Chain Drug Review articles from May 2004

Chain Drug Review archives from May 2004

Ryan throws down gauntlet on drug importation.
May 24, 2004... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Breaking with other chain drug retailers, CVS Corp. chairman, president and chief executive officer Tom Ryan has called for legalized drug importation. Importation will lower drug costs for Americans while a long-term...

CVS set to go with plans for Eckerd.(CVS Corp.)(Eckerd Corp.)
May 24, 2004... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- As many as 225 of the 1,263 Eckerd Corp. drug stores that CVS Corp. is purchasing from J.C. Penney Co. will be closed, according to executives. The $2.15 billion cash deal is expected to be completed next month, subject to a...

Sammons tells it like it is at Annual Meeting.(Mary Sammons)
May 24, 2004... SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- National Association of Chain Drug Stores chairman Mary Sammons says the industry must exploit its strengths, confront its challenges and focus on its priorities as it employs the "power of partnering" in today's...

Snyder's will benefit from a fresh start.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... MINNETONKA, Minn. -- Snyder's Drug Stores emerged from federal bankruptcy protection this month, promising a new emphasis on its pharmacy business and customer service. "This is a new beginning for Snyder's," president Dave Schwartz...

Patients begin to sign up for drug discount cards.
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- First-week enrollment in the Pharmacy Care Alliance (PCA) drug discount card program was measured in the thousands, far exceeding expectations, say the venture's administrators. Some 7 million seniors can choose among the PCA...

CDR, RxSchool to offer pharmacy CE program.(Chain Drug Review)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Chain Drug Review has joined forces with RxSchool to provide pharmacists and pharmacy technicians--at no cost to them--access to a comprehensive collection of online educational courses and training tools. RxSchool is a...

Rite Aid sets sights on growth.(Rite Aid Corp.)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Rite Aid Corp. will debut 50 new or relocated stores this year and remodel 175 others, executives of the drug chain told analysts at a recent conference here on retailing. The planned openings will significantly ramp up the...

Albertsons raises guidance for year.
May 24, 2004... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons Inc. has raised its annual earnings guidance for continuing operations from to $1.40 to $1.50 per share from a previously announced $1.30 to $1.40 per share. The drug, supermarket and food/drug combination store...

Cristophe line makes debut at CVS stores.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Celebrity hairstylist Cristophe is launching Cristophe Beverly Hills Hair Care, which will be available exclusively at CVS Corp. drug stores and Cristophe Salons. The line is divided into four product categories: *...

Coutu tabs senior VP of finance.(Jean Coutu Group)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- The Jean Coutu Group has appointed Andre Belzile senior vice president of finance and corporate affairs. Belzile is a chartered accountant with extensive experience in acquisitions and bank and public financing in...

Duane Reade is now ready for e-scripts.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Duane Reade Inc. has become the first pharmacy operator based in greater New York to announce its capability to conduct electronic exchanges of prescription information with physicians. Such electronic prescribing will allow the...

Drugstore.com reaches out to seniors.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Drugstore.com is offering a $30 credit to offset the cost of Medicare discount drug cards. The money can be used for purchases of over-the-counter health care products upon proof of purchase of a discount card. Any...

NACDS honors Martin, Briddon.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jim Martin, who recently retired as senior vice president of pharmacy at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., received the National Association of Chain Drug Stores' Sheldon W. Fantle Lifetime Achievement Award at the NACDS Annual Meeting...

Four new members join association's board.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A number of leading retail executives have been voted to the board of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Katz Group North America's Andy Giancamilli, Jeff Rein of Walgreen Co., and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s...

Ex-Imasco exec dies.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
May 24, 2004... TORONTO -- Norman Latowsky, a well-known and much liked leader in the Canadian pharmacy and retail worlds, died here on April 30. Latowsky and the late Paul Par, then chairman, president and chief executive officer of Imasco Ltd., were the...

Network of Executive Women slates event.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- The Network of Executive Women (NEW) for the consumer products and retail industries will hold its first regional event in greater New York on June 8 at Liberty House Restaurant in Jersey City, N.J. The keynote speaker will be...

Coke taps Isdell chairman, CEO, takes page out of past.(Supplier News)(Coca-Cola Co)( E. Neville Isdell)
May 24, 2004... ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola Co. veteran E. Neville Isdell, who directed the company's international expansion, has been named its chairman and chief executive officer. The 60-year-old Isdell will succeed Doug Daft by early summer. Isdell, who...

Pepsi, ABC team up on 'Play for a Billion'.(Supplier News)(Pepsi-Cola North America)(Capital Cities/ABC Inc)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Pepsi-Cola North America and Capital Cities/ABC Inc. have teamed up for a promotion featuring the largest potential jackpot in the history of television--$1 billion. Pepsi's "Play for a Billion" sweepstakes began this month,...

NFG line is just for boys, young men.(Not For Girls)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Recognizing how young women embrace hair care products with sweet, fruity scents, two personal care executives realized that there was no line on the market targeted to what boys find appealing. Edward Marlowe, a former...

Liz Taylor line will hit drug chains.(Supplier News)(Elizabeth Taylor)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- The House of Taylor is poised to launch Elizabeth Taylor Color Cosmetics in drug stores nationwide. The line includes a luxury lipstick and lip gloss as well as a nail color, all available in eight shades. In addition, a...

Health Asure buys ARTHx.(Health Products Holding Co.'s Health Asure division)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... CALABASAS, Calif. -- ARTHx, a line of joint-relief products, has been acquired by Health Products Holding Co.'s Health Asure division. "ARTHx provides us the opportunity to increase the scope and depth of our product offerings and to keep...

'By any financial measure, a terrific quarter for CVS'.(Business)
May 24, 2004... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Corp. kicked off 2004 with a nearly 25% jump in first quarter net income, but it slightly lowered its earnings forecast for the full year in the wake of its upcoming purchase of more than 1,200 Eckerd drug stores in the...

It's full steam ahead at Jean Coutu as income, sales bound.(Business)
May 24, 2004... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- As it awaits finalization of the acquisition that would make it one of the five largest drug chains in North America, the Jean Coutu Group rang up double-digit gains in revenues and earnings for the third quarter of fiscal...

Hot topics at the NACDS Annual Meeting.(My Turn)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
May 24, 2004... Amid the usual business, social and political shenanigans that unfailingly characterize an NACDS Annual Meeting and stamp it as the chain drug industry's signature event two subjects set this year's session apart. The first was Jean Coutu's...

Ryan's bold stance on imports changes game.(My Turn)(Tom Ryan)
May 24, 2004... During an interview last summer, Tom Ryan expressed his view that the players in chain pharmacy have the power to "change the game." Speaking in Washington earlier this month, he did just that. In testimony before a Department of Health and...

CDR sales survey.
May 24, 2004... The chain drug industry showed signs last year of regaining some lost luster. Volume advanced 8.2%, still well shy of the dramatic growth rates of the late 1990s but better than the 8% of 2002. Moreover, the channel posted that gain...

Market analysis.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... MARKET ANALYSIS TOTAL MASS MARKET SALES * % CHANGE VS. CATEGORY...

Top 20 H&BA brands.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... Top 20 H&BA BRANDS % CHANGE DOLLAR SALES VS. RANK BRANDS (ADD 000) YEAR AGO ...

Top 20 consumables brands.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... TOP 20 CONSUMABLES BRANDS % CHANGE DOLLAR SALES VS. RANK BRANDS (ADD 000) YEAR AGO...

Top 20 general merchandise brands.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... TOP 20 GENERAL MERCHANDISE BRANDS % CHANGE DOLLAR SALES VS. RANK BRANDS (ADD 000) ...

Top 20 nonedibles brands.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... TOP 20 NONEDIBLES BRANDS DOLLAR % CHANGE SALES VS. RANK BRANDS (ADD 000) YEAR AGO ...

Drug chains' ethical image catalyst for Rx sales.(Prescription Drugs)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- There was a dramatic change in course in the pharmacy market last year. In 2002 drug chains had lost market share, and fast-growing mail-order pharmacies had gained it, but last year their fortunes were reversed. Chain...

Generics, biotech figure big in prescription market.(Prescription Drugs)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Generic and biotechnology drugs were key contributors to pharmaceutical sales results last year, according to IMS Health. Generic and biotech dollar sales each grew by some 22%, the market research firm reports. Their...

Drug importation likely to be a major issue.(Prescription Drugs)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Prescription drug prices and drug importation have the potential to be big issues in the nation's presidential election this November. The overwhelming majority of adults (by 84% to 7%) favor "allowing people to import...

Drug chains outpace other sectors in sales gains.(O-T-C Health Care)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- As front-line health care providers, chain drug stores count nonprescription medications as an essential part of their product offerings. And consumers look to drug chains first for those items. Recent market analysis from...

Switches are potent growth engine.(O-T-C Health Care)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Drug chains continue to keep a close eye on the Food and Drug Administration's conversion of prescription pharmaceutical products to over-the-counter status. The switches, those in the industry note, have gone a long way toward...

Labels: how compelling are they?(O-T-C Health Care)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- More than a year after the Food and Drug Administration began requiring that over-the-counter medications carry a standardized "drug facts" label a National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) survey suggests that...

O-T-C health care.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... O-T-C HEALTH CARE TOTAL MASS MARKET SALES * % CHANGE VS....

Breath fresheners.(O-T-C Health Care)(sales and share)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... For the second consecutive year, sales of breath fresheners have taken a double-digit dip. However, a closer look at the category offers an explanation for why volume has fallen off; products that many consumers view as breath fresheners...

Cold/allergy tablets.(O-T-C Health Care)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... An earlier-than-expected cold and flu season helped drive sales of cold, allergy and sinus tablets up by more than 37% last year. In addition, the first full year of Schering-Plough Corp.'s Claritin and Claritin D as over-the-counter products...

Laxatives.(O-T-C Health Care)(sales statistics)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... For the second consecutive year sales in the $412.8 million laxative tablets market showed healthy gains. The 5.9% overall increase and 6.3% boost in drug store sales during 2003 came on the heels of 6.6% and 8.4% advances in 2002. Helping...

Cough/sore throat.(O-T-C Health Care)(sales and share)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... Sales of cough syrup and sore throat remedies showed healthy gains last year thanks in part to the early arrival of the 2003 cold and flu season. Also helping the category advance was retailers' ongoing emphasis on promoting their store...

Multivitamins.(O-T-C Health Care)(sales and share)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... Multivitamins remain one of the best-selling segments in the nutritional supplements category. Packing nearly all of the essential nutrients a person needs into one tablet, multivitamins represent the perfect product for people looking for...

Weight control candy.(O-T-C Health Care)(sales and share)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... The federal government's ban on diet aids formulated with the herbal stimulant ephedra has put a serious crimp in the sale of weight control products, causing volume in the candy and tablets segment of the category to fall by more than 13%...

Beauty care has tough year, but less so at drug chains.(Beauty Care)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Fierce competition and a sluggish economy contributed to anemic beauty care sales in the drug channel in 2003. The lip, nail, face and deodorant categories all reflected modest drops in volume last year, with only the eye...

Nail care is on course to rebound.(Beauty Care)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Sales in the nail care category continue to slump. According to Information Resources Inc., total mass market sales dropped 4.2% in 2003, and 2% in the drug channel. All four major segments of the category--artificial nails,...

Skin care for men, women in demand.(Beauty Care)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Due mainly to aging baby boomers' dogged attempts to forestall the march of time, the skin care segment overcame tepid sales in the overall beauty care category and posted gains in 2003. Youth-obsessed boomers have created a...

Drug chains court ethnic customers.(Beauty Care)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Ethnic beauty care continues to play an increasingly important role in chain drug outlets. After years of lagging behind other trade classes in attracting key demographic groups to their stores, chain drug retailers are...

Beauty care.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... BEAUTY CARE TOTAL MASS MARKET SALES * % CHANGE VS. CATEGORY ...

Eye makeup.(Beauty Care)
May 24, 2004... Eye makeup continues to be the shining star of the cosmetics universe, with dollar sales up 5.1% across the three mass market trade classes and 8% in the drug channel last year. It is no coincidence that the greatest number of...

Facial cleansers.(Beauty Care)
May 24, 2004... While the facial cleanser segment was sluggish during the past year, a rebounding economy and heightened attention to "luxuries," including appearance, promises stronger sales in 2004. Volume in the segment dropped 2.1% in the drug channel...

Hair conditioners.(Beauty Care)
May 24, 2004... Although sales in the hair conditioner segment slipped somewhat in the past year, the leading suppliers are confident that product launches in 2004 will lead to improved sales. The segment lost 1.9% in dollar volume in the drug channel in...

Hand and body lotions.(Beauty Care)
May 24, 2004... The hand and body lotions category was down 2.4% across the three mass channels and virtually flat in the drug channel in 2003. Beiersdorf Inc.'s Nivea brand leads the way in dollar sales with a 6.9% share, while Unilever Home & Personal...

Healthy eaters eve low-carb, protein-packed diets.(Consumables)(low carbohydrate)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Consumers counting carbs have chain drug retailers counting profits. Sales of low-carbohydrate products have clearly been the major force in the growth of the food segment, according to reports from Information Resources Inc....

Energy drinks off, running.(Consumables)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Sales of energy drinks leaped 42.7% in the drug channel in 2003, with Red Bull GmbH leading the way with a market share of over 50%. While many compare Red Bull's dominance of the segment to PepsiCo Inc.'s commanding position...

The best water is now bottled water.(Consumables)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Bottled water continues to be a big driver of sales in the beverage category. According to Information Resources Inc., sales of bottled water jumped 15.1% in drug stores in 2003. Chain drug retailers with limited space are...

Jury still out on the latest way to lose weight.(Consumables)
May 24, 2004... SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- More than 17% of American families report that someone in their household is on a low-carbohydrate diet, according to new research from ACNielsen. Importantly, a slightly higher number (19.2%) say that someone in their...

Consumables.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... CONSUMABLES TOTAL MASS MARKET SALES * % CHANGE ...

Chocolate candy.(Consumables)
May 24, 2004... Volume of chocolate candy skyrocketed in chain drug stores in the past year due to strong holiday sales, heightened promotions and its value as an impulse item in a convenience environment. The segment was up a healthy 8.2% in the drug...

Potato chips.(Consumables)
May 24, 2004... Sales of potato chips in drug stores dropped 1.9% in 2003. The numbers are an aberration, as the drug channel has generally done well in expanding its snack food offerings. Procter & Gamble Co.'s (P&G's) Pringles brand continued to lead...

Soft drinks.(Consumables)
May 24, 2004... Sales in the soft drink category slipped a bit in the drug channel in 2003, down 3% in dollar sales and 0.2% in unit volume. Many attribute this to the burst of sales in the bottled water and other beverage segments. Soft drinks, however,...

GM grows in importance, chains vary approach.(General Merchandise/Nonedibles)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Few product areas have come to distinguish the differences among chain drug retailers as has general merchandise. While most drug stores across the country can be counted on basically to stock the same over-the-counter remedies,...

Photo is a very happening category.(General Merchandise/Nonedibles)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Drug chains across North America are capitalizing on the shift to digital photography, offering their customers digital photoprocessing by their staffs or do-it-yourself printing from easy-to-operate kiosks. Walgreen Co., for...

Shoppers tend toward multiple purchases.(General Merchandise/Nonedibles)
May 24, 2004... NEW YORK -- Once nothing more than an afterthought for some chain drug retailers, general merchandise has taken on greater importance in recent years as the trade class has evolved from a health care provider into a merchant that can meet a...

General merchandise/nonedibles.(Sales Survey)(Illustration)
May 24, 2004... GENERAL MERCHANDISE/NONEDIBLES TOTAL MASS MARKET SALES * % CHANGE ...

Alkaline batteries.(General Merchandise/Nonedibles)
May 24, 2004... Strong impulse items that provide retailers with good margins, batteries remain one of drugstores' most important front-end products. Despite a falloff in sales last year, suppliers and retailers agree that the market for batteries remains...

Disposable cameras.(General Merchandise/Nonedibles)
May 24, 2004... Eastman Kodak Co.'s recent decision to get out of the camera business came with a caveat to competitors--while exiting the reloadable segment of the market, the company is continuing to offer an array of single-use cameras. And with good...

Film.(General Merchandise/Nonedibles)
May 24, 2004... The continued increase in the use of digital cameras is having a visible impact on the film market, driving down overall sales by more than 20%. Despite the downturn in the film business, research indicates that picture taking is at an all...

Novartis campaign debuts.(Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. has introduced "Take Action for Healthy Blood Pressure," an initiative that offers tools to a patient/health care professional partnership that wants to set goals for achieving and maintaining healthy blood...

E-nose knows.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... A handheld "electronic nose" might one day diagnose pneumonia and sinusitis through an ability to analyze a patient's exhaled breath. University of Pennsylvania researchers report that the innovative device could make it faster, easier and...

Study links a drug's R&D cost to class of therapy.(News)(Trigenesis Therapeutics Inc)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... The cost and the time required to develop a drug and bring it to market are often tied to the therapeutic class of that medicine, says the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. Its analysis shows analgesic/anesthetic drugs are the...

Rudnic named chairman and chief executive of Advancis.(Newsmakers)(appointments, Edward Rudnic, Advancis Pharmaceutical Corp., )(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... Edward Rudnic has been appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Advancis Pharmaceutical Corp. He assumed his new responsibilities earlier this month. James Isbister, cofounder and former chairman, continues his affiliation with the...

Ukrop's makes an ImPACT.(Focus)(improve persistence and compliance with therapy, Ukrop's Super Markets Inc.)
May 24, 2004... RICHMOND, Va. -- Pharmacists at Ukrop's Super Markets Inc. have sent out a loud message about what they can do to help patients deal with what has been called a silent killer. Ukrop's pharmacists have demonstrated that they can identify...

Bertek tabs PharmaCare preferred Apokyn provider.(PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy, Bertek Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
May 24, 2004... LINCOLN, R.I. -- PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy has been selected as a preferred provider of Apokyn, Bertek Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s dopamine agonist drug indicated for the acute, intermittent treatment of so-called off episodes in patients...

E-referrals are available on WHI web site.(Walgreens Health Initiatives')(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... DEERFIELD, III. -- Walgreens Health Initiatives' (WHI's) home care division has added electronic referrals to its web site, www.walgreenshomecare.com. WHI is a division of Walgreen Co. The new e-referral forms for infusion services and home...

Lewis fights methamphetamine production.(Rx/News)
May 24, 2004... SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Lewis Drugs is helping to lead the battle in South Dakota to eradicate methamphetamine production. The South Dakota-based chain--working with city, county and state officials--has launched a project to impede suspicious...

Oklahoma restricts sale of some O-T-C products.(Rx/News)
May 24, 2004... OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma is restricting sales of some popular over-the-counter cold medicines that have been used as ingredients in the production of home-cooked, illegal methamphetamine. A law recently signed by Gov. Brad Henry, believed to...

System enhancement helps prevent medication errors.(Rx/News)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- First DataBank has added Tall Man Plus drug identification data to its NDDF (National Drug Data File) Plus drug knowledge base. The innovation is intended to help eliminate medication errors that often occur among similarly...

National Consumers League suggests best practices for Rx.(Rx/News)
May 24, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores was among the members of a working group convened by the National Consumers League to develop voluntary best-practice principles for the health care communications that are...

United agrees to buy Oxford for $5 billion.(Rx/News)(UnitedHealth Group)(Oxford Health Plans)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... MINNEAPOLIS -- UnitedHealth Group is acquiring Oxford Health Plans for about $4.9 billion. The transaction, which upon culmination will create one of the largest health insurers in the Northeast, was announced just days after Oxford...

PhRMA chairman targets accessibility, affordability.(Rx/News)(Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America )
May 24, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) pledges that Americans will see a different organization. "For the people we help our products can be priceless, but for those without access...

Oxxon makes some changes; establishes presence in U.S.(Rx/News)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... BOSTON -- Oxxon Therapeutics Ltd. is the new name of Oxxon Pharmaccines. The biotechnology company, which is developing immuno-therapeutics for cancer and chronic infectious diseases, has also debuted United States operations in Boston. ...

Role of web.(Rx/News)(online health care information- survey)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Americans continue to go online for health care information, but the growth rate of those who do so is not as great as it was before 1998. For the second consecutive year Harris Interactive has uncovered no significant...

Big changes in store for pharmaceutical makers.(Rx/News)
May 24, 2004... ATLANTA -- "In the next two to three years health care will change in ways the pharmaceutical industry can't yet understand," predicts Thomas Scully, former head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). He was among the...