Drug Store News articles from December 2008

Drug Store News archives from December 2008

Walgreens opens doors in Times Square.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- In many ways, Walgreens did a lot more than just open a new flagship store here in November, in the very center of the busiest neighborhood in the center of the busiest city in the entire world. It is a highly visible,...

Wal-Mart names Mike Duke its new CEO and president.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Mike Duke's name may be unfamiliar to those in the chain drug industry, but that will change early next year when he replaces Lee Scott as president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] ...

Proposed drug price settlement not enough.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
December 8, 2008... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Pharmacy and retail groups have rejected a proposal from two drug data publishers to settle a class-action suit over prescription drug payment rates, asserting the settlement plan is inadequate. In mid-November, the...

Pharmacy is one silver lining of Target's cloud.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS -- The pharmacy at Target has emerged as an important asset to drive customer traffic and build loyalty at a time when the retailer's sales and profits are the weakest in recent memory. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Although...

OfficeMax founder floats Max-Wellness concept.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... CLEVELAND -- The founders of a new healthcare superstore concept called Max-Wellness already have disclosed plans for a national rollout, even though the concept's viability won't be determined until early next year, when the first units open....

Panzer joins Pharmaca.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy )(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... BOULDER, Colo. -- Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy earlier this year named industry veteran Mark Panzer chief operating officer. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "As we're expanding our business, we recognized that we needed to find somebody who...

Daschle to take point on health overhaul plan.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The standard bearer for President-Elect Barack Obama's ambitious plan to reform the beleaguered U.S. healthcare system will be a soft-spoken consensus-builder, who once held one of the most powerful posts in Congress. Obama's...

CVS Caremark names CMO.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Caremark has appointed former Aetna executive Troyen Brennan as executive vice president and chief medical officer. In this newly created role, Brennan will be responsible for MinuteClinic, Accordant Health Care,...

Retail-based clinics focus on ad campaigns.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- Satisfaction ratings among those consumers who have visited a retail-based clinic may be remarkably high, but there's no denying that there remains a sizeable group of consumers who are still unfamiliar with the concept and the...

Vasos joins Dollar General team, focuses on nonconsumables.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. -- Former Longs Drug executives Todd Vasos and Rick Dreiling reunited last month at Dollar General, suggesting that the chain of 8,300 dollar stores across 35 states in the eastern half of the United States might become a...

APhA honors pharmacists' role with comedy skits.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(American Pharmacists Association)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Anybody who has worked in customer service and dealt face-to-face with patrons knows what it feels like to be under-appreciated, and pharmacists are no exception. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to a survey of 1,719...

McKesson's pharmacy chain Health Mart reaches 2,000 store mark.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- The nation's fastest-growing retail pharmacy franchise is now 2,000 stores strong. Health Mart, the franchise chain owned and operated by McKesson Corp., announced last month it had grown to 2,000 independently owned...

Walgreens designs high-end L'Oreal section.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- The new flagship Walgreens store located in the heart of bustling Times Square offers shoppers a beauty department like no other seen within a Walgreens, with an upscale L'Oreal store-within-a-store concept and innovative...

RediClinic opens its largest clinic yet.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... HOUSTON -- Industry sources have long speculated that the services offered by retail-based clinics are bound to expand as the concept matures, and the latest evidence of that statement is the new RediClinic situated here within grocer H-E-B....

Rising Rx premiums could hit seniors.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Health experts are warning that many Medicare beneficiaries will pay more--perhaps a lot more--for the prescription drugs they obtain through the Medicare Part D drug benefit program in 2009, as the privately run prescription drug...

Making the scene: J&J team at Walgreens Times Square opening.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Troy Collins, Brian Gugel, Gonca Paul, Paul Saltiel, Dave Harbick, Steve ValenUno, Matt Roldan and Joe Zdziarski from Johnsen & Johnsen with Walgreens store manager Roberto Chavoya

Dear Mr. President-Elect: fix health care.(OPINION)(Viewpoint essay)
December 8, 2008... Dear President-Elect Obama, As you can see from the results of the online poll we ran earlier this year on www.drugstorenews.com, most of our readers believed that John McCain would have been a better president, at least as it relates to...

Retail clinics win victory in Massachusetts, but Boston remains a hurdle.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)
December 8, 2008... BOSTON (FEB. 11) -- The convenient care industry celebrated a victory in Massachusetts in January as state health officials approved regulations allowing for limited-service medical clinics, but hit a snag within the city of Boston as the mayor...

NACDS targets Beltway insiders with message on pharmacy's value.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
December 8, 2008... BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (MARCH 3) -- Federal lawmakers, healthcare policy makers and other powerful decision makers within Congress and the White House are the target of an ambitious and highly coordinated advertising campaign, launching this...

Wal-Mart envisions larger role in health care.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)
December 8, 2008... FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (JUNE 23) -- As election-year politics begin to heat up, Wal-Mart is intent on playing a more prominent role in shaping the nation's public policy regarding health care and demonstrating how the company's size makes it...

San Francisco smokers must look elsewhere.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2009)(approval to a ban on tobacco sales in pharmacies)
December 8, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO (AUG. 18) -- Starting Oct. 1, drug store shoppers here will have to look elsewhere for their nicotine fix. San Francisco's board of supervisors voted 8-3 Aug. 5 to give final approval to a ban on tobacco sales in pharmacies...

Medicare bill passage a huge Rx win.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)(Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON (AUG. 18) -- When the dust settles, retail pharmacy advocates still will have a lot of work to do in their long campaign for full recognition and a healthier financial future. But they can justly savor July's passage of a landmark...

Rein out as Walgreens leader.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)(retirement of Jeff Rein as chairman and chief executive officer Walgreen Co.)
December 8, 2008... DEERFIELD, III. (OCT. 20) -- In a surprise announcement that sent shock waves through the tightly knit community of big-chain retail executives, Walgreens announced Oct. 10 the immediate retirement of Jeff Rein as chairman and chief executive...

FDA considers new rules for kids.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)(rules on labelling of medicines)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON (OCT. 20) -- Pharmacy retailers can expect parents to be even more confused about what to give their sick kids this year during cold and flu season. The confusion follows an Oct. 2 Food and Drug Administration hearing on the...

No vote of confidence from Rx industry.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON (OCT. 20) -- The battle for the White House between Barack Obama and John McCain has energized millions of American voters and unleashed a national dialogue about the fundamental role of government in the troubled economy, in the...

Longs deal done, CVS is king of California.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)(CVS Caremark Corp. acquires Longs Drug Stores Corp.)
December 8, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. (NOV. 17) -- It's official. CVS Caremark finally closed in October its acquisition of Longs Drug Stores and, in true CVS fashion, the company plans to hit the ground running as it folds into its portfolio Longs' 521 retail...

Squeezed by economy, Americans cut health care.(TOP TEN STORIES OF 2008)
December 8, 2008... MENLO PARK, Calif. (NOV. 17) -- Times are tough, and, in a most disturbing sign for retail pharmacy executives, people are taking it out on their health. Pinched by the failing economy, 47 percent of Americans said they are taking some...

Baucus health reform plan draws backing of NACDS.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
December 8, 2008... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- If Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus has his way, pharmacists could gain new prestige and visibility serving the nation's beleaguered healthcare system. Electronic prescribing could become a nationwide reality...

National initiative promotes medication safety for elderly.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... NEW ORLEANS -- The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists kicked off a national awareness initiative last month aimed at preventing medication-related problems in the elderly. ASCP launched the drive, dubbed Campaign 2011, at its 39th...

Industry likely to see little change in qrowth, innovation next year.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Industry overview)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- Growth in the pharmaceutical industry will likely change little next year, while innovation will remain at historically low levels, an analyst who specializes in the drug industry said in a conference call last month moderated by...

Study: chronically ill report disparities in health care.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- The United States is facing a recession lasting 14 months, a recent survey by the Philadelphia Federal Reserve indicated, and chronically ill Americans could have more problems than a recent Commonwealth Fund study said they have...

GlaxoSmithKline.(Supplier News)(patient savings card)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... GlaxoSmithKline has announced the launch of a patient savings card designed to help eligible patients improve compliance with their HIV drug regimens by reducing their out-of-pocket expenses for GSK HIV drugs by $100 a month, per medication for...

Genzyme.(Supplier News)(Genzyme Corp.)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Drug maker Genzyme has said that the Food and Drug Administration would accelerate approval of Myozyme (alglucosidase alfa), its drug for treating Pompe disease. The new deadline for the FDA's review is Feb. 28, 2009. Prior to approval,...

Drug industry urges Obama to act quickly to select FDA chief.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Food and Drug Administration)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The inauguration of the nation's 44th president is still more than a month away, but the branded drug industry is wasting little time in its bid to sway the incoming Obama administration. The industry's chief trade group, the...

Smith drug's couch tapped for industry honor.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Ken Couch )(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Smith Drug Co. president and pharmacist Ken Couch has been awarded the 2008 NEXUS Award for Lifetime Achievement for his work on behalf of pharmacy and community health care. The award is sponsored by the Center for...

Pfizer.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... While pharmaceutical companies large and small reduce their workforces and face acquisition amid the economic slump, Pfizer has announced that it will launch a new research unit. The unit, called Pfizer Regenerative Medicine, will build on...

Biotechnology Cluster Rhine-Neckar.(Supplier News)(Conference news)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Three drug makers announced at the opening of the BIO-Europe 2008 Partnering Conference that they would join forces in the development of the Biotechnology Cluster Rhine-Neckar to establish a leading position in the field of medical...

Merck.(Supplier News)(Merck & Company Inc.)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... A study of Gardasil, funded by its manufacturer Merck, has shown that the vaccine is effective in preventing infectious human papillomavirus in boys and men, as well as in girls and women. The study took place in 20 countries among 4,000 boys...

Retailers, vendors leap into patient connectivity.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)(health information technology )(Report)
December 8, 2008... More and more, retail pharmacies, healthcare agencies and the technology vendors that serve them are broadening the focus of their efforts to include what could be the next frontier of integrated health care: direct, live and ongoing...

Medicare readies pilot program to link patients, health records.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)(United States. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Look for Medicare to begin surfing the technology-assisted patient-outreach wave early next year. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to launch a pilot program that will give Medicare beneficiaries in two...

Promising lower health costs, Walgreens unveils MedMonitor.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)
December 8, 2008... DEERFIELD, III. -- Walgreens Health Services is behind a new drug utilization management program aimed at promoting prescription compliance among patients and holding down total healthcare costs. Walgreens said its program, called...

Pill Phone reminder now available nationwide.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)(Vocel Inc.)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Vocel, a wireless technology and software provider, said last month its Pill Phone product, a patented healthcare tool for medication management, is now available to customers of three major U.S. wireless operators. The software...

Parata Systems' new pharmacy automation requires fewer refills.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)
December 8, 2008... DURHAM, N.C. -- Throughout its 50-year history, pharmacy automation has forced pharmacists and technicians to adapt to technology, with machines requiring frequent refills of vials, caps and drugs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Parata...

Patients, physicians face CFC-HFA switch deadline.(PHARMACY AUTOMATION)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- Amendments to the Clean Air Act, adopted in 1990 to phase out chlorofluorocarbons and comply with international treaty stipulations, have extended their reach to albuterol inhalers. The Food and Drug Administration announced...

Vendor campaigns stimulate sexual health awareness.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Editorial)
December 8, 2008... Awareness around sexual health issues is building, and that's thanks in large part to two venerable players in the market--Johnson & Johnson touting its K-Y line of personal lubricants and Church & Dwight promoting its prophylactic Trojan...

Home is where the heart-monitoring is.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... DALLAS -- Underscoring the importance of blood pressure monitoring at home for the prevention of heart disease, the American Heart Association, in its professional journal Hypertension, shared with doctors that patients will get cleaner and...

Vitamins get tween makeover.(WHAT'S HOT)(NBTY Inc. headline a new line of branded gummy vitamins)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... RONKONKAMA, N.Y. -- Parents trying to entice pre-teens to take their multivitamins--pre-teens who potentially scoff at Flintstones or Spider Man---soon will be able to make a new pitch. NBTY last month signed extreme athlete Tony Hawk to...

Study debunks myths of Rx-to-OTC switch.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Editorial)
December 8, 2008... CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. -- Wolters Kluwer Health and The Nielsen Co. last month debunked several myths around what impact an Rx-to-OTC switch has on consumers including: how many of the original prescription drug patients make the switch to the...

New Cirrus product keeps ears dry.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Cirrus Healthcare Products )(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. -- Cirrus Healthcare Products recently introduced its latest ear care innovation--ClearEars. The product is designed to absorb trapped water in the ear from swimming, bathing and showering, helping to prevent ear...

Crest Pro-Health campaign to promote total oral health.(BEAUTY CARE)(Editorial)
December 8, 2008... Consumers are tightening their budgets amid today's economic crunch, but the oral care team at consumer products giant Procter & Gamble remains optimistic about 2009 as it works to help retailers drive sales by transforming shopper insights...

Laclede.(Supplier News)(GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare )(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Supplier News -- GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is looking to acquire from Laclede the dry mouth oral care brand Biotene for $170 million. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be complete by early 2009....

Dr. Fresh.(Supplier News)(Dr. Fresh Inc. acquires Ascendia Brands)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Dr. Fresh, a maker and distributor of oral and personal care products, has acquired from bankrupt Ascendia Brands the Binaca, Tek and Dentax brands of breath spray and other oral care products. The acquisition was complete Oct. 14, and Dr....

American Lion Toothpaste Mfg.(Supplier News)(American Lion Toothpaste Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd.)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... American Lion Toothpaste Mfg. is looking to take a bite out of the private label, kosher toothpaste markets with its oral care products. The company, which was an exhibitor at the recent PLMA conference in Chicago, offers a line of products...

Cosmetics must put best face forward to survive 2009 turbulent economy.(BEAUTY CARE)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... CHICAGO -- Beauty products that claim to make women look younger, thinner and more attractive have flooded retail shelves in recent years, but 2009 is expected to be all about survival of the fittest, according to Mintel, as the economic crunch...

P&G releases anti-aging line.(WHAT'S HOT)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... CINCINNATI -- Procter & Gamble is bringing professional anti-aging skin care to the mass market with the launch of its new Olay Professional Pro-X line. The line, available in February, is inspired by genomics research and tools that show...

Lubriderm.(Supplier News)(advertising campaign for Skin Therapist )(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Lubriderm recently launched several new products, a new advertising campaign and a revamped Web site. For the first half of 2008, the brand introduced its new Intense Skin Repair Calming Relief body lotion and Advanced Therapy Triple...

Simple.(Supplier News)(cleansing facial wipes )(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... U.K. skin care brand Simple has announced that its cleansing facial wipes are now available in New York at retailer Duane Reade. The wipes, designed for sensitive skin, promise to whisk away makeup--even waterproof mascara--with refreshing and...

Jim Stengel LLC.(Executive News)(conducts proprietary research )(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Executive News--The former global marketing officer for Procter & Gamble launched on Nov. 1 his post-P&G venture, called Jim Stengel LLC. The new venture is both a think tank and consultancy that conducts proprietary research and generates...

Susan Arnold.(Executive News)(Procter & Gamble)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Procter & Gamble's Susan Arnold, who currently serves as president of global business units, made the Wall Street Journals "50 Women to Watch in 2008" list for the second year in a row. Arnold ranked 11th on the listing. In 2007, she ranked...

Colgate-Palmolive 3Q sales grow 13 percent, but material costs dent results.(BEAUTY CARE)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- Significant increases in raw and packaging material costs worldwide hampered Colgate-Palmolive's third-quarter results--and has meant higher prices for toothpaste. But the consumer products manufacturer expects gross profit margin...

Church & Dwight on target, despite raising product prices.(BEAUTY CARE)
December 8, 2008... PRINCETON, N.J. -- Church & Dwight, whose brands include Arm & Hammer oral care and now the Orajel oral analgesic brand, achieved share gains in 2008 across nearly all of its core categories, including battery-powered toothbrushes, the company...

P&G raises prices to combat high cost of production.(BEAUTY CARE)(Procter & Gamble Co.)
December 8, 2008... CINCINNATI -- Amid a volatile economy, Procter & Gamble posted a 5 percent boost in organic sales during the first quarter, thanks in part to strong growth in beauty. This marked the 25th consecutive quarter in which the consumer packaged goods...

Manufacturers look to add lost pop to beverage category.(CONSUMABLES)
December 8, 2008... Changing consumer tastes, increased commodity costs and the economy have taken a big toll on the carbonated beverage category and have left manufacturers scrambling to develop strategies to meet the demands of a new marketplace. ...

Private-label, premium sauce boosts sales.(CONSUMABLES)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... GREENVILLE, Del. -- Pasta sauces have long been the answer to the "What's for dinner?" question when time is at a minimum. The category was up nearly 4 percent to $1.5 billion across supermarkets, drug stores and mass merchants (excluding...

New labels to make nutrition info convenient.(CONSUMABLES)(Coca-Cola North America)(Mars )(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... NEW YORK -- Two major consumer packaged goods companies, Mars and Coca-Cola North America, have redesigned their labels to make it easier for consumers to quickly and easily locate key nutrition information, moving these labels to the front of...

Adding to breakfast D-light.(WHAT'S HOT)(breakfast products has been introduced)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... DOWNER'S GROVE, Ill. -- Sara Lee's Jimmy Dean recently introduced two new varieties to its D-lights line of better-for-you breakfast products. The new introductions, Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowls and Turkey Sausage Croissant Sandwiches, have...

Card makers use innovative cards to sound off holidays.(GENERAL MERCHANDISE)
December 8, 2008... Technology, such as the Internet, might seem poised to put a damper on traditional greeting card sales, but it seems that the Web is evolving into a boon to drug chains and others who sell the real thing. Technology hasn't just increased...

CVS focuses on in-store picture kiosks.(GENERAL MERCHANDISE)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS has upgraded its Kodak Picture Kiosks and Online Photo Center, now providing customers with the ability to create photo gifts using touch screen capabilities. A portfolio of online and in-store gifts, starting at a...

Duracell.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... The new Duracell Powerpack 450 with Voice is designed as a durable, stand-alone power supply that also offers reassurance in an emergency. Providing 450 watts of AC power for important systems, electronics and appliances, its voice...

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.(Supplier News)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... DVD viewers will really be able to see the fur fly with the release of "Planet of the Apes: 40-Year Evolution Blu-Ray Collection" from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The set includes all five movies in the simian series: "Planet of...

Big Ideas'.(Supplier News)(animated series has been released)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Big Ideas' "VeggieTales: Abe and the Amazing Promise," a new Bible-based adventure in the animated series releases nationwide on Feb. 10. Built on the theme of patience, "Abe and the Amazing Promise" tells the story of Abraham and Sarah and...

Fixture is PUR filtration.(WHAT'S HOT)(PUR Water Filtration Systems )(Procter & Gamble )(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... CINCINNATI -- As media reports have focused attention on the appearance of pharmaceutical compounds in America's drinking water, Procter & Gamble has begun alerting consumers to an optional response. The faucet version of its PUR Water...

Liberation Entertainment.(Supplier News)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... The sixth and final season of the classic 1960s television series "Daniel Boone" came out of the archives last month and now is available for distribution from Liberation Entertainment. Based on the life of the real Boone, a legendary hunter,...

Undercover Solutions.(Supplier News)(PortaPocket portable pouches )(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... Today, consumers have a whole range of items to carry, from cell phones to flash drives, so Undercover Solutions has developed PortaPocket to help people cope. The streamlined, lightweight carrying cases are designed to be user-friendly and...

Techno Source.(Supplier News)(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 8, 2008... The year-end holidays may be in plain sight, but Easter is just around the comer. To ensure its colorful debut this year, Techno Source is rolling out Hide Em' and Find Em' Eggs. While egg hunters seek them, Hide Em' and Find Em' Eggs egg them...