Chain Drug Review articles from November 2004

Chain Drug Review archives from November 2004

Coutu tells shareholders Eckerd deal 'un beau risque'.
November 8, 2004... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Wearing the pharmacist's white coat that has become both a personal trademark and symbol of his company's commitment to the professional side of the business, founder and chairman Jean Coutu presided with his usual aplomb...

For the time being, no banner changes planned.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- In the wake of the acquisition of 1,549 Eckerd drug stores in the United States, the Jean Coutu Group plans to retain--at least in the near term--both of its banners there. However, executives at the company's recent...

Fear of flu precipitates a scramble.
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- With the first cases of influenza being reported around the country late last month, the focus on the nation's shortage of vaccine has intensified. Drug chains that had intended to have flu clinics throughout the winter have...

MSI president resigns; search for successor on.(Medicine Shoppe International Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... ST. LOUIS -- Medicine Shoppe International Inc. (MSI) president Bob Storch resigned late last month after less than two years at the company's helm. Neither Medicine Shoppe nor Storch provided a reason for his departure. A replacement has...

Kmart takes new direction with Lewis.
November 8, 2004... TROY, Mich. -- Fast-food industry veteran Aylwin Lewis has been named president and chief executive officer of Kmart Holding Corp.--a move that could signal a renewed focus on the discounter's operations. He succeeds Julian Day, who will...

Walgreens Wellness Tour offers health screenings.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. kicked off a yearlong education and health screening effort last month that will see a specially equipped tour bus visit 45 cities across the nation. Starting on October 21 in Min neapolis the Walgreens...

Walgreens taps Lubin.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. divisional merchandise manager for beauty and fashion Steve Lubin will take on a new assignment with the company later this year when he becomes general manager of marketing for the drug chain's Puerto Rico...

Shortage of pharmacists levels off.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The number of pharmacist vacancies in July was virtually unchanged from January, according to the latest NACDS Foundation Chain Pharmacy Employment Survey. There were 4,024 chain pharmacist positions open as of July 1,...

SureScripts gives Lewis a promotion.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- SureScripts has promoted Tammy Lewis to chief marketing officer. In her new role she is responsible for the company's overall marketing strategy and communications, tactical execution, public relations and corporate...

Ex-Rite Aid exec Brown gets 10-year prison term.
November 8, 2004... HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Former Rite Aid Corp. vice chairman Franklin Brown has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the accounting scandal that caused the chain to restate $1.6 billion in profits in 2000. Of the six company...

Murray joins Jean Coutu.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- The Jean Coutu Group has appointed Michael Murray director of investor relations. The announcement was made by Andre Belzile, senior vice president of finance and corporate affairs. Murray is a chartered accountant...

How shoppers look at in-store ads.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Consumers are happy with the amount of in-store advertising in drug stores, recently released research by Point of Purchasing Advertising International (POPAI) shows. Consumers' acceptance of in-store advertising was one of...

Canadian pharmacies offer help.
November 8, 2004... TORONTO -- With seniors routinely venturing north of the border to buy prescription drugs, it comes as no surprise that they are now looking to Canada for flu vaccine too. But the willingness with which Canadian pharmacies have filled...

Queer Eye's Douglas new L'Oreal spokesman.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- L'Oreal USA Inc. has signed Kyan Douglas, the beauty authority on the cable television show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," as a spokesman and consultant. In what the company calls "a modern and innovative move for the beauty...

Duracell updates ad campaign.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... BETHEL, Conn. -- Duracell, a division of Gillette Co., has debuted a new version of its "Trusted Everywhere" advertising campaign, featuring the use of a battery-powered automated external defibrillator to revive a student suffering a sudden...

Truescents is building on success of de-luxe.(Supplier News)
November 8, 2004... SEATTLE -- After just four years on the market Truescents LLC's de-luxe line of spa quality personal care items has had a significant impact on the category. "As the consumer ages, she is more inclined to want a quality product that will...

Coke, Pepsi to offer more data on labels.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Coca-Cola Co. is expanding nutrition information on its soft drink package labels. PepsiCo Inc. is also planning to include caloric and other nutrition information on its product containers. Coca-Cola says it will roll out the...

Pfizer adds Purell to its product line.(Supplier News)(sanitizers)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. -- Pfizer Inc.'s consumer health care division is adding the Purell brand of instant hand sanitizers to its stable of products. The company has agreed to acquire the Purell line, already the No. 1 brand of instant hand...

Joan Toth, executive director of the Network of Executive Women, at the opening reception of the group's recent summit in Chicago with Procter & Gamble Co. senior account executive Clare Campbell-Walshe and Kellogg Co. vice president for the convenience and drug channels Kathy Casey.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Joan Toth (left), executive director of the Network of Executive Women, at the opening reception of the group's recent summit in Chicago with Procter & Gamble Co. senior account executive Clare...

Aladdin sequels from Disney hit stores.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... BURBANK, Calif. -- Walt Disney Home Entertainment has released the two sequels--Aladdin: The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves--to its original animated classic, Aladdin, in DVD and videocassette formats. The sequels will...

Jean Coutu results show impact of Eckerd acquisition.(Business)
November 8, 2004... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Reflecting the initial effects of its July 31 acquisition of more than 1,500 Eckerd drug stores, the Jean Coutu Group saw sales nearly double but earnings drop by almost 30% during the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Despite...

Safeway earnings fall 21.4% in third quarter.(Business)
November 8, 2004... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Weighed down by the ongoing effect of the southern California labor strike, Safeway Inc. logged a disappointing third quarter as profits took a double-digit dive and renewed sales growth continued to prove elusive. ...

A tale of two chain drug store executives.(My Turn)
November 8, 2004... Every year, for the last several, MMR, our sister publication, has named five industry people who have made a difference, executives whose companies or organizations were better because these individuals were involved with them. This year the...

There's no letup in the competitive pressure.(My Turn)
November 8, 2004... It is a truism in mass market retailing that distinctions between trade classes have eroded and everyone is vying for the same consumer. While the competitive pressure confronting merchants of all kinds has indeed never been greater, drug...

Change is watchword in Rx distribution business.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... RESTON, Va. -- Drug distributors last year continued to adapt to a changing marketplace and product mix. Against the backdrop of a soft economy, total aggregate sales of distributed health care products in 2003 grew 10% from the preceding...

HDMA's Gray bullish on industry's technological prowess.(Wholesalers)(Healthcare Distribution Management Association)
November 8, 2004... RESTON, Va. -- There is a new frontier for consumer products and drug distributors are crossing it first. They are pioneering the deployment of the electronic product code (EPC) and radio frequency identification (RFID) to boost the...

Report looks into health care's future.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... RESTON, Va. -- Exponential advances in health care are attainable in the near future from the electronic product code (EPC) and bedside bar coding, and over the long term from nanotechnology. That is one of the conclusions of "Scanning...

Inventory management agreements rewrite rules of game.(Wholesalers)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... RESTON, Va. -- Drug distributors entered a new era last year with the implementation of the first inventory management agreements (IMAs). It is difficult, however, to assess just how much these pacts affected results without knowing how...

McKesson adds 'tremendous value' to the supply chain.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Changes in pharmaceutical supply chain economics are having an impact on the ways in which McKesson Corp. buys and sells products. "Traditionally, the distribution services we provided to manufacturers were paid for in the...

CareEnhance gets results in prevention.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Elderly patients participating in McKesson Corp.'s CareEnhance disease-management heart failure program experienced a significant decrease in hospitalizations, emergency department visits, readmissions and skilled nursing...

Sea change in industry impacts the bottom line.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Despite a sharp growth in revenues, McKesson Corp. recorded a steep drop in earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2005, as it and the wholesale drug industry's other major players cope with the effects of...

Cardinal helps 'solve pressing health care challenges'.(Wholesalers)(Company Profile)
November 8, 2004... DUBLIN, Ohio -- Cardinal Health Inc. aims to serve as a vital partner in developing, delivering and enhancing health care, says chairman and chief executive officer Robert Walter. Cardinal provides products, services and expertise that help...

Transition to new contractual model in works.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... DUBLIN, Ohio -- With manufacturers taking actions to significantly reduce inventories in the distribution channel, Cardinal Health Inc. is working to create inventory profiles that closely match demand, while pursuing a fee-for-service...

Restatement of results is completed.(Wholesalers)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... DUBLIN, Ohio -- Cardinal Health Inc. has issued its long-delayed financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2004, and restated its results for its 2001, 2002 and 2003 fiscal years as well as the first three quarters of...

'A window' on retail pharmacy.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... ST. LOUIS -- Cardinal Health Inc.'s Medicine Shoppe International Inc. (MSI) division provides the wholesaler with valuable insights into the current state of retail pharmacy, according to Cardinal executive vice president of pharmaceutical...

Cardinal logistics center ready to start operating.(Wholesalers)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... DUBLIN, Ohio -- Cardinal Health Inc. has announced that it has borrowed $750 million from established credit facilities to meet short-term working capital needs primarily associated with the start-up of its new National Logistics Center (NLC)...

Amerisource partners with chains.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- The changing dynamics of the country's health care system are affecting the relationship between chain drug stores and wholesalers, according to executives at AmensourceBergen Corp. Primarily, senior vice president of...

Appointments fortify ranks of top executives.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. --AmerisourceBergen Corp. has made several changes in its top management team this year. In February, for instance, the company named Terrance Haas to the newly created position of corporate senior vice president and...

Drug pricing trends have an impact.(Wholesalers)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. --Lower-than-expected price increases for prescription drugs during the fourth quarter were expected to lead AmerisourceBergen Corp. to report slightly diluted earnings when it reported its year-end results in early November....

Division offers 'solutions for every pharmacy'.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... VERNON HILL, Ill. -- AmerisourceBergen Corp. does a lot more for community pharmacies than just distribute prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. Through its AutoMed division, AmerisourceBergen provides pharmacies with a...

AmerisourceBergen makes mark in institutional care.(Wholesalers)
November 8, 2004... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- Besides being noted for its business with retail pharmacy operators, AmerisourceBergen Corp. has established itself as a leader in institutional care. That point was driven home recently when the AmerisourceBergen's...

Retailers expand offerings in HME.(Seniors News)(Hospital and Medical Equipment)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Ambulatory aids, bath safety products and so-called aids-to-daily-living (ADL) products are among the hospital and medical equipment (HME) gaining increasing shelf space at the outlets of such retailers as Kmart Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc....

Other countries also faced with aging population.(Seniors News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... The United States is not the only nation wrestling with the impact of an aging population. In Japan, for example, the number of people age 65 and older is about one-fourth that of those between 15 and 64. However, according to Economy.com, an...

Seniors boost sales of O-T-C health products.(Seniors News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Aging baby boomers are helping to fuel sales in Canada's over-the-counter drug market. According to an ACNielsen study, such nonprescription products as antihistamines, antidiarrheals and antioxidants perform particularly well among this age...

Chains work to help pharmacists do more.(Home Health/Seniors)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- The influenza vaccine shortage prompted most chain drug retailers to either cancel or significantly cut back flu shot programs this year, posing a dilemma for many senior citizens. Nevertheless, ample opportunities exist for...

Kerr takes offerings to next level.(Home Health/Seniors)
November 8, 2004... DURHAM, N.C. -- While not marketing itself specifically to seniors, Kerr Drug has become a valuable asset for older consumers in the markets it serves. The key to Kerr's success with seniors, director of pharmacy administration and...

Longs makes difference with Senior Advantage.(Home Health/Seniors)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Executives at Longs Drug Stores note that having been in business for a long time has meant that the drug chain has grown up with a lot of its customers--many of whom are now senior citizens. "That's why we're...

Medicare Rx benefit may be catalyst.(Home Health/Seniors)
November 8, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The pending debut of a federally funded Medicare prescription benefit in 2006 is causing drug chains across the country to reexamine the way they do businesses. Many in the industry say the Medicare benefit will signal a major...

Technology can play part in boosting compliance.(Home Health/Seniors)
November 8, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- An "intelligent pill dispenser" designed to ensure that senior citizens take the proper pills at the proper time was introduced at last summer's annual meeting of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. A key component...

Complexity of treating seniors great.(Home Health/Seniors)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Multiple medications, chronic illnesses and age-related changes in metabolism are among factors that contribute to the difficulty of medication management among elderly individuals, according to the American Society of...

Selected chronic conditions affecting U.S. adults 70 and older.(Home Health/Seniors)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 8, 2004... Selected chronic conditions affecting U.S. adults 70 and older Males Females Stroke 10.4 7.9 Diabetes 12.9 11.5 Cancer 23.4 16.7 Heart disease 24.7 19.2...

Researchers seek ways to limit broken bones.(Home Health/Seniors)
November 8, 2004... PITTSBURGH -- Unless they take action to protect their bone health, half of all Americans age 50 and older may be at risk for broken bones caused by osteoporosis and low bone mass. But researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have...

New study links intake of iron and Parkinson's.(Seniors News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Both excessive amounts and insufficient amounts of iron intake may be linked to Parkinson's disease, according to research by Florida State University. The school released results of a study demonstrating that iron deficiency and toxicity are...

Prescribing errors raise concern at Janssen.(Seniors News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Janssen Pharmaceutica Products LP has launched a campaign for safe medication dispensing of Reminyl, its drug for treating mild to moderate conditions of Alzheimer's disease. Several reports of errors in prescribing have arisen due to confusion...

Impotence drugs get preliminary O.K.(Seniors News)
November 8, 2004... Cialis, Levitra and Viagra--as well as a pending libido drug for women--may gain coverage under the new Medicare prescription drug plan. U.S. Pharmacopeia Inc. (USP), the independent drug standards agency contracted by the Centers for Medicare...

GSA debuts plan to encourage civic engagement.(Seniors News)(Gerontological Society of America)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... The Gerontological Society of America has launched a five-year initiative to promote research on programs and public policies it believes can increase civic participation among older adults. The group notes that more Americans are realizing...

Wisconsin program facing reductions.(Seniors News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... SeniorCare, a prescription drug program for older residents of Wisconsin, could be in jeopardy unless the federal government commits funding, warns Gov. Jim Doyle. He told a group of senior citizens that he had received no response to requests...

Ways to enhance seniors' lives.(Home Health/Seniors)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Poor health and loss of independence should not be inevitable consequences of aging, asserts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It identifies a number of opportunities for improving the quality of life for older...

Home health care makes gains.(Home Health/Seniors)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... VERNON HILLS, Ill. -- Patients and pharmacists who are better educated and products that are easier to use and more accurate than those of previous generations exemplify some of the trends in the home health care category. "Our new blood...

Shaping the Rx benefit for seniors.(Home Health/Seniors)
November 8, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Four principles that should guide regulatory officials in crafting regulations to implement the Medicare outpatient prescription drug program have been advanced by the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO). One of...

Politicians, entertainers attend AARP convention.(Senior News)(American Association of Retired Persons)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry stopped by, as did first lady Laura Bush. Also making certain they were seen was a long list of civil rights leaders and entertainers. Such was the prestige--and the drawing power--of Life@50 +, a...

Congresswoman warns of cuts to seniors programs.(Senior News)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says that as much as half of the 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment in the Social Security program will be lost because of higher Medicare premiums. "The Republican Medicare prescription drug law is a cruel hoax...

HHS offers advice on vaccines.(Home Health/Seniors)(Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Senior citizens have been urged to relax over the limited supplies of one type of vaccine--and to take steps to make certain that they get another type of shot. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson maintains...

P&G's Prilosec OTC provides a shot in the arm.(Digestives)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- The dazzling success of Procter & Gamble Co.'s (P&G's) Prilosec OTC lifted drug store sales of antacid tablets by more than a third in the year ended October 3, according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI). Category volume...

Women with IBS target of campaign.(Digestives)(Iirritable Bowel Syndrome)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Cybill Shepherd is joining with the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC) and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. to launch "Amazing Women," an educational campaign for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) sufferers. The...

AstraZeneca fights suit's claims on Nexium ads.(Digestives)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- AstraZeneca PLC has rejected a lawsuit's claims that it falsely advertised the $3 billion-plus heartburn drug Nexium. Filed last month by the AFL-CIO and senior citizens groups, the suit alleges that AstraZeneca initiated the ad...

Upscale store brands in the limelight at chains.(Private Label)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Store brands have evolved from a rather insignificant factor in the drug class of trade to a crucial determinant of its profitability. "We know that store brands are critical to our business," says Jim Mastrian, Rite Aid...

PL becomes a strong suit for Rite Aid.(Private Label)
November 8, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Front-end growth is crucial to drug chains, and Rite Aid Corp. is using store brand products to boost both sales and customer satisfaction. The chain's Rite Aid and other exclusive store brand items reached 11.4% in sales...

Retailers work to capitalize on opportunities.(Private Label)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Chain drug retailers are rapidly expanding their private label offerings. Here is an update of some of their efforts: Longs Drug Stores The retailer offers Radiance, a wellness line available only at Longs Drug Stores that...

PLMA predicts a private label world.(Private Label)(Private Label Manufacturers Association)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) is looking toward a future when store brands hold the dominant places on retailers' shelves. Things are already heading in that direction, according to PLMA president Brian...

Modular Thermal may soon offer private label.(Private label News)(Modular Thermal Technology)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Modular Thermal Technology, which offers its Cryo-Max cold pack in a number of drug chains, is exploring the possibility of entering the private label arena. "We have a number of technologically advanced items coming down the pike that...

Arquest partners with Scholastic's Clifford.(Private label News)(Arquest Inc.)(Scholastic Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... A leader in the store brand diaper category, Arquest Inc. has partnered with Scholastic Inc., the global children's publishing and media company. Scholastic is a major licensor as well as marketer of such award-winning children's properties as...

Leiner reports record earnings.(Private label News)(Leiner Health Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... The largest private label manufacturer of vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements in the U.S., Leiner Health Products Inc. has announced record first quarter 2005 sales of $156 million, a 12% increase over the preceding year. "This...

SDM grows stake in own brands.(Private Label)(Shoppers Drug Mart)
November 8, 2004... TORONTO -- Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM), long in the vanguard when it comes to private label items, is in the midst of a major restructuring of its store brand program. At the end of 2003 SDM began to relaunch its Life Brand private label...

Consortium gives edge.(Private Label)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Chain drug retailers are coping with competition in a variety of ways, and a growing number of drug chains are turning to the Chain Drug Consortium for buying clout as far as store brands are concerned. The Consortium...

There's lots of room to drive store brand toothpaste sales.(Private Label)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Store brands in the mouthwash and dental floss segments of the oral care category have always done very well, but the same cannot be said for toothpaste. While retailers could count on up to a 20% share of mass market sales in...

CDMA's Quality Choice offers products, promos.(Private Label)(Quality Choice private label program)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... NOVI, Mich. -- The Quality Choice private label program was developed by the Chain Drug Marketing Association (CDMA) to provide its membership with a viable alternative to the national brands. "Quality Choice had a 40% increase in sales...

Stanton McComb has been named president of the McKesson Pharmacy Systems (MPS) division of McKesson Retail Automation.(Tech People)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... * Stanton McComb has been named president of the McKesson Pharmacy Systems (MPS) division of McKesson Retail Automation. He previously served as director of corporate strategy and development for McKesson in San Francisco, where he had...

Security Force Inc.(Tech People)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... * Roy King has joined Security Force Inc., a provider of loss prevention and asset protection products and services, as president and chief executive officer, titles previously held by company founder David Guttadauro. Guttadauro will remain as...

Q Comm International Inc.(Tech People)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... * Harry Hargens has accepted an appointment to the board of directors of Q Comm International Inc., a provider of prepaid transaction processing and electronic point-of-sale (P-O-S) distribution solutions. A pioneer in the creation and early...

Drug chains harness power of technology.(Technology)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Drug store chains are leveraging retail technology to improve their performance in a number of critical areas, including convenience, price, speed, loss prevention and supply chain management. Drug chains are deploying retail...

Custom-tailored systems do job.(Technology)(drugstores)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- From pharmacy training to human resources to supply chain logistics, chain drug retailers are becoming adept at crafting technology solutions to challenges both big and small. Faced with the prospect of supplying hundreds of...

Retailers are demanding IT customers.(Technology)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Chain drug retailers represent a substantial market for information technology (IT) products and services, but they are demanding customers and insist on the highest levels of service from their IT suppliers. That is the...

CVS, Wal-Mart, Costco leaders in Rx systems.(Technology)
November 8, 2004... NEW YORK -- Technology is changing the face of the retail industry, and nowhere is that more evident than in the pharmacy department. Pharmacy systems built around automation and robotics are being rolled out by more and more chains. The...