Chain Drug Review articles from May 2005

Chain Drug Review archives from May 2005

Rite Aid will get back into PBM arena.(Rite Aid Corp.)(pharmacy benefits management company)
May 2, 2005... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Nearly five years after getting out of the pharmacy benefits management business, Rite Aid Corp. is ready to reenter the fray. In a conference call with financial analysts last month executives said it was essential for...

Fay's Panasci, industry icon, is dead at 76.(Remembrance)(Henry Panasci)(chain drug industry)(Obituary)
May 2, 2005... Someone once asked an American composer to describe Irving Berlin's place in American music. "Irving Berlin," he answered, "is American music." In a similar sense, Henry Panasci, who died on April 17 at the age of 76, was the chain drug...

Civello takes reins as NACDS chairman.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Tony Civello )
May 2, 2005... RALEIGH, N.C. -- Kerr Drug chairman, president and chief executive officer Tony Civello has just become the 47th chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. He joins a roster of chain drug industry executives that includes many...

Insurer gives thumbs-up to retail Rx.
May 2, 2005... EAGAN, Minn. -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota gave community pharmacies in that state a boost in their battle with mail-order providers last month when it introduced a plan that encourages its members to fill 90-day prescriptions in...

Feds step into brouhaha over birth control scripts.(pharmacies to fill all prescriptions)
May 2, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Federal lawmakers have stepped into the controversy over pharmacists refusing to dispense emergency contraceptives, introducing bills supporting the views of both sides of the debate. In the Senate Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D.,...

Chains can alleviate effects of changes in drug supply.(prescription drugs)(over-the-counter drugs)
May 2, 2005... Editor's note: This is the second of a three-part series. NEW YORK -- While a major product withdrawal or Rx to O-T-C switch can shake up the prescription and over-the-counter markets, retailers can mitigate the effects with advance...

Analysts like what they see at Jean Coutu.(Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
May 2, 2005... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Although the results for Jean Coutu Group's third quarter, which were made public earlier this month (see story, page 24), came in at the low end of analysts' estimates, the stock gained 6% the day of the announcement and,...

WellnessExpress clinic makes Longs debut.(Longs Drug Stores)(in-store clinic )
May 2, 2005... DAVIS, Calif. -- Longs Drug Stores has moved into the forefront of a growing trend in health care with the debut of an in-store clinic here. The first WellnessExpress Clinic medical office was unveiled last month at a Longs unit in Davis....

CVS, Boston Red Sox make marketing deal.(CVS Corp.)
May 2, 2005... BOSTON -- CVS Corp. and the Boston Red Sox have entered into a comprehensive marketing agreement highlighting their shared commitment to families and communities. "This is a unique, wide-ranging partnership," remarks Red Sox senior vice...

Judge strikes down ephedra ban.(Food and Drug Administration ban on ephedra was lifted)
May 2, 2005... SALT LAKE CITY -- A federal district court here has ruled that the Food and Drug Administration's ban on ephedra is too broad because the agency failed to prove that some "low dose" versions of the supplement are unsafe. After linking ephedra...

Federal court dismisses suit over Maine PBM law.(pharmacy benefits management companies financial information)
May 2, 2005... BANGOR, Maine -- A federal judge here has upheld a magistrate's recommendation to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law that requires pharmacy benefits management companies (PBMs) to disclose an array of financial...

Target steps up fight against meth.(Target Corp. policy )(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target Corp. has become the first national retailer to voluntarily place pseudoephedrine-based cough, cold and allergy products behind the pharmacy counter. A spokesman for the discounter notes that stores without pharmacy...

Sale of boots' O-T-C unit may be prelude to bigger changes.(Boots Co. PLC)(Boots Healthcare International )
May 2, 2005... NOTTINGHAM, England -- The sale of part or all of Boots Co. PLC is in the works. While the drug chain plans to divest its over-the-counter pharmaceutical manufacturing division, at least four private equity firms are reportedly interested...

Peters joins Retail Solutions board.(Supplier News)(Retail Solutions Inc. announced Patrick Peters has been named to the company's board of directors.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... LINCOLN, R.I. -- Retail Solutions Inc. has announced that Patrick Peters has been named to the company's board of directors. "Pat Peters is an excellent addition to our board, and we are proud and fortunate to have someone of his caliber...

Casper gets job as Dial chief exec.(Supplier News)( Bradley Casper named as president and chief executive officer of Dial Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Henkel KGaA, based in Dusseldorf, Germany, has announced that Bradley Casper has been named president and chief executive officer of Dial Corp., a subsidiary of Henkel. Casper will succeed Herbert Baum, who has...

Kimberly-Clark extends Kleenex line.(Supplier News)(Kleenex Moist Cloths)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... DALLAS -- Kimberly-Clark Corp. has announced the North American launch of Kleenex Moist Cloths, which are thick, soft, disposable hand and face cloths created for use around the home. The product provides a solution to a consumer need for a...

ReaL-AKG to be used in supplements.(Supplier News)(Innovative Product Solutions Corp, )(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... MIAMI, Fla. -- Innovative Product Solutions Corp., maker of the Oxygen AKG Nitric Oxide Stimulator dietary supplement, announced that the product will now contain its newly patented reaL-AKG Matraxol Technology. "ReaL-AKG technology...

A new Del Labs sees opportunities galore.(Supplier News)(Del Laboratories Inc.)
May 2, 2005... UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- After completing the transition that has taken the company private earlier this year, Del Laboratories Inc. is moving full-speed ahead with a refreshed spirit and a host of product launches. "We have a different momentum...

Pfizer to debut Pre-Brush rinse.(Supplier News)(Listerine Whitening Pre-Brush)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Pfizer Inc. is poised to launch a Listerine Whitening Pre-Brush rinse, billed as brightening teeth when used twice a day before brushing. Listerine is the best-selling mouthwash in the United States. "We found half of all...

Glysomed U.S. acquisition complements Blistex' existing brand portfolio.(Supplier News)(SL-Special Laboratories Ltd.)(Blistex Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... OAK BROOK, Ill. -- Blistex Inc. has completed its acquisition of the Glysomed line of hand and body care products in the United States from SL-Special Laboratories Ltd. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The purchase by Blistex...

New razor for women from Schick.(Supplier News)(Schick/Wilkinson Sword Div.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... ST. LOUIS -- Energizer Holdings Inc.'s Schick-Wilkinson Sword division is launching Quattro for Women, a four-blade, high-performance razor for women. The product includes an oval head to cover the larger surface of a woman's shaving area,...

Halls takes a unique tack in promotions.(Supplier News)(Cadbury Adams USA LLC halls marketing)(voicevertising services)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- Cadbury Adams USA LLC has found some unique ways to get the word out about its new Halls Fruit Breezers throat lozenges. When Brooklyn, N.Y., resident Floyd Hayes put his "voicevertising" services up for sale on eBay,...

Propelled by tax credit, Rite Aid sees earnings soar.(Business)(Rite Aid Corp.)
May 2, 2005... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Buoyed by a huge income tax benefit, Rite Aid Corp. rang up significant bottom-line increases in the face of stagnant sales for the quarter ended and fiscal year ended February 26. Before onetime items the drug chain's...

Walgreens' net rises 13.7% on 12.4% sales gain.(Business)(Walgreen Co.)
May 2, 2005... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. achieved double-digit increases in sales and earnings for both the second quarter and first half of fiscal 2005, but expenses stemming from its conversion to digital photoprocessing equipment kept the retailer...

Suppliers experience tough time in quarter.(Business)(drug stores)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- The fourth quarter of 2004 was not kind to major manufacturers of core drug store merchandise, as unusual items--including big charges for deferred taxes booked in connection with the American Jobs Creation Act-contributed to a...

Chain drug stocks continue to outperform the market.(Business)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Chain drug stocks were up again in March. The sector has been one of the top-performing stock groups so far this year. From February 28 to March 31 Chain Drug Review's stock index, which tracks the performance of all publicly...

Jean Coutu results show effects of Eckerd acquisition.(Business)
May 2, 2005... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Revenues soared more than 250% in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 at the Jean Coutu Group, but earnings growth lagged behind as costs related to the August 2004 acquisition of more than 1,500 Eckerd drug stores held the...

The right man in the right place at the right time.(My Turn)
May 2, 2005... Involvement. Engagement. Narrow and deep. These are the words Tony Civello uses to describe the approach he intends to take when he ascends to the leadership of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores at the end of this month. They...

Retail Rx can counteract the mail-order threat.(My Turn)
May 2, 2005... The very real challenge mailorder providers of prescription medications present to chain drug stores and other community pharmacy operators is widely acknowledged. For years the perceived cost advantage of mail service has fueled impressive...

Mass retailing enters 'post-Wal-Mart world'.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
May 2, 2005... The day after Thanksgiving 2004 the new retailing millennium finally began. It occurred at 6 a.m. on Friday, November 26, when stores opened at malls and on Main Streets across the United States. At that moment a palpable shift could be felt,...

Acquisition of Eckerd packs a big wallop.(STATE OF THE INDUSTRY)(Eckerd Corp., CVS Corp.)
May 2, 2005... CDR Special Report -- What happened in chain drug retailing in 2004 was that the Eckerd drug chain, founded in 1954 by Jack Eckerd, ceased to exist as an independent entity. Every other development was a minor event compared with that...

Economy is expected to 'motor ahead at a solid pace'.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Chain drug retailers can expect the current business expansion to continue at a relatively steady rate for the balance of 2005 and into 2006. Analysts universally predict that pharmacy sales, which comprise 60% or more of most...

Chain drug stores have tremendous potential'.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- In 2005 the chain drug industry will continue to take advantage of the compelling long-term demographic trends that are driving sales of prescription drugs higher as well as the promising economic outlook projected for the remainder...

Publicly held drug chains: their five-year track records.(State of the Industry)(Illustration)
May 2, 2005... Publicly held drug chains: Their five-year track records Corporate sales (add 000) Chain 2004 2003 2002 Albertsons (1) $39,897,000 $35,107,000...

How the top chains measure up.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Walgreen Co. topped $1 billion in net earnings for the third straight year in 2004, again leading the ranking of the chain drug industry's most profitable companies. Three other chains on the list--CVS Corp., Albertsons Inc....

A lot is riding on two issues.(State of the Industry)(chain drug industry)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Two of the biggest challenges facing the chain drug industry are mandatory mail-order prescription plans and the implementation of the Medicare drug benefit. Even when use of mail order is not required, for millions of...

Mergers and acquisitions are back in the news.(State of the Industry)(drugstores)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- While it was not on a par with the merger mania that reshaped the chain drug industry in the mid- and late 1990s, 2004 saw the sale of one of the country's largest drug chains and the acquisition of a few longtime regional players....

Top 50 drug chains by dollar volume.(State of the Industry)(Illustration)
May 2, 2005... Top 50 drug chains by dollar volume Walgreens (Deerfield, Ill.) $37.50 bil CVS (Woonsocket, R.I.) 30.59 bil./34.00 bil. (1) Rite Aid (Camp Hill, Pa.) ...

Top 50 drug chains by store count.(State of the Industry)(Illustration)
May 2, 2005... Top 50 drug chains by store count CVS (Woonsocket, R.I.) 5,375 Walgreens (Deerfield, Ill.) 4,582 Rite Aid (Camp Hill, Pa.) 3,356 Jean Coutu (Longueuil, Quebec)...

NACDS strives to the industry's message across.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The near term holds challenge and opportunity for the chain drug industry, says Craig Fuller, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. The challenges are considerable, yet so...

'We needed to put a marker down'.(State of the Industry)(aims of association)
May 2, 2005... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is joining forces with its membership more than ever to address federal and state issues affecting the pharmacy industry, says Lee Verstandig, the association's senior vice...

Association aims to stay on top of breaking events.(State of the Industry)(Pharmacy Industry Council )
May 2, 2005... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- As chief operating officer Bill Sittmann sees it, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores' two paramount concerns are legislative affairs and communications. And the two areas are inseparable, he says. "It's...

Members benefit from interaction.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- One key focus for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores is engaging members at all levels of the organization in collaborative efforts. "We find that by bringing retailers and our associate members together we...

Venerable combo format faces new challenges.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Any discussion about the challenges facing chain drug stores and other mass market retailers invariably turns to the topic of "channel blurring." No doubt, the phenomenon represents a legitimate area of concern for retailers in...

Mass retailing may become more localized.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Is small the next big? That is the odd-sounding question some food/ drug combination store operators might be asking themselves in light of recent developments in the marketplace. One of the more interesting propositions put...

Discount juggernaut keeps rolling.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Year by year, discount stores continue to increase their share of mass market retailing's $1 trillion-plus in annual sales. The good news for chain drug store operators is that the discount channel's continuing gains are coming more...

Why H&BA shoppers prefer discount stores.(State of the Industry)(health and beauty aids)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- When a consumer chooses a discount store over a drug chain to purchase a health and beauty aids product, what drives that choice? Price usually plays some role, often a major one, but rarely is it the only consideration. What other...

Dollar stores intensify consumables focus.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Dollar stores continued to rack up impressive growth in store count and net sales in 2004, but comparable-store sales growth at the leading chains has flattened out considerably. At the same time, the extreme value format...

Trade class gets more competitive.(State of the Industry)(dollar stores)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Extreme value remains one of the fastest-growing channels in mass market retailing in terms of both total sales and new stores, and the format has the potential to become a more formidable competitor to chain drug stores going...

CACDS supports effort to protect public health.(State of the Industry)(Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... TORONTO -- Partially as a result of the consequences of the recent SARS outbreaks in greater Toronto and in Vancouver, British Columbia, the federal government last summer established the Public Health Agency of Canada. The new agency, headed...

Outlook bullish for Canadian drug chains.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... TORONTO -- When addressing the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (CACDS) annual conference here in February, Perry Caicco, executive director of Institutional Research at CIBC World Markets, described the two Canadian publicly held drug...

Health care system is changing.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... TORONTO -- The most pressing concern for the retail pharmacy industry is its future within Canada's health care system. In the nationally insured system the provinces and territories meet a substantial part of the costs of health care and...

Guidelines for the recall of medications in works.(State of the Industry)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... TORONTO -- The recent warnings and, in some cases, recalls issued with regard to certain high-profile drugs have given added urgency to the work the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (CACDS) has been carrying on in an effort to...

Prescription shipments to the U.S. on the wane.(State of the Industry)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... TORONTO -- The volume of drugs ordered through the Internet and shipped across the border appears to be flattening out despite continued encouragement of the process by some in the United States. The Canadian minister of health, Ujjal...

Chains work to better align technology with operations.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Chain drug retailers have been beefing up their technology capabilities for decades, but one sticking point has always been the disjunction between information technology (IT) programs and operational strategies. By no means...

Complexity of IT issues is increasing.(State of the Industry)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- The current business environment is creating particular technology challenges for retailers as they try to balance priorities that compete for their attention, according to Scott Langdoc, vice president of research at AMR Research....

Longs taking 'incremental steps'.(State of the Industry)(Longs Drug Stores Corp.)(point-of-sale scanning equipment )
May 2, 2005... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Analysts are hailing the long-awaited convergence of information technology (IT) and operational strategies in the retail arena. In the drug store channel Longs Drug Stores is among those leading the way. Soon after...

Automation helps retailers meet growing demand for Rx.(State of the Industry)(drug stores)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Technology plays an increasingly important role in pharmacy operations at the nation's drug chains, and it is a role that is likely to become even more prominent as demand for prescription medications continues to rise. ...

Electronic prescribing wins backing of CMS.(State of the Industry)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Retail technology in the pharmacy department should get another boost from the adoption of new e-prescribing rules proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) earlier this year. "We are committed to...

Unlocking the potential of RFID.(State of the Industry)(radio frequency identification technology)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Any discussion of retail technology these days eventually comes around to RFID. Like everyone else involved in mass market retailing, drug chains and their suppliers are watching and waiting to see whether the reality of radio...

NACDS, Express Scripts cast lots together.(The Year In Review '04 January)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
May 2, 2005... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the pharmacy benefits management company (PBM) Express Scripts Inc. say they will team up to seek government approval for a Medicare discount drug card. The move is...

News from Walgreens gets better and better.(The Year In Review '04 January)(markets)
May 2, 2005... CHICAGO -- As it continues to spread its reach across America, Walgreen Co. is seeing its efforts pay off, say executives at the company's annual shareholders meeting here. "I am much happier to be standing up here this year than last,"...

Three chains reject mandatory mail order.(The Year In Review '04 January)(prescriptions for maintenance drugs through mail orders)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- CVS Corp., Kerr Drug and Happy Harry's Inc. become the latest drug chains to say they will no longer join pharmacy benefits plans that force patients to get their prescriptions for maintenance drugs exclusively through mail order....

Penney in negotiations to divest Eckerd.(The Year In Review '04 February)(J.C. Penney Corporation Inc.)
May 2, 2005... PLANO, Texas -- J.C. Penney Co. reports that talks with several groups interested in acquiring Eckerd Corp. are progressing well and that a buyer for the struggling drug chain could be found this month. Individuals close to the situation...

Katz builds exec team in Canada, U.S.(The Year In Review '04 February)(Katz Group Canada Ltd. names Dave Schwartz, Jerry Kuske, Russell Cohen )(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... EDMONTON, Alberta -- Katz Group North America continues its effort to strengthen its management in Canada and the United States. The company names Dave Schwartz president of its Minnetonka, Minn.-based Snyder's Drug Stores chain and...

PrairieStone Pharmacy makes its debut.(The Year In Review '04 February)(PrairieStone Pharmacy)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... MINNETONKA, Minn. -- A new company headed by a former Rite Aid Corp. executive has begun operating pharmacies inside several upscale supermarkets in the Minneapolis area. PrairieStone Pharmacy has teamed up with Lund Food Holdings Inc. to...

DrugMax, Familymeds agree to merge.(The Year In Review '04 March)(FamilyMeds Group Inc.)
May 2, 2005... FARMINGTON, Conn. -- Familymeds Inc. is merging with Clearwater, Fla.-based pharmaceutical distributor DrugMax Inc. to create a company that should produce more than $500 million in annual revenue. The all-stock deal is valued at between...

Albertsons' realignment to spur growth.(The Year In Review '04 March)(restructuring)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons Inc. has unveiled what executives label "major" organizational changes designed to create an infrastructure for long-term growth. The moves, few of which deal with the company's Osco and Sav-on drug chains, are...

Bush tabs FDA's McClellan to head CMS.(The Year In Review '04 March)(Mark McClellan, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... WASHINGTON -- President Bush nominates Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Mark McClellan to head the government's Medicare and Medicaid programs. The selection of the 40-year-old McClellan comes at a time when the federally funded...

CVS, target test Boots beauty products.(The Year In Review '04 March)(Target Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Corp. and Target Corp. agree to add an assortment of Boots brand beauty care products in selected stores. The retailers are carrying close to 600 products from 10 Boots brand lines. Target is centering its...

CVS, Coutu divide Eckerd between them.(The Year In Review '04 April)(Jean Coutu Group Inc., CVS Corp. acquire Eckerd Corp.)
May 2, 2005... LARGO, Fla. -- After months of negotiations and speculation about possible suitors, J.C. Penney Co. agrees to sell its Eckerd Corp. drug chain to CVS Corp. and the Jean Coutu Group for $4.5 billion. Under the terms of the unique deal CVS...

Markl to oversee Walgreens' store operations.(The Year In Review '04 April)(Barry Markl)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. promotes several longtime executives, including Barry Markl, a 37-year company veteran, who becomes the chain's fourth senior vice president of store operations. Markl will handle the company's newly formed...

CMS O.K.'s drug discount card providers.(The Year In Review '04 April)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
May 2, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) endorses 28 prescription drug discount cards for senior citizens to use until the federally funded Medicare prescription benefit goes into effect in 2006. "Seniors will...

USA Drug extends reach with May's buy.(The Year In Review '04 May)(May's Drug Stores Inc., USA Drug)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- USA Drug agrees to purchase May's Drug Stores, ending the Tulsa, Okla.-based chain's 67-year run as a family-owned business. Terms of the agreement, which will add 39 stores to the 113-outlet USA Drug chain, are not...

Ryan puts stamp on drug import debate.(The Year In Review '04 May)
May 2, 2005... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Breaking with other chain drug retailers, CVS Corp. chairman, president and chief executive officer Tom Ryan calls for the legalized importation of drugs. Speaking at a meeting of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Drug...

Rite Aid to accelerate new store program.(The Year In Review '04 May)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Rite Aid Corp. will debut 50 new or relocated stores this year and remodel 175 others in established markets, executives tell analysts at the annual Lehman Brothers Retail Conference here. The planned openings will significantly...

Katz, L'Oreal team up on store design.(The Year In Review '04 June)(Katz Group Canada Ltd.)
May 2, 2005... TORONTO -- Katz Group Canada Ltd. and L'Oreal Paris partner to create a unique Pharma Plus Drugmart store. The outlet gives striking emphasis to cosmetics and related beauty departments and acts as a showcase for the full line of L'Oreal...

CVS returns to California with big plans.(The Year In Review '04 June)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... VAN NUYS, Calif. -- CVS Corp. reenters the state of California with a clear plan for the future. The retailer is positioning stores in areas it believes have been neglected by competitors. CVS also believes it can fill what it perceives as...

Raman, drugstore.com CEO, makes exit.(The Year In Review '04 June)(Kal Raman)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Kal Raman, the president and chief executive officer of drugstore.com, resigns, maintaining that he wants to pursue other opportunities. The announcement was made on the same day the company lowered its earnings forecast...

Med-X is added to USA Drug holdings.(The Year In Review '04 June)(acquisitions)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- USA Drug strengthens its position in the Tulsa, Okla., market by purchasing Med-X Corp. The announcement comes on the heels of USA Drug's recent acquisition of May's Drug Stores, which is also based in Tulsa. The...

Fructodent[R]: the gourmet care for teeth & gums.(Q&A)(Tony Mugnos of Paglieri Mugnos USA)(Interview)(Advertisement)
May 2, 2005... Q&A Paglieri Mugnos USA is launching Fructodent Gourmet Toothpastes, a unique line of natural-flavor oral care products, in the United States. Tony Mugnos, president and chief executive officer of Paglieri Mugnos USA, recently...

New Medicare Rx rules raise concerns.(The Year In Review '04 July)
May 2, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration unveils the initial version of the rules for the government-funded Medicare prescription drug benefit that is scheduled to go into effect in 2006. In a nearly 2,000-page document released near the end...

Dollar concept added to Albertsons units.(The Year In Review '04 July)(drugstores)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons Inc. adapts the dollar store concept to all of its drug stores, supermarkets and food/drug combination stores across the country. The company's "10 for 10 Mix and Match" sections are added to the more than 2,500...

Wal-Mart testing 24-hour pharmacies.(The Year In Review '04 July)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- WalMart Stores Inc. starts exploring the feasibility of round-theclock pharmacies early this month when it kicks off a test of the concept in five stores in Texas and Arkansas. Executives say the test sites--four in the...