Chain Drug Review articles from December 2006

Chain Drug Review archives from December 2006

Wal-Mart, Target take generics offers national.(News)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s $4 prescription generics program is now available in all of its 3,810 pharmacies throughout the United States. "When we made our initial announcement in Florida in September we never imagined that in...

SDM goes from good to great.(Shoppers Drug Mart Ltd.)
December 18, 2006... TORONTO -- Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) chairman and chief executive officer Glenn Murphy is fond of insisting that the company he runs stay under the radar. That is fine except for the fact that SDM keeps calling attention to itself. For a simple...

Katz stays on move.(News)(appointment of Denise Darragh at Katz Group)
December 18, 2006... EDMONTON, Alberta -- The appointment of a new vice president of marketing, the rollout of drive-through pharmacy windows and a multimillion-dollar donation to a pharmacy school are all making news at the Katz Group. On the personnel front,...

Battle over Medicare Rx shaping up.(News)
December 18, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Democrats' campaign pledge to have the government negotiate Medicare Part D drug prices directly with manufacturers may well prove to be easier said than done. While incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.)...

R&D setback hits Pfizer.(News)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- Pfizer Inc. has stopped development of the cholesterol drug torcetrapib, but the fallout from that decision may be just beginning. The company halted additional work on the compound because of findings of an increased death...

In-store clinics gear up for cold, flu season.(News)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- With colder weather setting in across much of the country, minor illnesses are increasing and the walk-in clinics in drug stores are becoming busier. In response to the anticipated increase in visitors, many clinics are...

Walgreens plans to enter Hawaii.(News)(acquisition of Tower Records store )(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... HONOLULU -- Walgreen Co. has struck a deal to take over a former Tower Records store as the site of its first outlet in Hawaii, a local newspaper reports. According to the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Walgreens was the highest bidder for the...

Albertsons' Shadle dead at 57.(News)(death of Mark Corbett Shadle)(Obituary)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... BOISE, Idaho -- Mark Corbett Shadle, Albertsons LLC's group vice president of pharmacy operations, died suddenly last month. He was 57. Shadle had more than 20 years of experience in his field, and spent most of his career at Albertsons....

Rite Aid stockholders to vote on deal.(News)(Brooks Eckerd Pharmacy)(United Food and Commercial Workers)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp.'s shareholders will vote on their company's proposed acquisition of the Brooks Eckerd Pharmacy chain during a special meeting set for January 18. Specifically, Rite Aid stockholders will be asked to approve...

Another exclusive for Walgreens.(News)(Tyrell Inc)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. has become the exclusive drug store retailer for Tyrell Inc.'s Zeno ache treatment device. Previously available only from physicians and medical spas, Zeno is a medical device that uses heat to attack the...

Garnier Nutritioniste skin care line set to debut.(Supplier News)(introducing skin care cream)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- Maybelline New York-Garnier is poised to enter the skin care category with the launch of the Garnier Nutritioniste collection. "To be a true player in skin care requires breakthrough technology, specialization and efficacious...

Wellnx Life Sciences new name of NxCare.(Supplier News)(Wellnx Life Sciences Inc)(NxCare Inc)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada--NxCare Inc. has recently changed its name to Wellnx Life Sciences Inc. Executives say the new name is intended to reflect the company's new shape and vision as it moves forward. "It's a name that...

Sturm unveils Vita Splash beverage.(Supplier News)(Sturm Foods)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... MANAWA, Wis. -- Sturm Foods, a supplier of private label and branded food items aimed at health-conscious consumers, introduced Vita Splash nutrient-enhanced drink mix last month. A sugar-free, low-calorie drink mix formulated with a blend...

Tower to acquire plant from Perrigo.(mergers and acquisitions)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... CENTERBROOK, Conn. -- Tower Laboratories Ltd., a manufacturer of effervescent products for the private label and contract manufacturing markets, has agreed to purchase Perrigo Co.'s 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Montague, Mich.,...

Alberto-Culver restructures after spin-off.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... MELROSE PARK, Ill. -- Alberto-Culver Co. has reorganized its business after the company's recent separation from Sally Beauty Holdings Inc. "Alberto-Culver has always prided itself on being a lean and nimble organization, so the changes...

Physicians Formula Holdings Inc.'s top three executives.(SUPPLIER NEWS)
December 18, 2006... Caption: Physicians Formula Holdings Inc.'s top three executives--chief financial officer Joe Jaeger, chief executive officer Ingrid Jackel and president Jeff Rogers--rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange last month to celebrate...

Duane Reade posts mixed results.(Duane Reade Holding Corp.)(Financial report)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- A tax valuation reserve deepened the net loss for both the third quarter and the first nine months of 2006 at Duane Reade Holdings Inc. However, improved sales, increased gross margin and lower special charges helped the company...

Longs ups guidance as quarterly net soars.(Longs Drug Stores Corp.)
December 18, 2006... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- A huge jump in revenues from its pharmacy benefits management unit and improving retail sales combined to fuel a 40%-plus bottom-line increase for Longs Drug Stores during the third quarter of fiscal 2007. The earnings...

A primer on chain drug retailing in America.(My Turn)(Company overview)
December 18, 2006... Take a look at Walgreens' just-issued annual report. It's a near-perfect representation of what a successful retailer--or, indeed, successful business of any kind --is supposed to look like. Walgreens' 5,500 drug stores can be found in...

There's more to winning the consumer than price.(My Turn)
December 18, 2006... The issue of price, always a significant factor in mass market retailing, has moved to the fore in community pharmacy. Developments are fueling the debate about health care expenditures, particularly those for prescription medications. The...

CVS aims to redefine 'drug chain': chain continually reinvents itself.(CVS: A Culture of Innovation)(Company overview)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Chain drug industry watchers may well be tempted to say they have seen the future and it is CVS. With its explosive growth, diversification and innovations in marketing, merchandising and other areas, the chain has...

Merger to foster 'consumercentric health care'.(CVS: A Culture of Innovation)(CVS Corp. and Caremark Rx Inc.)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- CVS/Caremark will be a proactive thought leader in shaping national health care, CVS chief financial officer Dave Rickard told analysts last month. Until now policy makers have lacked an objective source for decisions affecting...

Visionary leader is catalyst.(CVS: A Culture of Innovation)(Thomas M. Ryan)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- These are heady days for Tom Ryan. Within a matter of months he has done more to advance the fortunes of his company, transform the mass retailing community and alter America's health care landscape than any leader in...

Caremark succeeds by 'doing right thing for clients'.(CVS Corp. and Caremark Rx Inc. merger)
December 18, 2006... NASHVILLE -- When CVS merges with Caremark Rx Inc. it will become part of an entity whose management of pharmacy benefits for more than 2,000 health plan sponsors gave it 2005 sales of $33 billion. Caremark's customers include corporations,...

Disease management efforts deliver.(CVS: Caremark Rx Inc.)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... NASHVILLE -- The benefits of Caremark's disease management programs are exemplified by the case of a large employer that wanted to cut health insurance costs and empower plan members to make better health care decisions. A Caremark data...

MinuteClinic 'right for consumers, payers, providers'.(CVS: MinuteClinic)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS has managed to stay one step ahead of its competitors in the in-store clinic game by becoming the only drug chain to own its own clinics. Sensing that what started as a minor trend would quickly evolve into a...

Clinics focus on common health woes.(CVS: MinuteClinic)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS -- Since its inception in 2000, MinuteClinic has steadily been increasing the illnesses it treats and the services it provides at locations across the country. After focusing its initial efforts on only seven medical...

A concept inspired by personal experience.(CVS: MinuteClinic)(Company overview)
December 18, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS -- After waiting for more than two hours on a wintry night six years ago for his son to get a strep throat test, Minneapolis entrepreneur Rick Krieger started thinking that there had to be a better way. A year later, after...

Electronic links enhance operation.(CVS: MinuteClinic)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS -- As an innovator of the in-store health clinic movement, CVS' MinuteClinic subsidiary continues to help set the bar for the rest of the field. In October, for instance, the company reached an agreement with the American...

Albertsons deal gives CVS critical mass in new regions.(CVS: Osco/Sav-on Acquisition)(CVS corp.)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I.--The acquisition of Albertsons Inc.'s 703 stand-alone Sav-on and Osco drug stores earlier this year has significantly strengthened CVS' growth prospects in the Midwest and West. About half of the purchased stores are in...

High-growth markets targeted.(CVS: Osco/Sav-on Acquisition)(acquisition of drugstores)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- With one bold stroke, CVS has emerged as a leading player in some of the fastest-growing markets in the United States. According to the Census Bureau, the southern California cities of Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga...

Chain a master at art of acquisition.(CVS: Osco/Sav-on Acquisition)(mergers and acquisitions)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' purchase of Albertsons Inc.'s freestanding drug stores earlier this year marked the latest move in a growing string of takeovers the company has used to expand its reach. After 30 years of relying largely on organic...

CVS masters new challenges in Rx.(CVS: Pharmacy)(medication therapy management services)(CVS corp.)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' experience with the first year of the Medicare Part D program is best exemplified by the dedication and professionalism shown by its pharmacy staffers--a trait they demonstrated in other areas as well throughout 2006....

Tough issues addressed quickly.(CVS: Pharmacy)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The controversies in the pharmacy business surrounding average wholesale prices (AWPs) and the pricing of generic drugs have been thorny ones for industry participants, but CVS is well positioned to address both issues. ...

Walk-in clinics become part of mix.(CVS: Pharmacy)(MinuteClinic)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- MinuteClinic, a subsidiary of CVS Corp., surpassed the 100-clinic milestone in October and continues to expand in metropolitan areas across the country. The company, which is headquartered in Minneapolis and is the...

Bush, Ryan tout Medicare Rx.(president George W. Bush and Tom Ryan of CVS Corp. promote Medicare Part D)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WASHINGTON -- A meeting attended by President Bush is common in the nation's capital, but such a session in a drug store is extraordinary. Nevertheless, a CVS store here served as the setting for Bush and CVS chairman, president and chief...

Service, accessibility are basis of success.(CVS: Pharmacy)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The issues consumers face when they turn to a pharmacy for their medication purchases--whether they pertain to the recent focus on generic drug prices at retail, the preference of some residents of the United States to...

CVS, PBMs find common ground.(pharmacy benefits managers)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The relationship between retail pharmacy and managed care organizations is far better than it has been made out to be, at least from CVS' standpoint. That is the perspective of CVS vice president of managed care Tom...

Compensation model may change with MTM.(CVS: Pharmacy)(Medication therapy management)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Medication therapy management (MTM) may well be the tipping point in community pharmacy's drive to be recognized and compensated for cognitive services. That is the sense of Tom Morrison, CVS' vice president of managed...

Holistic view of care provides edge.(CVS: Pharmacy)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Years ago specialty pharmacy was a small part of the overall prescription business, according to CVS vice president of managed care Tom Morrison. Today it still accounts for less than 10% of prescription volume, but it...

At CVS Rx care is the name of the game.(CVS: Pharmacy)(CVS Corp.)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... Pharmacy remains at the heart of CVS' operation, accounting for the bulk of the chain's annual sales and positioning the company as an important player in the nation's health care system. With its outlets providing patients with private...

PharmaCare keeps focus on patients.(CVS: PharmaCare)
December 18, 2006... LINCOLN, R.I. -- After more than a decade in operation, CVS' PharmaCare subsidiary has grown into one of the country's largest pharmacy benefits management (PBM) and specialty pharmacy providers. Executives at the company note that patients...

The goal is to create win-win-win situations.(CVS: PharmaCare)
December 18, 2006... LINCOLN, R.I. -- CVS' PharmaCare pharmacy benefits management (PBM) and specialty pharmacy subsidiary prides itself on its ability to save clients and patients money. As the company continues to prove this, it attracts more employers to...

Technology impacts service, safety.(CVS: PharmaCare)(CVS Pharmacy Inc., SureScripts Inc. sign an agreement)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... LINCOLN, R.I. -- As electronic prescribing continues to get closer to being a widespread practice, CVS' PharmaCare subsidiary moved the process forward this fall when it agreed to begin using SureScripts Inc. technology to share patient records...

'Every year we raise the bar'.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(CVS Corp.'s vice president Chris Bodine helps in company's progress)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- If chairman, president and chief executive officer Tom Ryan is CVS' visionary, Chris Bodine, the retailer's executive vice president of merchandising and marketing, is the individual who interprets --and often...

CVS strives to make shopping experience easy.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- According to CVS senior vice president of merchandising Mike Bloom, one of the hardest decisions for a merchant is deciding which items make it onto a retailer's shelves. "In addition to ensuring that we have the...

CVS pharmacists take center stage in marketing efforts.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The marketing of CVS begins and ends with pharmacy, according to senior vice president of advertising and marketing Helena Foulkes. "As [chairman, president and chief executive officer] Tom Ryan says, 'Pharmacy is the...

ExtraCare delivers 'relevant value'.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(CVS Corp. launches loyalty program 'ExtraCare')
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Of all of CVS' attributes that the chain tracks relative to its competitors, ExtraCare gives it perhaps its greatest advantage. The loyalty program, which debuted five years ago, is focused on bringing "relevant value"...

Consumers respond as chain tailors mix, message to local communities.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- One facet of marketing that CVS has improved on is appreciating local differences and responding accordingly, points out senior vice president of advertising and marketing Helena Foulkes. The effort started with the...

The look of the stores embodies CVS mission.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(CVS Corp.)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- At CVS, all eyes are on Ken Roberts --or at least on his work. As the drug chain's vice president of visual merchandising, Roberts is responsible for what consumers are likely to first see when they walk into a CVS...

Ideas arise throughout company.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(store managers express their ideas on ways to grab customers attnetion)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Advancing ideas from the conceptual stage to reality at the shelf in stores operated by CVS is in part the result of collaborative cross-functional meetings where ideas are exchanged, according to vice president of visual...

CVS on cutting edge in O-T-Cs.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Arriving first to market with new products is a high priority at CVS. But it is not the top one. "We have a proven record of success in delighting our customers by having the new products they are looking for," says...

Chain ready whenever it's needed.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(CVS corp. provides extended services)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The need for an over-the-counter drug can sometimes be as pressing as it is for a prescription, and CVS answers that need early and late in the day and even in the middle of the night with its extended-hour stores and...

Photo business in midst of transition.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- One of the more important front-end categories at CVS stores is photo, and the retailer has been "fully digital" for a number of years, according to Judy Sansone, vice president of merchandising for photo imaging and several...

CVS a destination for beauty care.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Beauty customers love CVS, and CVS loves its beauty customers. This mutual admiration has created an area of intensive concentration for the chain, especially in the cosmetics and skin care sectors, according to vice...

Extras provide competitive edge.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(market research of CVS corp. )
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS exemplifies targeted marketing with its beauty advisers and Healthy Skin Care Centers. The advisers are in more than 400 stores--a number that will increase next year--while the skin care centers are in some 250...

Exclusive lines help build customer loyalty.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' legacy of successful proprietary beauty brands dates to the summer 2003 launch of Lumene. The rollout of the Finnish line gave American women access to a brand used by Europeans since 1970 and one billed as...

Beauty shoppers treated to upscale experience.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... Innovative merchandising, proprietary brands and the upscale Healthy Skin Care Center store-within-a-store are hallmarks of CVS' beauty merchandising. All those elements have driven sales of various segments, in particular cosmetics and skin...

The general merchandise section always includes 'surprise factor'.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Over the years CVS' front-end mix has evolved considerably as the retailer introduces new products that customers expect to find at their local drug store--as well as some items they don't necessarily expect to discover...

Seasonal events bring excitement to stores.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Seasonal merchandise is a vital element in CVS' front-end mix. "We believe we do the best job in the industry in merchandising our seasonal events," says vice president of general merchandise and consumables Allan...

CVS goes above and beyond with store brands.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Whether referred to as store brands, private label or exclusive brands, products that can only be found on CVS store shelves are of growing importance to the retailer's merchandising strategy. The drug chain has...

When it comes to consumables, 'less is more'.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' sheer number of stores makes the chain a natural choice for food and beverages for time-starved consumers, according to divisional merchandise manager for consumables Mike Wilkins. Ideally the chain will be a...

PL offerings represent good value proposition.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(private labelling of food products)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- For all the publicity over natural and organic food items--many priced at a premium--value is still a significant driver of consumables. That explains in part why CVS has been so successful with its private label food...

Taste always at forefront in food arena.(CVS: Marketing/Merchandising)(benefits of healthy foods )(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The No. 1 reason people buy healthful foods and beverages is taste, according to CVS divisional merchandise manager for consumables Mike Wilkins. And manufacturers have been able to make such products taste a lot better...

Whatever the challenge, CVS does what needs to be done.(CVS: Operations)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- It is hard to argue with a 99.9% success rate, and that is just what CVS achieved with its systems conversions in the drug stores it acquired from Albertsons Inc. earlier this year. The last changeover of a Sav-on Drugs...

Reset of acquired Osco and Sav-on stores wins kudos.(CVS: Operations)(American Drug Stores Inc. Osco Drug Div., Sav-on Drugs Inc. acquired by CVS Corp.)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- A store reset, which takes two weeks, is probably the most disruptive period for customers during an ownership transition, according to CVS executive vice president of stores Larry Merlo. But in the case of the chain's...

CVS logistics capabilities expand along with chain.(after acquiring Albertsons Inc.'s stores)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The business model for CVS' distribution and logistics department has significantly changed with its acquisition of 703 Albertsons Inc. stores, according to vice president of logistics Ron Link. In fact, a primary goal...

Flexibility needed to make Albertsons deal work.(CVS: Operations)(CVS Corp., Supervalu Inc. purchase Albertson's L.L.C. under transitional service agreement)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Ron Link has been through four major acquisitions at CVS, but he had never experienced one where the drug chain had to service a competitor from one of its distribution centers. That is just what's happening with the...

CVS is always pushing the envelope in technology: with CVS' latest acquisition, 'we beat our own record at finishing up conversions.'.(CVS: Operations)(Albertson's L.L.C.)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Success breeds success. The foregoing characterizes the mind-set that CVS has adopted in the retail technology arena. "A key to the integration of the Osco and Sav-on stores [which CVS acquired earlier this year in...

Web-based tool helps seniors decide on PDP.(Medicare Part D prescription drug plan)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Besides using technology to enhance its efficiency, CVS puts systems to work for consumers. Committed to helping seniors find the right Medicare Part D prescription drug plan at the most affordable price, CVS has...

New system implemented, others in the works.(CVS: Operations)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- In addition to its success with the recent conversion of the freestanding drug stores acquired from Albertsons Inc., the information systems and technology team at CVS Corp. has been active in a wide range of initiatives....

CVS is an employer of choice.(CVS: Human Resources)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Some are students attending inner-city high schools and working for CVS stores part-time; others are middle-age employees who either began their careers with the company or now work for the retailer because of its...

Rx technician training program keeps growing.(CVS: Human Resources)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- CVS this year debuted a mock pharmacy here--its sixth nationwide--for training pharmacy technicians. The retailer announced in October it would hire 60 graduates of the Providence Skills Center's pharmacy technician...

Older workers are viewed as a strategic asset.(CVS: Human Resources)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Although young associates are a key to the success of CVS, its workforce benefits from older employees, according to Michael Ferdinandi, senior vice president of human resources, corporate communications and community...

Inclusiveness, diversity core values.(CVS: Human Resources)(recruiting disabled persons)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' achievements in employing people with disabilities were recognized earlier this year when the chain received the 2006 New Freedom Initiative Award from Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. The retailer was honored for...

CVS quick to react when real estate opportunities emerge.(CVS: Real Estate)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- As CVS continues to spread out across the country, the task of finding sites for new and relocated stores continues to create a unique challenge, according to executives in the company's real estate division. "People...

Guiding principles remain a constant.(CVS: Real Estate)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- In his 27 years with CVS, Dino DeThomas has been instrumental in helping the company grow from a regional chain with a few hundred stores clustered in the Northeast into the nation's largest drug store operator with more...

CVS reaches diverse audiences with consistent message.(CVS: Communications)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- One of CVS' most valuable assets is the image it projects, and Eileen Howard Dunn plays a central role in ensuring that it does so consistently and effectively. As vice president of corporate communications and community...

Retailer gives back to the communities it serves.(CVS: Communications)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Being good corporate citizens is never far from the minds of CVS executives. And nowhere are the company's efforts in this regard more visible than in the work of the CVS Charitable Trust. In 2005 the trust awarded...

Disabled children get helping hand.(CVS Charitable Trust starts 'All Kids Can' program)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The CVS Charitable Trust has created CVS All Kids Can, a five-year, $25 million commitment to making life easier for children with disabilities. Through the program CVS plans to help disabled children learn, play and...

Wall Street has plenty of reason to be optimistic about CVS.(CVS: Financial)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- Although the investment community has given somewhat mixed reviews to CVS' proposed merger with Caremark Rx Inc. (see accompanying story), Wall Street remains bullish on the chain's core business. Even with the effects of costs...

Analysts grapple with complexity of Caremark deal.(CVS: Financial)
December 18, 2006... NEW YORK -- With shares of both CVS and Caremark trading down since the announcement of their proposed merger, investors have yet to warm up to the combination, reflecting a general sentiment that the companies need to better communicate the...

Healthy state.(United Health Foundation)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... United Health Foundation rates Minnesota as the healthiest state in the nation, the fourth consecutive time the state has received such recognition. Louisiana was rated last. Rankings were based on the rates of smoking and other health-related...

Amerisource expands.(AmerisourceBergen Corp. acquired Access M.D. Inc.)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... AmerisourceBergen Corp. has acquired Access M.D. Inc., expanding its specialty business in Canada. The purchase price was about $12.9 million (U.S.). AMD is a provider of reimbursement support programs, third-party logistics and other services...