. The results were comfortably ahead of Wall Street forecasts, ...
Expectations for year raised.(Business)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... CINCINNATI -- After a rousing performance in the second quarter, Kroger increased its sales and earnings guidance for fiscal 2007. Excluding on-site fuel centers, the company now looks for identical supermarket sales growth in the range of 4% to 5% for the full year, lifting the ...
Operating profit falls at Ahold USA.(Business)
Oct 01, 2007 ... AMSTERDAM -- Restructuring charges and margin contraction triggered a sharp decline in operating income at the United States retail unit of Ahold NV, although the sale of its U.S. Foodservice Inc. division boosted the parent company's bottom line for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 ....
Vibrel lets women 'take charge of their sexual selves'.(Supplier News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. -- The Helm Capital Group Inc. has begun marketing an over-the-counter product it says will stir the libido of women the same way prescription-strength erectile dysfunction drugs do for men. Called Vibrel, the cosmeceutical is the result of 30 years of research ...
Adams hits a milestone, looks ahead.(Supplier News)(Adams Respiratory Therapeutics Inc.)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... CHESTER, N.J. -- Adams Respiratory Therapeutics Inc., the marketer of Mucinex and Delsym cough and cold products, celebrated its 10th anniversary last month with its employees here in an event that was attended by federal, state and local officials. "On the occasion of this ...
Whitman: the indispensable NACDS staffer.(My Turn)(Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Sherlock Holmes once referred to Dr. Watson as the fixed point in a changing universe. So it is with Jim Whitman and chain drug retailing in America. Whitman joined the National Association of Chain Drug Stores in 1976, a year before the founding of this publication. Fresh out ...
It's time to consider federal Rx regs.(My Turn)(Report)
Oct 01, 2007; ... The lead story in a recent edition of The New York Times reported on the growing number of industries seeking federal regulation. Makers of products as diverse as food, tobacco, toys and antifreeze are calling for national standards. The article says that the reasons for the ...
As the health care system changes, Rx asserts itself.(Critical Issues in Pharmacy and Technology: A Chain Drug Review Roundtable)(Discussion)
Oct 01, 2007 ... BOSTON--Like the health care system of which it is an integral part, community pharmacy is in transition. In conjunction with the recent National Association of Chain Drug Stores Pharmacy and Technology Conference here, Chain Drug Review assembled a panel of retailers and ...
Conditions right for expansion.(FOOT CARE)(Statistical table)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Foot care continues to be a dependable category for chain drug retailers, with plenty of room for growth. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), dollar sales of foot care devices rose 5.3% in the drug channel for the year ended August 12, 2007. ...
Store brands have become formidable factor in foot care.(FOOT CARE)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Private label products are becoming a powerful force in the foot care category. Such items are now second only to Schering-Plough HealthCare Products Inc.'s Dr. Scholl's line in the foot care devices segment, up an eye-catching 26.8% in dollar sales in drug stores ...
Drug chains are doing their part to drive sales.(FOOT CARE)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Chain drug stores are helping to keep the foot category healthy by providing educational materials, compelling in-store promotions, lower prices and mentions in their weekly circulars. In addition, chain drug retailers are partnering with suppliers to maximize ...
Demographics portend gains.(FOOT CARE)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- The aging of the American population portends continued strong sales in the foot care category. As baby boomers remain active, they are experiencing more wear and tear on their feet, which in turn leads to purchasing products to alleviate their pain. ...
'In foot care niche means unique'.(FOOT CARE)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- While the word "niche" sometimes has a negative connotation, this is not the case in foot care. "In the foot care category niche items have a welcome home," says Carol Buck, chief executive officer of Xenna Corp. Unlike suppliers in beauty care and other ...
ProFoot marks two decades of innovation.(FOOT CARE)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- The past two decades have seen significant changes in the foot care category. Dominating sales 20 years ago was Schering-Plough HealthCare Products Inc.'s Dr. Scholl's, which was virtually the only player in foot care. While Dr. Scholl's is still the ...
Women's problems get attention.(FOOT CARE)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- As long as women wear high-heel shoes, they will continue to have a greater need for foot care products than men. The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) conducted a survey on women and feet and found that 41% of women take care of their feet on at least a ...
Diabetics need extra foot care.(FOOT CARE)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Diabetics are particularly vulnerable to such foot problems as sores, loss of circulation and degeneration of the nerves that can lead to even more serious complications. While physicians are aware of this, a substantial number basically ignore the feet when patients ...
La Cross kits are set for holidays.(What's New)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Del Laboratories Inc.'s La Cross brand is preparing unique kits for the upcoming holiday season. The Shower Caddy is a lucite holder that grips the shower wall surface with suction cups, holding three-foot smoothers to remove rough skin and calluses from heels, toes and soles. It ...
ProFoot goes green.(What's New)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... In a move to offer the "greenest" packaging in the industry, ProFoot Inc.'s packaging is now comprised of 100% recyclable paper components and uses soy-based inks and water-based coatings. The company has also developed a new approach to cartons for shipping of products to ...
Dr. Scholl's extends for her collection.(What's New)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Schering-Plough HealthCare Products Inc. continues to extend its popular Dr. Scholl's For Her line of items. Dr. Scholl's For Her Foot Serum features a unique complex of ingredients, including beta hydroxy, shea butter, glycerin and ...
Kushyfoot launches host of new items.(What's New)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Doris International's Kushyfoot has hunched a number of new styles. The ultralow-cut foot cover is designed specifically to be worn invisibly with "peep toe" shoes, while a regular-cut foot cover features a lacey fabric designed like "sexy foot ...
BioRX introduces potent combination.(What's New)(BioRx Laboratories Ltd.)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BioRx Laboratories has introduced Bactivex Athlete's Foot & Cracked Heels. The formula kills the fungus that can cause infections and relieves the itching, burning, scaling and discomfort associated with athlete's foot and ringworm. "What makes ...
Natural products help promote sexual wellness.(HOMEOPATHY/NATURAL REMEDIES)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- The popularity of prescription-strength erectile dysfunction drugs has brought sexual arousal products into the mainstream and spurred the introduction of an over-the-counter segment dominated by a growing number of all-natural items. Blue Chip Marketing Inc., for ...
'Very much a growth category'.(HOMEOPATHY/NATURAL REMEDIES)
Oct 01, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Factors as diverse as growing environmental awareness and a health care system that is failing many Americans are helping spur growth in the sales of homeopathic and natural products. "It's been an uphill struggle for some time," ...
Knowing the consumer is crucial.(HOMEOPATHY/NATURAL REMEDIES)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Customers looking for homeopathic remedies in chain drug stores tend to be much different than the people who rely on natural food stores for these products, those in the industry note. "Consequently," points out Hyland's Inc. president Dale Nepsa, "there's a vast ...
Cold, allergy sufferers find relief.(HOMEOPATHY/NATURAL REMEDIES)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- With more consumers seeking out homeopathic and natural remedies, chain drug retailers across the country are expanding their mixes to include these products in a wider array of categories. These alternative remedies, suppliers and retailers say, are gaining such ...
Probiotics are the new frontier.(DIGESTIVES)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Probiotics, enzymes and the importance of internal detoxification and cleansing are on the minds of more and more Americans, helping to spur innovation in the digestives category, according to such suppliers as Greg Jacobson, senior director of marketing for Extraordinary ...
Consumers get on the bandwagon.(DIGESTIVES)(Survey)
Oct 01, 2007 ... CRESWELL, Ore. -- Although half of American adults have never heard of probiotics, many indicate a willingness to try the digestive supplements, according to a Harris Interactive survey. The poll was conducted for Biocodex Inc., manufacturer of the Florastor brand of probiotics. ...
Fiber supplements aim to project hipper image.(DIGESTIVES)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- "Sexier and trendier" are terms usually reserved for the fashion runway, but they also characterize advertising themes in the fiber segment of the digestives category, according to Angie Ulm, product manager for Alaven Pharmaceutical LLC's UniFiber brand, a constipation ...
Antacids about to get a lot more competitive.(Digestives)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Although Procter & Gamble Co.'s over-the-counter Prilosec continues to hold the lead among antacid/ gastrointestinal products in the digestives category, the sector is ripe for change. For example, Dexcel Pharma Technologies is awaiting final Food and Drug ...
Diverse trends are shaping digestives market.(Digestives)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- An increasing number of people 50 years of age and older; greater numbers of individuals with such conditions as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease and acid reflux; more Americans with stressful lives; and the tendency of many to practice poor eating habits and to ...
Drug stores now selling P&G's Align.(Digestives)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Align, a probiotic supplement that previously was available only through Internet access and by phone, is now being sold in chain drug pharmacies. Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) says its product has been clinically proven to help consumers treat a wide assortment of ...
Sale of B&L commands spotlight.(EYE CARE)(Bausch & Lomb Inc.)
Oct 01, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- The eye care category has been awhirl with activity of late, much of it centered on the sale of Bausch & Lomb Inc. (B&L). B&L shareholders last month approved the company's all-cash $3.7 billion buyout by private equity firm Warburg Pincus. The vote in favor of the ...
In today's environment, red eye is all too common.(EYE CARE)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Red eyes and the workplace do not mix, according to a new survey conducted for Rohto eye drops manufacturer Menthelatum Co. More than two-fifths of respondents said red eyes look "unprofessional," and more than one in 10 suggested that they would suspect drinking ...
Suppliers take aim at dryness.(EYE CARE)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Dry eye, a common condition of aging, is drawing increasing interest from drug manufacturers who see tremendous potential for new remedies. With a number of dry-eye drugs under development, chain drug retailers say the market for treatments is poised to burgeon. ...
A booming segment.(EYE CARE)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- The reading glasses category is strong and getting stronger, retailers and suppliers say. One reason is that baby boomers are finding that they have trouble reading as they reach middle age. At the same time they are looking for fashion accessories rather than just ...
Options proliferate.(EYE CARE)(Contact Lens Council)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... WASHINGTON -- The lens care market is growing so fast that consumers are not aware of all their options, according to a new survey by the Contact Lens Council (CLC). More than 83% of respondents say they would like to try contact lenses if they were available to satisfy their ...
Rite Aid honors FGX.(EYE CARE)(FGX International)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... BALTIMORE -- Sunglasses and reading glasses supplier FGX International has won the Supplier of the Year award from Rite Aid Corp. FGX International, which markets Foster Grant sunglasses and Magnivision reading glasses as well as costume jewelry, was presented with the honor ...
Sunglasses meld fashion and function.(EYE CARE)(FishGillz Sunglass Co.)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- The sunglasses category is heating up with launches from Today's Optical and FishGillz Sunglass Co., among other suppliers, and chain drug retailers are welcoming all the new products they can get. "We love new sunglasses because they're impulse items," says one ...
Now there's a solution to 'a signficant problem'.(EYE CARE)(Eyeglass Rescue Inc.)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- There's ample room for innovation in the eye care category as evidenced by a new product/service for recovering lost eyeglasses. Eyeglass Rescue and Eyeglass Rescue for Kids are designed for individuals who are taking off their glasses after putting them on to read ...
Bush is expected to sign FDA bill into law.(News)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... WASHINGTON -- Congress passed legislation last month giving the Food and Drug Administration more power to seek out medications that are approved but turn out to be hazardous. The approval of the new measure marks the biggest expansion of the agency's authority in a decade. ...
Walgreens.com gets top rating.(News)(RiteAid.com)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- HealthRatings.org, a joint project of Consumer Reports and the Health Improvement Institute, has ranked Walgreens.com as the best online drug store, citing quality of information and ease of use, and giving it a "very good" rating. RiteAid.com earned a score of ...
Safeway tabs president of marketing.(News)(Safeway Inc. has promoted Michael Minasi to president of marketing)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Safeway Inc. has promoted Michael Minasi to president of marketing. He reports to Steven Burd, Safeway's chairman, president and chief executive officer, along with the president of three other marketing functions at Safeway: Frank Calfas (marketing ...
Wal-Mart ups ante on generics.(News)(generics program)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. )
Oct 22, 2007; ... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has expanded its low-price generics program, adding birth control pills and medications for children. In its first year the program offered drugs for $4, many for conditions common among older people, including hypertension, diabetes ...
Navarro will acquire Sedano's Pharmacy.(News)(Navarro Discount Pharmacies)(Sedano's Pharmacy and Discount Stores Inc .)
Oct 22, 2007; ... MIAMI, Fla. -- Navarro Discount Pharmacies is buying all 11 stand-alone Sedano's Pharmacy stores for an undisclosed amount. Navarro is the largest Hispanic-owned drug store chain in the United States, while Sedano's is the second-largest. "Sedano's Pharmacy has been a ...
Bolger, former NACDS CEO, dies.(News)(Bob Bolger)(Obituary)
Oct 22, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Bob Bolger, who as the National Association of Chain Drug Stores' first president and chief executive officer was credited with guiding the industry into the latter half of the 20th century, died this month. "Bob served NACDS honorably, energetically and ...
Tamperproof Rx rule delayed for six months.(News)
Oct 22, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- President Bush's decision to delay the implementation of a tamper-resistant prescription paper requirement in the Medicaid program was a victory for both community pharmacies and the patients they serve, asserts the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. ...
Chains do part to beat diabetes.(News)(Rite Aid Corp. joins with American Diabetes Association and raises funds for diabetes research)
Oct 22, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Retailers are taking innovative approaches to help Americans in the fight against diabetes. Rite Aid Corp., for example, joined with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) earlier this month in a diabetes awareness campaign. The initiative, which continues through ...
Correction.(News)(Correction notice)
Oct 22, 2007 ... The contact information that accompanied a profile of Interpharm Inc. that appeared in the September 17 issue of Chain Drug Review was ...
Cough/cold meds for infants recalled.(News)(Brief article)
Oct 22, 2007 ... WASHINGTON -- On behalf of leading manufacturers, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) has announced a voluntary withdrawal of over-the-counter oral cough/cold medicines designated for infants. The withdrawal does not affect O-T-C cough/cold medications for children age 2 ...
Take Care embarks on plan to create national footprint.(News)(TakeCare Inc.)
Oct 22, 2007 ... CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. -- Walgreen Co.'s Take Care Health Systems subsidiary is about to embark on a major expansion program, opening walk-in health centers in nine new markets and expanding its presence in four other areas. "Our significant expansion plans underscore Take Care ...
NACDS backs Medicaid reform bills.(News)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
Oct 22, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A bill introduced in the House of Representatives would address retail pharmacy's concerns with Medicaid cuts and preserve patient access, according to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. H.R. 3700, proposed by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D., N.J.), has ...
Lewis enhances 'customer experience'.(News)(Lewis Drugs )
Oct 22, 2007 ... SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- On October 1 Lewis Drugs rolled out a new look and buying strategy. "We are building on the loyalty and trust that our Lewis communities have given us over the years and are adding to the customer experience," says president and chief executive officer Mark ...
FDA considers a third class of drugs.(News)(Food and Drug Administration)
Oct 22, 2007 ... WASHINGTON -- A behind-the-counter (B-T-C) drug designation that would coexist with the current system for over-the-counter medications is under consideration by the Food and Drug Administration. In a notice earlier this month in the Federal Register, the agency says it has ...
Tricare measure passed by Senate.(News)(TriCare Inc.)
Oct 22, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is hailing Senate passage of a bill that takes a "pro-soldier, pro-savings" approach to prescriptions filled through the Tricare military health system. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 ...