Chain Drug Review articles from April 2006

Chain Drug Review archives from April 2006

Prospects for Canadian chains bright.(Report on Business Television's Linda Nazareth speaks at Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores conference)
April 10, 2006... MISSISSAUGA, Ontario -- Many of the parameters within which Canada's community pharmacies will operate in the immediate future are positive. That was the message Linda Nazareth, senior economic analyst for the Internet broadcast station Report...

Management realignment part of plan.(Duane Reade Inc., human resource management)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Duane Reade Inc. has expanded and realigned its senior management team in pharmacy, operations and marketing, dividing oversight of the prescription and front-end businesses to increase attention to both. The changes are also...

Duane Reade moves to unlock potential.(sales and earnings, management)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Coming off a year in which its net loss nearly doubled to $100.4 million, Duane Reade Inc. has initiated a sweeping turnaround program. The plan, announced by president and chief executive officer Richard Dreiling, encompasses...

Article on counseling at center of firestorm.(Canadian Medical Association Journal gets award for an articel on emergency contraceptive levonorgestrel purchasing and pharmacists behavior)
April 10, 2006... OTTAWA -- Are pharmacists who require women to divulge their identity and intimate personal information when they seek to buy the emergency contraceptive levonorgestrel simply engaging in prudent counseling or are they intruding on their...

Medicare drug benefit picks up momentum.(Medicare Part D beneficiaries enrollment statistics)
April 10, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Close to 2 million seniors signed up for Medicare Part D between mid-February and late March, bringing enrollment in the program since its January 1 launch to 7.2 million. The late winter sign-up total was 25% greater than the...

FTC to probe authorized generics.(Federal Trade Commission investigates anticompetitive practices )
April 10, 2006... WASHINGTON -- The Federal Trade Commission says it may subpoena 190 brand and generic drug firms as it investigates possible anticompetitive practices resulting from the use of authorized generics, a strategy in which brand name companies...

Rite Aid urges people to assess diabetes risk.(Rite Aid Corp. teams up with American Diabetes Association)
April 10, 2006... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp. has teamed up with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to encourage people to find out if they are at risk for developing the disease. Rite Aid pharmacies are distributing ADA Diabetes Risk Tests, which...

Jewel-Osco implements Pay By Touch.(Albertsons Inc.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons Inc. is implementing the Pay By Touch biometric payment system in its Jewel-Osco stores throughout the Midwest. The rollout began in Chicago early this year and is currently being completed in all 204 Jewel-Osco...

Kerr to add medical centers to some units.(Kerr Drug partners with SmartCare Family Medical Centers)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... RALEIGH, N.C. -- Kerr Drug is partnering with SmartCare Family Medical Centers to open medical centers in select Kerr locations. For its part, SmartCare will design, build and operate the centers within Kerr outlets in North and South...

AmerisourceBergen, Longs sign new deal.(AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp., Longs Drug Stores Corp.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Longs Drug Stores has signed a new long-term supply contract with AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. for the supply of prescription pharmaceutical products. The agreement will take effect July 1, upon expiration of the...

Purchase lifts Bartell store count to 53.(Bartell Drug Co. acquires Fairwood Pharmacy)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... SEATTLE -- Bartell Drug has purchased Fairwood Pharmacy, a family-owned drug store serving residents in Renton, Wash. since 1970. With this acquisition Bartell will own and operate 53 stores in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties here. ...

Brooks Eckerd expands MoneyGram program.(Jean Coutu Group Inc. contracts MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS -- The Jean Coutu Group has signed an agreement with MoneyGram, the largest money order provider in the United States, to offer money order services at an additional 1,550 of Coutu's Brooks Eckerd Pharmacy units. MoneyGram's...

Palantoni is CEO of Prestige Brands.(Prestige Brands Holdings Inc. appoints Frank Palantoni)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... IRVINGTON, N.Y. -- Prestige Brands Holdings Inc., a marketer and distributor of over-the-counter medications, and personal care and household cleaning products, has appointed Frank Palantoni chief executive officer. He succeeds Peter Mann, who...

Colgate agrees to acquire Tom's of Maine.(Colgate-Palmolive Co.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Keeping with its strategy to focus on higher-margin products, Colgate-Palmolive Co. has struck a deal to pay $100 million in cash for an 84% stake in Tom's of Maine Inc. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter. ...

CoverGirl intros slated for summer.(Procter & Gamble Co. launches new beauty products)
April 10, 2006... HUNT VALLEY, Md. -- Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) continues to heat up the competition in the cosmetics and hair care aisles with a major launch and a line extension. P&G's summer beauty care offerings include new items in the face, lip, nail...

MEDport bounces back and then moves forward.(management and growth)
April 10, 2006... PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- One year after MEDport's founder, Jeff Jacober, died tragically in a plane crash the company is stronger than ever. Building on the values and history of innovation that Jacober established, the current MEDport team has...

Garrity buy a good bet for Durcell.(Garrity Industries)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... BETHEL, Conn. -- Procter & Gamble Co.'s Duracell division has acquired flashlight maker Garrity Industries Inc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "Through this acquisition, we see a tremendous opportunity to expand upon our successful...

Schick Quattro for Women line expanded with new model.(Schick/Wilkinson Sword Div. launches new products)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... MILFORD, Conn. -- The Schick.Wilkinson Sword division of Energizer Holdings Inc. has extended its Schick Quattro for Women brand with Quattro For Women GO!, an enhanced model with added features. Quattro For Women GO! is said to deliver...

L'Oreal extends reach by buying Body Shop.(Body Shop International PLC)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... LONDON -- Cosmetics giant L'Oreal has agreed to purchase the natural-based cosmetics retailer The Body Shop International PLC in a cash deal valued at nearly $1.15 billion. The companies emphasized that The Body Shop will retain its...

Zreik takes reins as new president of Woodward Laboratories.(Marwan Zreik)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... ALISO VIEJO, Calif -- Woodward Laboratories Inc., a manufacturer of antimicrobial skin care products, has named Marwan Zreik president. He is responsible for overseeing operations, sales, finance and the continued growth and expansion of the...

Markwins stakes claim in skin care.(Markwins Beauty Products Inc. launches Fresh Face Skincare and Fresh Face Skincare Acne )
April 10, 2006... CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. -- After announcing plans last summer to launch two high-end skin care lines, Markwins Beauty Products Inc. has brought them to market. Offered under the company's wet n wild brand, Fresh Face Skincare and Fresh...

Bayer recognizes exceptional people with diabetes.(Bayer HealthCare LLC sponsors bicycle race for diabetic patients)
April 10, 2006... SALT LAKE CITY -- A diabetic athlete on a cross-country bicycling loop sponsored by Bayer HealthCare LLC will make several stops at chain pharmacy headquarters and/or stores this year. Peter Hoogenboom, who last month was named winner of...

Jane rolls out cosmetics collections.(Jane and Co. LLC)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... BALTIMORE -- Jane & Co. LLC has introduced four cosmetics collections that will arrive on store shelves in June. Two of the products are designed to offer women a glowing complexion. Jane Nearly Foundation is a tinted moisturizer that...

ECRM helps retailers, suppliers tad global resources.(Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing)
April 10, 2006... CLEVELAND -- Retailers have access to a whole world of manufacturers, but finding new and qualified global suppliers to partner with can be a costly and time-consuming process. Suppliers looking to find the right importers and distributors...

Coca-Cola introduces a new brand.(Coca-Cola North America, Coca-Cola Blak)
April 10, 2006... ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola North America has introduced a carbonated fusion beverage, Coca-Cola Blak, to the United States. The drink is described as a sophisticated, premium blend of Coca-Cola, natural flavors and coffee essence. The...

Kurt Adler offers Batman holiday line.(Kurt S. Adler Inc. launches decoration items)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Kurt S. Adler Inc. is offering the Batman 2006 Holiday Collection of ornaments, stockings and other holiday decor items. The collection, which was designed specifically for collectors...

Esprit's ProQuin XR 'a step forward'.(Esprit Pharma launches new urinary anti-infective agents)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Esprit Pharma's ProQuin XR, a new prolonged-release quino-lone, promises to combine the proven efficacy of ciprofloxacin with improved tolerability in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections. While...

New snack flavors get the nod from Frito-Lay.(launch of Lay's Sensations and Tostitos Sensations snack chips)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... PLANO, Texas -- Frito-Lay Inc. is offering a new line of snack chips, expanding the range of flavors of its tortilla chips and potato chips. The snack chips, called Lay's Sensations and Tostitos Sensations, are available in four distinct...

Dove clear deodorant makes debut.(Unilever Group launches Dove Ultimate Clear)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... ENGLEWOOD, Cliffs, N.J. -- Today half of the nation's women between the ages of 18 and 54 use invisible solid deodorant, according to Impulse Research Corp., a marketing research firm. The problem is that many "invisible" solid antiperspirants...

Duane Reade concludes tough year.(sales and earnings)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- As its new chief executive announced a multifaceted turnaround plan and changes to the senior management team (see story on page 1), Duane Reade Holdings Inc. reported declining net sales and widened losses for the fourth quarter...

Albertsons exceeds analysts' expectations.(sales and earnings)
April 10, 2006... BOISE, Idaho -- With one less week in the final quarter and full year and a host of unusual items, reported earnings from continuing operations dipped at Albertsons Inc. for the 13 and 52 weeks ended February 2. Excluding exceptional items,...

Kroger gets back into black, reinstates dividend.(Kroger Co.'s sales and profits)
April 10, 2006... CINCINNATI -- With steady ongoing sales growth and no asset write-downs to mar results, Kroger Co. booked solid profits and reversed year-ago losses for both the 2005 fourth quarter and the fiscal year. On a celebratory note, the company...

Chain drug suppliers see profits soar in '05.(Business)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- With a number of companies facing easy comparisons against a 2004 period that included special tax provisions associated with the American Jobs Creation Act, litigation charges and other unusual or nonrecurring items, income for...

AG program revolutionizes social expressions.(American Greetings Corp.)
April 10, 2006... American Greetings is poised to launch a comprehensive new initiative that, if successful, will almost surely reorient both the way consumers view and select greeting cards and the frequency with which they purchase them. In the bargain, it...

NACDS at crossroads; the time to act is now.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores' Craig Fuller resigns)
April 10, 2006... When the National Association of Chain Drug Stores board decided to part ways with Craig Fuller and, in the words of a spokeswoman, "move in new directions with new leadership," it opened up a period of possibility and peril for the...

Pharmacy mastery underlies Walgreens productivity.(SPECIAL REPORT: WALGREENS: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF RETAIL PHARMACY)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The power of pharmacy to generate retail growth is nowhere more evident than at Walgreen Co. Moving inexorably toward its goal of having 7,000 stores by 2010, the drug chain is relying on ever more burgeoning demand for...

Walgreens proves pharmacy care is a good investment.(Company overview)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- There is no substitute for face-to-face communication between a pharmacist and a patient, says Don Huonker, vice president of pharmacy services at Walgreens. A patient who is noncompliant will tend to remain that way...

Medicare drug benefit bodes 'very well for us'.(Walgreen Co.)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens pharmacists and technicians made the implementation of Medicare Part D work, despite the program's initial shortcomings, notes Don Huonker, the company's vice president of pharmacy services. "Their ability to...

Vision technology demonstrates its value under fire.(Walgreen Co.)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- For Walgreens' new Vision technology, Hurricane Katrina provided a stern test. But the system proved its worth beyond a shadow of a doubt. Vision works by transferring administrative tasks from busy to slower pharmacies....

'It's all about convenience, choice'.(Walgreen Co.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The use of drive-through windows for pharmacy service at Walgreens shows no signs of slowing. Almost two in five customers at stores open at least six years use the windows. 'It's a convenient option," says vice president...

MTM 'a tremendous opportunity'.(medication therapy management )
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Pharmacy, stresses Phil Burgess, national director of pharmacy affairs at Walgreens, accounts for two-thirds of the chain's sales. For that reason anything that impacts pharmacy is of significant interest to the retailer...

Pharmacist steps up in tough situation.(Walgreen Co. signs Phil Burgess )
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Phil Burgess had a call this year from a Walgreens pharmacist in Miami regarding a newly enrolled Medicare Part D recipient. The patient was on 10 drugs and not one was covered by her new drug plan. The pharmacist had to...

Walgreens is always there.(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens has more 24-hour stores than all of its competitors combined, national director of pharmacy affairs Phil Burgess says. And invariably pharmacists on the overnight shift get calls at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. from a...

'Creating an environment where Rx can thrive'.(Walgreen Co.)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. director of government and community relations Debbie Garza says that pharmacists have been the unsung heroes of the implementation of Medicare Part D. "They've really shouldered the administrative burden to...

Learning to lead on policy matters.(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Working in Alexandria, Va., as an executive fellow at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and now for her job at Walgreens commuting between its headquarters here and Washington, D.C., Debbie Garza has gained a new...

Walgreens builds programs around needs of patients.
April 10, 2006... TUCSON, Ariz. -- While the rollout of Medicare Part D coverage has proven a challenge for many senior citizens, Walgreens has put systems in place to make coping with the process easier for its patients, according to pharmacy district...

Attracting Rx-men isn't a problem.(for Walgreen Co.)
April 10, 2006... WARWICK, R.I. -- Leslie Higgins considers herself among the lucky ones in the chain drug industry. "Fortunately, I have not experienced a lot of problems in staffing my stores," says Higgins, who is pharmacy supervisor for Walgreens'...

Pharmacists can count on the support they need.
April 10, 2006... CHICAGO -- As a pharmacist at one of the busiest Walgreens stores in this city, Tonya Payton-Campbell could be forgiven for wanting to distance herself from her job when she gets time off. But Payton-Campbell is so passionate about her work...

Newcomer finds that Walgreens lives up to reputation.(Jerry Bryant )
April 10, 2006... PULASKI, Tenn. -- After owning his own drug store for 19 years and then spending a decade with a competitor, Jerry Bryant says he was ready for a career change when Walgreens opened a store last fall in this small southern Tennessee town. ...

Lending a hand to hurricane victims.( Tonya Payton-Campbell )
April 10, 2006... CHICAGO -- Tonya Payton-Campbell grew up in Chicago, but her roots are along the Gulf Coast. And with family in Mobile, Ala., in Mississippi and in New Orleans, the pharmacist last year could not help wishing she could lend support after...

Retail setting reenergizes former hospital pharmacist.(Steve Morgan of Walgreen Co.)
April 10, 2006... PULASKI, Tenn. -- After graduating from pharmacy school 30 years ago, Steve Morgan never gave much thought to working in retail pharmacy. But living in a small town tends to unite people and get them talking. Such was the case with Morgan...

Technology key to meeting patients' needs in timely fashion.(Beau Wolter of Walgreen Co.)
April 10, 2006... FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Walgreens pharmacy technician Beau Wolter originally wanted to go into the medical profession. "I like the idea of helping people get better," he notes. "Providing the medications and specialty drugs that patients need...

Taking the time to get it right.(Walgreens Health Initiatives' management)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- While other chains are seemingly racing to open walk-in medical clinics in their stores, Walgreens is still evaluating the concept. "We're a crawl, walk, run company," says Walgreens Health Services (WHS) president Greg...

WHS rounds out Walgreens' array of services.(Walgreens Health Services)(Company overview)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- There has never been a better time for pharmacy to step up and show its value, says Greg Wasson, president of Walgreens Health Services (WHS), the managed care subsidiary of Walgreens. Medicare Part D is giving pharmacy a...

Advantage90 takes on mail order.(Walgreens Co. offers 90-day prescription drugs to avoid wastage of durgs)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- One key to Advantage90, Walgreens' fast-growing 90-day retail prescription program, is appropriate utilization. "We're not out to drive excessive utilization, because there's going to be waste," says Greg Wasson,...

For every problem, there's a solution.(new drug benefit from Walgreen Co.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- For all the complaints about the start-up of Medicare Part D, Walgreens, in collaboration with United-Health Group's Ovations group and WellCare Health Plans Inc., has made the program work, according to Greg Wasson. ...

'The right drug for the right person at the right time'.(from Walgreen Co.)(Company overview)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens' pharmacy benefits management company focuses on three elements: the customer, the payer and the provider. And as a pharmacist who rose through the ranks at Walgreens, Kermit Crawford, executive vice president...

Managing disease can lower costs.(Walgreens health initiatives)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens Health Initiatives offers a number of clinical programs designed to maximize care and minimize costs. One of the most innovative, merged claims analytics, looks at laboratory values and risk stratification to...

More retailers get on Advantage90 bandwagon.(Walgreen Co.)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- If there is one program that has defined Walgreens Health Initiatives (WHI), it is Advantage90. Since its start-up in 2004 with 4,300 Walgreens stores, the network that fills 90-day prescriptions for the program has grown...

Walgreens, WHS work synergies to deliver better health care.(Walgreens Health Services)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The symbiotic relationship of Walgreens Health Services (WHS) with Walgreens is exemplified by the clinical programs and products that WHS has developed for the parent company. WHS has a sophisticated clinical group that...

Chain drug retailers see the face of America changing: once chains were criticized for neglecting ethnic customers. This is no longer the case.
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- People of color will account for half the nation's population by the year 2050, and forward-looking chain drug and other mass retailers are adjusting their product mixes and merchandising strategies to meet the needs of this...

Hair care makes bigger impact in mass market.(MERCHANDISING)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- While much of the ethnic hair care business still belongs to specialty beauty and barber shops, chain drug retailers are working diligently to entice ethnic beauty shoppers to their stores. Ethnic shoppers have long complained...

Hispanic culture needs understanding.(drug stores marketing to Hispanic Americans)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Hispanics and Asians are the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the nation, and marketers are paying attention: at least to the Hispanic population. The Hispanic demographic in the United States is growing at a rate of 3.6%...

AHBAI offers full program for 2006 Proud Lady Beauty Show.(American Health and Beauty Aids Institute)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... TINLEY PARK, Ill. -- The American Health & Beauty Aids Institute (AHBAI) held its 2006 Proud Lady Beauty Show here April 8 through April 10. Billed as "the nation's leading educational event in the beauty industry," the show included the...

Ethnic men tend to care more.
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- In the recent past there was a stigma attached to men who paid considerable attention to their looks and grooming. That attitude is quickly fading in this era of the "metrosexual" male, and retailers are eager to capitalize on the...

Markwins debuts Tropez collection.(Markwins International Corp., product launch)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Markwins International Corp. has launched an extensive collection of Tropez department-store quality, value-priced cosmetics geared toward Hispanic women. For skin the collection includes a 3-in-1 cream foundation stick, an oil-free liquid...

Soft Sheen-Carson salutes mothers and daughters.(Soft Sheen-Carson relaunches Dark and Lovely Kids Beautiful Beginnings)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... L'Oreal's Soft SheenCarson division, through its Dark and Lovely Kids Beautiful Beginnings brand, has deemed June as Mother/Daughter Beauty Month, a designated time for mothers to guide their daughters on being beautiful from the inside out....

Kerry Washington is new L'Oreal spokeswoman.(endorsements)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... L'Oreal Paris has signed actress Kerry Washington, best known for her portrayal of Ray Charles' wife Della in the film Ray, to an exclusive contract for the company and its brands. "It's really exciting for me to be one of the faces of...

Colomer launches new products.(Colomer USA Inc., hair colorings and hair dressings)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Colomer USA has introduced Tress Tranzitions under its Lotta Body brand. "The product allows users to go from curly styles to straight styles, and vice versa," says Anthony Standifer, brand manager. In addition, Colomer is introducing a...

Crave Busters debuts web site.(launch of cravebuster.com)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Crave Busters LLC has launched an interactive and informative web site, cravebuster.com. Executives say the site provides visitors health and fitness tips and lets consumers connect with a community of like-minded people for support. ...

FDA delays diet drug approval.(Sanofi-Aventis S.A.'s Acomplia to get United States' Food and Drug Administration's approval)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration has told drug maker sanofiaventis that it will approve the company's Acomplia (rimonabant) for weight loss but not for smoking cessation. The mixed review means that the expected launch of the drug in the...

Chattem extends Dexatrim line.(What's New)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Chattem Inc. has rolled out Dexatrim [Max.sub.2]O, individually wrapped effervescent tablets formulated with green tea, chromium, ginseng and a vitamin B complex. The product--available in mixed berry and lemon flavors--helps suppress...

Field's wide open; next hot trend is yet to come: perhaps the most talked-about product in recent months has been hoodia gordonii.
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- While more Americans are acknowledging that they are overweight, their desire to shed the extra pounds has not yet translated into growth in the weight loss category. According to Information Resources Inc., sales in the two...

New product pipeline is working.(diet products gaining market)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- As dieters continue to seek ways to quickly shed excess pounds, many are turning to advanced scientific formulas that promise effective results. The result has been a rash new diet aids and weight control products that...

Knowledge before use is necessary.(dietary supplements )
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- While dietary supplements have proven to be among the most popular products in the diet and weight management category, health care experts continue to warn consumers to be careful about what they use. Over the years many...

B&L launches multifocal lens.(Bausch & Lomb Inc.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Bausch & Lomb has introduced the PureVision Multi-Focal Visibility tinted contact lens. "This is a historic product launch for Bausch 8c Lomb because it marks the introduction of the first silicone hydrogel multifocal contact lens in the United...

FDA grants Acuvue Oasys new indication.(contact lenses )(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration recently granted an additional indication for Acuvue Oasys contact lenses with Hydraclear Plus, from Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Vision Care Inc.'s Vistakon division. The FDA approved the daily wear contact lens for...

Alcon introduces ICaps MV vitamins.(Alcon Laboratories Inc.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Alcon Laboratories Inc. has introduced ICaps MV multivitamins, which give patients a combination of vitamins and nutrients not only for the eye but for overall body health as well. Based on the Age-Related Eye Diseases Study, the new...

Chain drug stores are sitting pretty: the aging population and the channel's appeal to women give drug chains an edge.
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- While the eye care category has long been a staple in drug stores, opportunities in the category have never been stronger in the drug channel than they are right now. Dollar sales of eye/contact lens care products rose 1.1% for...

Products help computer-weary eyes.
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Most people who work at a computer experience some eye or vision problems, according to recent studies, and the level of discomfort appears to increase with the amount of computer use. A national survey of doctors of optometry...

Retail promos, sugar-free, natural products are story: retailers, suppliers are trying and succeeding in finding new ways to boost sales.
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- The cold and flu season, generally defined as the period between September and May, usually translates into frequent cash register rings for chain drug stores. Retailers and suppliers alike are striving to discover new methods for...

Added push gives new life to old brands.(Insight Pharmaceuticals Corp.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... BLUE BELL, Pa. -- Insight Pharmaceuticals Corp. has found success in the retail marketplace by bringing new life to what had been undermarketed brands while continuing to supply chain drug retailers with high-profile products. For example,...

ACCP questions efficacy of O-T-Cs.(American College of Chest Physicians)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Just as the pseudoephedrine controversy posed a challenge several years ago to the cough and cold category, the cough drop segment is attempting to counter controversy in 2006. In January the American College of Chest Physicians...

Impulse has big part in fueling sales.
April 10, 2006... NEW YORK -- Cough drops have a stronger impulse appeal than most other over-the-counter health care products due to their nature of being "fairly low medicated," says Thomas Blaser, president of Ricola USA Inc. "Chain drug stores and other...