Drug Store News articles from December 2007

Drug Store News archives from December 2007

Kings of the coasts make waves: Duane Reade centers on convenience.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 10, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Duane Reade continues to master the metro New York City area and is further tightening its grip on the market through a new convenience store format, Diabetes Resource Centers and in-store health...

Longs Drugs reaps benefits of PBM division.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Pharmacy Benefit Management)(Report)
December 10, 2007... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- A strong showing from RX America drove Longs Drugs to another profitable quarter, with earnings jumping 45 percent to $19.3 million. And Longs executives said they expect 2008 to be an even better year for its...

Republicans look to free market, tax cuts in effort to meet healthcare needs.(Editorial)
December 10, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WASHINGTON -- With the presidential election now less than a year away, voters are deeply divided over which candidate represents the best chance for fixing the unwieldy and expensive U.S. healthcare system and...

Drug industry debates BTC category at FDA meeting.(OVER THE COUNTER)(United States. Food and Drug Administration)(behind the counter)
December 10, 2007... WASHINGTON -- While the establishment of a third class of drugs is by no means imminent, several pharmacy organizations advocated the creation of a new behind-the-counter class of drugs last month before a panel of Food and Drug Administration...

New Kerr hybrid merges clinical, convenience.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 10, 2007... SANFORD, N.C. -- Kerr Drug's newest store prototype is one of the most unique formats in all of drug store retailing: a blend of leading-edge, pharmacy-based clinical-care concepts with a full-scale drug store and a company-owned cafe and...

Waging an all-fronts battle to halt Medicaid AMP plan.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Adenosine monophosphate)
December 10, 2007... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Call it a marriage born of necessity. The two national organizations representing chain and independent pharmacy have once again joined forces--this time in a high-stakes, last-ditch legal effort to block the imposition...

Retailers jolly after holiday shopping season kickoff.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 10, 2007... NEW YORK -- The Grinch may have stole Christmas but credit woes, high gas prices and rising home heating costs did not rob consumers of their holiday spirit over Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday--marking what some considered to be a "good...

Tesco plans rapid expansion in 2008.(SUPERMARKET RX)
December 10, 2007... LOS ANGELES -- With a full month of doing business in the United States under its belt, Tesco has stated that it is happy with the early results from its Fresh & Easy stores and is prepared for a rapid ramp up in 2008 with plans for more than...

Supervalu offers pre-diabetes blood-glucose screenings.(SUPERMARKET RX)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu stepped up its preventive treatments at pharmacies last month by offering screenings for patients that can detect diabetes in its earliest stages. Blood-glucose screenings now are being offered at pharmacies within...

A&P's acquisition of Pathmark moves forward with divestitures.(SUPERMARKET RX)(A&P Canada Inc.)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... MONTVALE, N.J. -- The Federal Trade Commission has accepted a proposed consent agreement relating to A&P's acquisition of Pathmark, according to grocer A&P. In addition, the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act waiting period has expired, permitting the...

Caregiver Expo outlines services, advice.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 10, 2007... PITTSBURGH -- Caregivers took advantage of the Rite Aid Caregiver Expo here last month, visiting Rite Aid's booth to consult with one of the chain's many local pharmacists, including several from the recently acquired Eckerd stores, on a...

Merck partners with GSK on Mevacor Rx-OTC switch.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(GlaxoSmithKline)
December 10, 2007... PITTSBURGH -- Although still a long shot, the odds that a Mevacor statin may one day be sold over-the-counter shifted tremendously in its favor when GlaxoSmithKline partnered with Merck on the potential switch last month. The reasons are...

Helping care for others: John Learish, senior vice president, marketing, Rite Aid.(Q&A)(Interview)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Drug Store News: Why is caregiving important to Rite Aid, not only in Pittsburgh but nationwide? John Learish: When you look at the caregiver segment, it's growing exponentially. The statistics show that nearly...

Rose remembered for understanding customers.(PEOPLE IN THE NEWS)(Obituary)
December 10, 2007... SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Longtime industry veteran Larry Rose--a man who enjoyed gardening, golfing, the Pittsburgh Steelers and drug store retailing--died Nov. 18 at University Hospital after battling cancer. He was 66. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

NACDS taps federal official as Wagner retires.(PEOPLE IN THE NEWS)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
December 10, 2007... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- In what amounts to a major overhaul and streamlining of one of its most critical functions, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has combined its government affairs and public policy operations under a unified...

Dear Santa: a Christmas wish list for community pharmacy.(OPINION)
December 10, 2007... Ah, Christmastime. Every year it seems like the tree here in New York City's Rockefeller Center gets a little bigger, the traffic around the Drug Store News office gets a little thicker and for some reason I grow just a little more resentful of...

Latest store flaunts organized, almost upscale appearance.(WAL*MART[R])
December 10, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HIGHLAND VILLAGE, Texas -- Were it not for the sign on the front of Wal-Mart's newest store in this community northwest of Dallas, customers might think they were in another retailer's store. As it is, many of those...

Wal-Mart positions for Rx growth.(WAL*MART[R])
December 10, 2007... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart has been a major player in the pharmacy, health and beauty care industry for a long time, but it became an even more significant force this year as a broad slate of initiatives drove growth and positioned the...

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved revised boxed warnings and other safety-related product labeling changes for erythropoises-stimulating agents.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration recently approved revised boxed warnings and other safety-related product labeling changes for erythropoises-stimulating agents, which treat certain types of anemia. Epogen, Procrit and Aranesp are approved...

NACDS reaches out to presidential hopefuls.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
December 10, 2007... ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Note from retail pharmacy to the next president of the United States: Are you listening to us? With the 2008 election season fast approaching, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has kicked off a new outreach...

Report: Medicaid pricing plan would have devastating effects.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Report)
December 10, 2007... ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- A new report from one of the pharmacy experts who has advised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services lends credence to claims by community pharmacy leaders that the government's new Medicaid reimbursement formula...

Need to reinvent Rx supply chain is RFID conference focus.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
December 10, 2007... WASHINGTON -- With California on the verge of requiring drug retailers, wholesalers and suppliers to establish clearly documented pedigrees for every prescription drug sold in the state, the industry leaders in charge of the nation's...

Otsuka Pharmaceuticals.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a supplemental drug application from Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and Bristol-Myers Squibb for their antipsychotic drug Abilify, which now allows adolescents aged 13 to 17 to use the medication. The...

GlaxoSmithKline.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration announced that GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to add new information to the existing black-boxed warning on its Type 2 diabetes drug Avandia, warning of the drug's potential increased risk for heart attack. The...

Study: employers in the dark about Rx value.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
December 10, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Underscoring the difficulties faced by pharmacy retailers and suppliers in trying to convince health plan payers of the value that pharmacy-based patient care and prescription drug therapy bring to the U.S. healthcare system, a...

PDX-NHIN/HMS pact creates easier data access.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Health Market Science)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... FORT WORTH, Texas, and KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. -- PDX-NHIN and Health Market Science have entered into an agreement under which HMS will allow PDX Pharmacy System users to have access to its prescriber master file, a database that currently...

Health IT, e-Rx tsunami awaits physician adoption.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)(information technology applications in health care industry)
December 10, 2007... The revolution in electronic prescribing and data-driven, integrated patient care is lapping at the U.S. healthcare system like a slow-motion tsunami. Everybody knows the big wave is coming, but no one can predict exactly when. By now,...

Rx EDGE and PDX partner to offer free health information.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)
December 10, 2007... HOFFMAN ESTATES, III. -- Pharmacy software giant PDX and Rx EDGE, a direct-to-consumer pharmacy marketing firm, have teamed up to communicate drug and other health care information to patients free of charge at the point of sale. Under...

MSI taps Innovation for franchisees' automation needs.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... ST. LOUIS -- The nation's second-largest drug store franchise operator has found a partner in its quest for a common technology platform for its more than 900 U.S. pharmacy franchisees. Cardinal Health Company's Medicine Shoppe...

The future has arrived for specialty pharmacy.(SPECIALTY PHARMACY3)
December 10, 2007... For retail pharmacies, the world of specialty and biotechnology drugs remains problematic but promising. Despite the dauntingly high costs and therapeutic complexities these medicines represent--not to mention the close professional oversight...

Care Pharmacies names new chief, eyes growing success.(SPECIALTY PHARMACY)
December 10, 2007... ARLINGTON, Va. -- Care Pharmacies last month ended its search for a chief executive with the appointment of Gerry Crocker, formerly vice president of retail and alternate care of the North East area for Cardinal Health. "Based on Crocker's...

Pharmacy voices concern over compounding bill.(SPECIALTY PHARMACY)
December 10, 2007... The Safe Drug Compounding Act of 2007, a bill that would have layered on Food and Drug Administration oversight of the compounding industry, has been put to rest--at least for this year. Facing mounting opposition since introducing the...

Walgreens adds LTC pharmacies to institutional portfolio.(SPECIALTY PHARMACY)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... DEERFIELD, III. -- Walgreen Co. continues to grow its specialty pharmacy capabilities, purchasing two pharmacies last month that serve assisted-living senior centers in Florida and Georgia. Walgreens bought the institutional pharmacies from...

Kids cough-cold hype quiets, but sales significantly drop.(OVER THE COUNTER)
December 10, 2007... NEW YORK -- The meeting on kids cough-cold held in October certainly kicked off this year's cough-cold season on a dour note, but it does not appear that the echoes of that meeting reverberating through the consumer press will have any lasting...

Impact of withdrawal: Keith Wypyszynski, GMDC.(Q&A)(chief member officer of the Global Market Development Center)(Interview)
December 10, 2007... In October, the Food and Drug Administration hosted a joint advisory committee to discuss the appropriateness of cough-cold products marketed for use in children. While experts continue to weigh in on whether marketing OTC products for kids is...

New players to enter antacid aisle.(OVER THE COUNTER)
December 10, 2007... NEW YORK -- As heartburn sales experience their traditional annual spike in sales between Thanksgiving and the New Year, thanks in large part to overindulgence, there soon may be two new players vying for position on the antacid...

Kids get new upset-stomach remedy.(WHAT'S HOT)(GlaxoSmithKline PLC introduces Tums Kids)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... PITTSBURGH -- GlaxoSmithKline last month introduced the latest in kids' stomach relief products--a new pediatric line of Tums called Tums Kids--and it is being placed in a dedicated kids' gastrointestinal set in many of the larger retailers,...

BTC class could equal bad business.(News Analysis)
December 10, 2007... While many of the organizations either opposed or in favor of a proposed third class of drugs seemed to break along economic lines--pharmacy organizations in favor due to the potential of an additional revenue stream, example, or doctor...

NACDS, NCPA support BTC class, if with compensation.(OVER THE COUNTER)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(National Community Pharmacists Association)(behind-the-counter )
December 10, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Both the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association are heavily in favor of the creation of a third class of drugs, provided that retailers are duly compensated for the increased...

CRN: doctors recommend supplements.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Council for Responsible Nutrition)
December 10, 2007... WASHINGTON -- More than three-quarters of U.S. physicians (79 percent) and nurses (82 percent) recommend dietary supplements to their patients. That was the major takeaway from a new study released last month by the Council for Responsible...

Plan B.(Supplier News)
December 10, 2007... A federal judge in Tacoma, Wash., last month ruled in favor of a pharmacist's right to "refuse and refer" the dispensing of any prescription for the emergency contraceptive Plan B, effectively overruling a state mandate that pharmacists in...

Prestige sales fall due to recall, diversion.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Prestige Brands International Inc)
December 10, 2007... IRVINGTON, N.Y. -- Second-quarter results for Prestige Brands were negatively impacted by both the voluntary removal of two kids cough-cold products under the Little Remedies banner, as well as diversion, the company stated during a conference...

GlaxoSmithKline.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... GlaxoSmithKline last month launched a campaign supporting its claim that new Breathe Right Snore Relief Solutions lubricate throat tissues to help keep them quiet. The new Snore Relief line is one of three complementary SKUs to GSK's core line...

Enzymatic Therapy.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Enzymatic Therapy recently announced the launch of its ActiFruit line with Cran-Max Cranberry Supplements, including both a one-per-day soft chew and 30-count capsules. "ActiFruit with Cran-Max delivers the ultra-concentrated power of...

Improvita Health Products.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Improvita Health Products last month announced the introduction of Fasprin, an 81 mg aspirin tablet that dissolves rapidly in the mouth instead of in the stomach. Fasprin's no-swallow aspirin delivery method reduces irritation to the...

Natrol.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Natrol last month merged with Plethico Pharmaceuticals Limited of India in a stock-purchase deal worth approximately $80.8 million. "We are pleased to announce this transaction, which culminates a process initiated and directed by our board...

PacificHealth Laboratories.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... PacificHealth Laboratories last month reported a net loss of $433,000, which included a $439,000 write-off of Satiatrim inventory because of soon-to-expire shelf dates. "Satiatrim has gotten off to a slower start than we anticipated, which...

Link between dental-overall health sinks teeth into oral care initiatives.(BEAUTY CARE)
December 10, 2007... A smile may be among the first things to catch an admirer's eye, but the mouth also can provide health professionals with a look into one's overall health. Research has long suggested that periodontitis and such health problems as...

Oral education: Ronald Rupp, GlaxoSmithKline.(Q&A)(GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare L.P.)(Interview)
December 10, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aiming to promote oral health care to older Americans, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare provided a grant to the American Dental Association and the ADA...

Better brushing boosts Euro oral care.(BEAUTY CARE)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... LITTLE FALLS, N.J. -- A recent study found that oral care in Europe is expected to outpace overall growth in the cosmetics and toiletries market as better brushing habits boost European oral care sales. According to a newly published study...

Makeup goes "green".(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... AZUSA, Calif. -- As the "green" phenomenon continues to gain steam, beauty company Physicians Formula has developed a first in mass-market makeup. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Beginning in February, the company's new 42-SKU Organic Wear...

Colgate van drives dental education, gives free screenings and treatment.(BEAUTY CARE)(Colgate-Palmolive Co.)
December 10, 2007... MIAMI -- Aiming to educate children on the importance of good oral health habits, Colgate-Palmolive put its Colgate Dental Van into drive and recently visited an elementary school in the Miami-Dade area to offer free dental screenings,...

Neutrogena.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Neutrogena, a maker of skin, hair and cosmetics products, has named actress Diane Lane as brand ambassador. In her new role, Lane will be featured in national television and print campaigns, beginning with a commercial for the new...

Lornamead.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Personal care company Lornamead is celebrating Finesse's 25th anniversary with new packaging throughout its entire range of shampoos, conditioners and styling products. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new packaging features a...

Promoting empowerment and raising research funds.(BEAUTY CARE)(Maybelline New York)(Harper's Bazaar)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Maybelline New York executives and spokespeople gathered to honor 10 women who have made a positive impact on their communities through the power of education, at a luncheon held at the New York Public Library on...

Age Intervention Eyelash.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that nearly 13,000 tubes of Age Intervention Eyelash have been seized because the product may, in some users, lead to decreased vision. According to the FDA, Age Intervention Eyelash, sold...

L'Oreal.(Supplier News)(L'Oreal Paris)(Canan)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... L'Oreal group has agreed to acquire Turkish hair care products company Canan. The deal is subject to closing conditions and customary governmental review, including antitrust clearance. L'Oreal expects that the acquisition of Canan will be...

Garnier.(Supplier News)(Garnier Fructis)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Garnier has announced the launch of several hair styling products, including its new Play Style Collection and Bold It! lines. Inspired by the latest trends in consumer styling, the Gamier Fructis Play Style Collection is formulated with...

Alberto-Culver.(Supplier News)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Alberto-Culver's Extreme Style by VO5, an iconic brand more than 50 years old, is looking to reinvent itself and reach today's younger consumer through a new Web site, print and television ad campaigns, a celebrity stylist and new packaging....

Superfruits put antioxidant muscle into juices.(CONSUMABLES)
December 10, 2007... The beverage category has been inundated with new products containing superfruits. These fruits, which often have exotic origins and are high in antioxidants, have been linked to a number of health benefits, including cancer prevention and...

Holiday feasts get effervescent.(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SEATTLE -- As of this month, ham- and Christmas tree-flavored sodas now are available in the grocer's soda aisle, as are other holiday-themed flavors. Jones Soda Co., whose products feature original label art and odd...

Hawaiian Host.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Hawaiian Host, Hawaii's original chocolate-covered macadamia nut candy manufacturer, is introducing a new macadamia nut flavor, Maui onion and garlic macadamias, and offering three island favorites--dry roasted salted macadamias, Hawaiian honey...

Adam's 100%.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Adam's 100% has launched its new and improved 100% Mangosteen Juice. Featuring a lighter flavor, it contains the highest level of mangosteen xanthones, which are biologically active hytonutrients that have otent antioxidant properties, than...

Smart Balance.(Supplier News)(Smart Balance Omega Buttery Spreads)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Smart Balance recently introduced four Smart Balance Omega Buttery Spreads with the benefits of two types of Omega-3 fatty acids, including Omega Buttery Spread Light and Omega Buttery Spread with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The patented Smart...

Gorilla Glue.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Gorilla Glue has introduced a product that's more durable and has a longer shelf life than its original glue. The Gorilla Super Glue Impact-Tough Formula features built-in shock resistance that allows glued surfaces to "give" while holding...

Reckitt Benckiser.(Supplier News)(Winplus)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Reckitt Benckiser, which owns the AirWick brand of air fresheners, is teaming with auto accessory supplier Winplus to introduce Airwick air fresheners for cars. The freshener line will debut in spring 2008 and feature five types of products...

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will celebrate the 20th season of the reality TV show "Cops" with a "Cops" 20th Season Anniversary DVD due out Feb 19. The DVD will contain a 20th season special feature, the original pilot and five...

Solo Cup Co.(Supplier News)(Robert Fronberry appointed as senior vice president and chief information officer)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Solo Cup Co. has appointed Robert Fronberry as its new senior vice president and chief information officer. Fronberry comes to Solo Cup from the Broan Nutone Group, where he held the position of chief information officer.

Safeway.(Supplier News)(alliances)(Prostate Cancer Foundation)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Safeway and the Prostate Cancer Foundation are teaming up to donate $6 million to fund the S.T.A.R. Program (Special Team Amplification Research). Safeway will contribute $3 million that it raised through customer donations made at checkout...

Greeting cards push the envelope.(GENERAL MERCHANDISE)
December 10, 2007... Greeting card suppliers have had to adapt to changes brought on by e-cards and fragmenting tastes among their core female consumers. That's why major suppliers and small independents continued to push the envelope this year with new approaches...

Consumer electronics bring holiday cheer.(GENERAL MERCHANDISE)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... LOS ANGELES -- Heading into the home stretch of the holiday season, drug stores are stocking more consumer electronics in their general merchandise departments in an effort to latch on to what's proving to be a strong category this year. ...

A breath of fresh air.(WHAT'S HOT)(Febreze Candles)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... CINCINNATI -- Now that household products are going green, aerosol air fresheners are falling out of favor with many consumers who want more eco-friendly alternatives. And Febreze has stepped in to fill that niche with its new line of Febreze...

Political war chest raises pharmacy profile in Congress.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 10, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Bolstered by a political war chest that could break the $3 million mark by next year's elections, campaign fundraisers for the nation's community pharmacies are starting to give the drug store industry a noticeably higher profile...