Drug Store News articles from February 2004

Drug Store News archives from February 2004

Wal-Mart prototype places HBC, OTC up front and' center.
February 16, 2004... TAMPA, Fla. -- Pharmacy and health and beauty care take center stage at a new Wal-Mart urban supercenter prototype aimed at increasing the format's convenience factor and growth potential. To achieve those goals, Wal-Mart blended attributes...

Walgreens leaders reaffirm strategy, outlook.
February 16, 2004... CHICAGO -- With a nod to better-than-expected year-end results, Walgreen Co.'s top managers told shareholders the nation's leading drug chain was looking ahead toward its 30th consecutive year of record sales and earnings and an even larger...

Snyder's and Katz tap 3 top execs.
February 16, 2004... TORONTO -- In something of a merging of retail backgrounds, Katz Group Canada and its U.S. subsidiary, Snyder's Drug Stores, each have hired senior executives whose careers included stints at Perry Drug Stores, the Detroit-area regional chain...

CVS returns to Southern California.
February 16, 2004... VAN NUYS, Calif. -- No amount of tarpaulin can disguise the building here at Sepulveda and Sherman Oaks--that cornice-capped roof; that chamfered entrance; that signature, fire-engine red signage; that sign on the back of the building that...

Unlikely allies await go ahead on drug discount card.(Pharmacy Care Alliance)
February 16, 2004... WASHINGTON -- In a remarkable fence mending, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts are jointly seeking endorsement of a national Medicare discount card. If approved by the Centers for...

Calif. grocers say lawsuit without merit.(Supermarket Aisle)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons--all of which have been embroiled in a three-and-a-half-month-old labor strike in Southern California--stated that a lawsuit filed earlier this month by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer is...

Safeway to close 12 Dominick's stores.(Supermarket Aisle)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... CHICAGO -- Next month, Safeway will close 12 under-performing Dominick's grocery stores, a move that will result in a $50 million to $55 million pretax charge for lease costs in the first quarter of 2004. The eight suburban and four Chicago...

Winn-Dixie has 2Q loss, shares drop.(Supermarket Aisle)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie rattled investors late last month after it posted a second quarter loss and 6 percent drop in sales. Following the news, shares of Winn-Dixie dropped 27.8 percent to close at $6.56 on Jan. 30, the day the...

Ahold's restructuring pushes forward.(Supermarket Aisle)(Royal Ahold N.V.)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... ZAANDAM, Netherlands -- As part of its effort to streamline the company and improve efficiency, Royal Ahold will shutter its U.S. retail corporate headquarters in Chantilly, Va., and will align those functions with a new business arena being...

Costco growth to remain steady in 2004.(News)(sales forecasts)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Costco Corp. chief executive officer James Sinegal said Costco will continue its steady growth in 2004 and beyond, despite suggestions the warehouse retail sector is becoming too crowded. "Have we reached a point of...

CHPA renews effort to shift OTC tax status.(News)(Consumer Healthcare Products Association)(over-the-counter medicines )(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The Consumer Healthcare Products Association upped its commitment to lobbying on the Hill in favor of making over-the-counter medicines an itemized tax deduction, a status that class of medicines enjoyed prior to 1984. We...

Boots cuts 900 support jobs, adds to Rx roles.(News)(Boots Group PLC)
February 16, 2004... LONDON - Nottingham-based Boots Group PLC said last month it will cut 900 jobs as part of its ongoing effort to rejuvenate its core businesses. The changes affect all support and central functions, as well as regional store support roles....

Kerr, Happy Harry's nix mandatory mail.(Regional Report)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... NEW YORK -- Both Kerr Drug and Happy Harry's recent]y announced that they no longer will participate in pharmacy benefit plans that force patients to fill maintenance medications exclusively through mail order pharmacies--a move that is fast...

Fruth jumps on digital photo bandwagon.(Regional Report)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... POINT PLEASANT, W. Va. -- Realizing the importance of digital photo in today's competitive marketplace, Fruth Pharmacy has installed Fuji digital photo-developing kiosks in five of its 22 stores and hopes to have the self-serve kiosks in all...

Bartell returning to downtown Seattle.(Regional Report)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... SEATTLE -- Bartell Drugs plans to open this summer its first new downtown Seattle store since 1991. According to George Bartell, chairman and chief executive officer, the new 15,572-square-foot store will have a heavier emphasis on...

NACDS Regional touts card, defines business opportunities.(News)
February 16, 2004... PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A record-breaking 450 retailers and suppliers gathered at the Breakers here to attend the National Association of Chain Drug Stores' Regional Conference last week. Each day of the four-day event began with educational...

Convenience drives food buys.(News)
February 16, 2004... PALM BEACH, Fla. -- When it comes to food and beverage, drug stores are rising to the challenge, but there still is tremendous potential as many U.S. households continue to turn to mass and grocery outlets for convenience food items. ...

Beauty brands boost P&G sales, image.(News)
February 16, 2004... Procter & Gamble is giving its business a glamorous makeover, primping its image as a dynamic beauty competitor with a slate of product innovations under existing brands, particularly in the hair care category. Last September's acquisition...

McKesson, SureScripts ink deal.(Pharmacy Watch)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Health services and wholesale giant McKesson Corp. and SureScripts, the pharmacy industry-endorsed provider of electronic prescribing networks, agreed Feb. 4 to merge their electronic communications capabilities in a bid to...

FDA OKs first dual-use drug.(Pharmacy Watch)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... NEW YORK -- Pfizer received FDA approval early this month to market its dual-therapy drug Caduet for the treatment of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Caduet contains Norvasc (amlodipine besylate) for the treatment of high blood...

COPD treatment cleared.(Pharmacy Watch)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... RIDGEFIELD, Conn. -- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals received FDA approval early this month for Spiriva HandiHaler (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder) for long-term, once-daily maintenance treatment of bronchospasm associated with...

ABC to acquire MedSelect.(Pharmacy Watch)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- AmerisourceBergen has agreed to acquire MedSelect, a privately held provider of automated medication and supply dispensing cabinets, for $13.4 million in cash, including assumed debt. The deal will boost the health care...

Mandatory mail battle heats up as Michigan, chains lay gauntlet.(Pharmacy News)
February 16, 2004... LANSING, Mich. -- The battle over mandatory mail-order prescription benefits took on new urgency last month with a multi-pronged effort by state lawmakers here to prevent prescription benefit managers from forcing patients into mail-only...

Importation panel debates open market.(Pharmacy News)
February 16, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Several public policy leaders debated the merits of creating an open pharmaceutical market between Canada and the United States here last month, against the backdrop of more Food and Drug Administration action against importing...

Wal-Mart.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... BENTONVILLE, Ark -- Wal-Mart has named Ed Kolodzieski, former senior vice president of Neighborhood Market, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Wal-Mart International. Herkert will relocate to a newly created office in...

Longs Drug Stores.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Longs Drug Stores has tapped former Supervalu executive Timothy Hansen to serve as vice president of real estate. He succeeds Michael Raphel.

Cardinal Health.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... DUBLIN, Ohio -- Cardinal Health is unifying operations under one leader to improve operational efficiency. Taking the helm is George Fotiades, who was promoted to the new position of president and chief operating officer. In addition, Mark...

Information Resources Inc.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... CHICAGO -- Information Resources Inc., a provider of content and analytic services to the health care, retail and consumer packaged goods industries, has named Scott Klein president and chief executive officer. He succeeds Joseph Durrett, who...

Albertsons.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons has named a new Dallas-Fort Worth division president and has "eliminated layers" of management, according to a report in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Judy Spires, a 28-year company veteran, succeeds Wayne Denningham,...

Aventis opposes $60B takeover bid by Sanofi.(News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... PARIS -- French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Synthelabo kicked off merger talks last month with a $60 billion hostile takeover bid for Aventis. If successful, the merged company would rank No. 3 worldwide and No. 8 in the U.S. market. ...

Altering Medicare leaves drug holding the bag.(Opinion)
February 16, 2004... There was a consensus among attendees at the Medicare Prescription Drugs and Reform Conference, which the National Association of Chain Drug Stores held two weeks ago in Baltimore, that the more they learned about the historic legislation, the...

Making sure everybody knows when the tree falls.(Opinion)(The return of CVS to Southern California )(Editorial)
February 16, 2004... If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? You know, I'm not so sure I really ever understood what that meant exactly. But I can tell you with a fair degree of certainty that if something truly...

Convenience intensifies cross-channel competition.(Opinion)
February 16, 2004... Drug stores have long focused on differentiation by positioning their stores as the convenient alternative for consumers, particularly when it comes to their health care needs. That was always their edge to stave off the intense competition...

Making the scene.
February 16, 2004... NACDS Regional Conference NACDS' Craig Fuller and Lewis Drug's Mark Griffin [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NACDS' Steve Perlowski and Jerry Zlotnik of Medic Drug [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fruth Pharmacy's Don Pullin, Aurora...

Hot picks: February.(Merchandising Trends)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Through an exclusive partnership with Teen People magazine, once per month Drug Store News features a special department, Teen People's Trendspotter Hot Picks, which is designed to give retailers a better sense of what moves today's teen...

Revlon buys itself more time.(HBC Scene)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... NEW YORK -- Revlon bought itself more time to pursue its aggressive turnaround strategy. Revlon's lenders have amended the company's credit agreements, extending a waiver to its financial covenants by one year. The amendment includes...

Playtex products still looks for buyer.(HBC Scene)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... WESTPORT, Conn. -- Playtex Products, threatened by intense competition from Procter & Gamble and Schering-Plough in its feminine care and sun care businesses, is hard pressed to find a buyer. Late last month, the consumer products company...

Response to shifting population is key to growth.(Multicultural Consumer)
February 16, 2004... For retailers across all channels, a customer-focused business strategy begins with having the right products in the right stores. That simple philosophy becomes more complex in the context of the country's dynamic demographic makeup. ...

Hispanic consumer shapes marketing strategies.(Multicultural Consumer)
February 16, 2004... Latin women who regularly appear on Hollywood red carpets, such as Jennifer Lopez; Salma Hayek, who recently was named spokesmodel for Avon; and Penelope Cruz, have changed Americans' perception of the ideal beauty. Marketers have responded to...

Navarro provides Hispanics one-stop shop.
February 16, 2004... MIAMI -- If there's one drug chain that has mastered the art of successfully catering to the Hispanic community, it is Navarro Discount Pharmacies, a Mimm'-based regional chain that operates nearly 20 locations. Being able to serve the...

More men shopping drug, brand preferences dominate.(Top Brands Study)
February 16, 2004... Maybe the chain drug industry ought to stop referring to its core shopper as "she." The results of the first annual Drug Store News Top Brands Study suggest the core shopper might just be a whole lot more manly than we thought she was. ...

WalMart.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Slim Fast successfully teamed up with WalMart last month on a special in-store promotion to support the launch of the new Slim Fast low-carb offerings. Slim Fast provided all U.S. Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores A Wal-Mart with in-store greeters...

ECRM.(Supplier News)(Efficient Promotion Planning Sessions)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... ECRM will host its first Efficient Promotion Planning Sessions conference devoted to the home health category May 10 to 13 in Houston. The conference will focus on product review, as well as new marketing initiatives and promotional...

Home Diagnostics.(Supplier News)(Florida)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Florida last month added two Home Diagnostics blood-glucose meters, TrueTrack and Prestige IQ Smart Systems, to its Medicaid-preferred formularies.

Natrol.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Natrol last month signed National Basketball Association Hall of Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson to promote its immune-enhancing products. Johnson will be promoting the ingredient ImmunEnhancer AG (arabinogalactan). Johnson was diagnosed...

Council for Responsible Nutrition.(Industry News)(Bergner, Bockorny, Castagnetti & Hawkins)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... In an effort to safeguard the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1994, the Council for Responsible Nutrition last month hired the lobbying firm Bergner, Bockorny, Castagnetti & Hawkins. "One thing we've learned from all the...

Low-carb placements go high impact as retailers devote more space to diet.(OTC/Natural Health)
February 16, 2004... It's a low-carb world. Not only have new low-carb diet products claimed the space once occupied by ephedra, but low-carb also is wrestling space away from other diet-in-a-bottle products on drug store shelves. And some chain drug retailers...

Prilosec OTC burns the competition.(What's Hot)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... After a little more than three months on the market, Procter & Gamble's Prilosec OTC rapidly is becoming the best-selling heartburn remedy tablet. For the 12 months ended Dec. 28, sales of Prilosec OTC reached $40.8 million in the drug...

Rite Aid.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Rite Aid will expand its exclusive offering of Umberto Giannini hair products next month with eight new SKUs. Building on the success of the Dazzling Shine To Perfection Gloss Cloths, Rite Aid will introduce the rest of the Dazzling Shine line,...

Coty.(Suppler News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Coty, an Adidas licensee, this month will extend the Adidas women s brand to the personal care aisle with a new deodorant for women. Adidas Active Anti-Perspirants for Women, developed with the help of athletes, promises 24-hour protection and...

Almay.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Almay, aims to stand out this quarter with a new, oil-free blemish-fighting foundation. Clear Complexion Liquid Makeup, which contains salicylic acid, promises to heal and conceal blemishes without drying skin. The formula includes botanicals...

L'Oreal Paris.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... L'Oreal Paris has extended its Vive brand to men with the launch of Vive for Men. The line addresses men's hair care concerns, including thinning hair and dandruff. Vive for Men, which features Regenium XY technology with ceramide-R, is a...

Energizer Holdings.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Schick's parent company, Energizer Holdings, stated Jan. 16 that a federal judge denied Gillette s motion to stop sales of the Schick Quattro razor on the grounds that the four-blade razor infringes on the patent for the Gillette Mach3 razor....

Treatments fortify nail care sales with new players and products.(Beauty Care)
February 16, 2004... These days, women--celebrities included--seem to favor natural-looking or naked nails. This beauty trend paints a troublesome picture for certain categories along the nail care wall, namely artificial nails and nail polish. However, bare...

Revving up the ol' razor.(What's Hot)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Taking cues from the company's Oral-B brand CrossAction battery-operated toothbrush, Gillette aims to power razor sales with its new battery-operated M3Power. While Gillette holds the lion's share of the market, the introduction of M3Power...

Wal-Mart and Target will carry Wham-O's Marshmallow Peeps Marshmallow Maker, a joint product of Just Born and Wham-O.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Wal-Mart and Target will carry Wham-O s Marshmallow Peeps Marshmallow Maker, a joint product of Just Born and Wham-O. The product includes a marshmallow extruder, three molds with six shapes, a stirring stick, a measuring cup, two sets of...

Kellogg Co.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Kellogg Co. launched new Eggo French Toaster Sticks in original and cinnamon flavors. A 32-stick package of the frozen breakfast food retails for a suggested price of $2.39. The sticks contain 30 percent less fat than traditional French toast...

PepsiCo.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... PepsiCo will re-introduce its orange-flavored Mountain Dew LiveWire beverage this spring and plans to introduce another new version of the soft drink, called Mountain Dew Pitch Black, later this year, according to the Jan. 23 issue of Beverage...

Hershey Foods Corp.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Hershey Foods Corp. will add Hershey's Kisses milk chocolates filled with caramel to its permanent collection of products beginning in April. The candies will be available in 9.2-ounce, 12-ounce and 21-ounce bags and will retail for $2.49 to...

Miller Brewing Co. and Skyy Spirits have teamed up to create Skyy Sport, a new flavored malt beverage in the Skyy Blue brand family.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Miller Brewing Co. and Skyy Spirits have teamed up to create Skyy Sport, a new flavored malt beverage in the Skyy Blue brand family. The ultra-premium, low-carb, citrus-flavored malt beverage features a twist of cranberry. The beverage contains...

Dannon Co.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Dannon Co. launched its Light 'n Fit Carb Control yogurt in four flavors: strawberries and cream, peaches and cream, raspberries and cream and vanilla cream. Made with Splenda, Carb Control has 60 calories, 3 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein...

Frito-Lay.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Frito-Lay extended its better-for-you line of snacks with the introduction of Doritos Edge and Tostitos Edge. Each has 6 net carbs, 10 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. To convert to a 1-ower-carb chip, Frito-Lay used soy proteins and...

Low-carb lifestyle lifts diet soda sales as vendors refresh venerable brands.(Consumables)
February 16, 2004... Diet carbonated soft drinks seem to be getting a lift from the increasing popularity of low-carbohydrate diets. And while it may be hard to predict how the trend will proceed, in the short term at least, vendors are looking at ways to go with...

The incredible, sell-able egg.(What's Hot)
February 16, 2004... Egg sales are sizzling in drug chains. The category is up 18.5 percent on $2.6 billion, according to ACNielsen data for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 27. Eggs are not appealing only to Atkins devotees, though the low-carb phenomenon is clearly a...

Wal-Mart and Target will carry the new Bright Starts brand of toys and nursery items for children up to age 3.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Wal-Mart and Target will carry the new Bright Starts brand of toys and nursery items for children up to age 3. The 60-SKU-plus line features toys; small furniture, including door jumpers and bouncer seats; nursery products; and bath and...

K&M International.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... K&M International introduced MagnaMorphs, a line of animal and adventure-related toys with interchangeable magnetic body parts. The line includes 15 different animal themes sold individually with a suggested retail price of $3.99 and in themed...

Energizer Holdings.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Energizer Holdings launched the Energizer e2 Lithium AAA battery, an addition to its line of lithium 1.5-volt cells. The Energizer e2 Lithium AAA batteries are the world's longest-lasting AAA batteries for use in high-tech devices, according to...

Lego Systems and Nickelodeon have partnered to create construction sets based on the animated TV adventure series Dora the Explorer.".(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Lego Systems and Nickelodeon have partnered to create construction sets based on the animated TV adventure series Dora the Explorer." The Lego Explore line, aimed at children ages 2 years and older, includes four construction sets with a...

PRE Solutions.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... PRE Solutions expanded its line of Moviso prepaid ringtone cards to include hip hop, R&B, rock, pop, alternative and movie/TV ring selections for cellular phones. Personal ID numbers are used to download songs via the Internet. The cards retail...

McFarlane Toys and Elvis Presley Enterprises created the Elvis Presley Super Stage action figure.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... McFarlane Toys and Elvis Presley Enterprises created the Elvis Presley Super Stage action figure. The 6-inch figure, which is modeled after The King's 1968 TV comeback special, features Elvis dressed in a black leather costume and includes a...

Photo Marketing Association.(Industry News)
February 16, 2004... The Photo Marketing Association found that the volume of prints from digital-still camera images increased 64 percent for the 12 months ended in November. For the same period, there was a 240 percent increase in digital images printed at local...

Toy departments strike a balance between destination an fill-in.(General Merchandise)
February 16, 2004... Chain drug is walking a dotted line in the toy category, finding its niche midway between fill-in and destination. And the strategy, seems to be working. Big-box retailer Toys "R" Us reported a modest 0.9 percent year-over-year increase...

Recordable CDs hit record sales.(What's Hot)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Recordable CD sales are edging out blank videotapes in the ongoing shift to digital from analog. "A lot of these products are impulse items, and they're displayed well in chain drug," said Don Patrican, executive vice president of Maxell. ...

Cephalon.(Reporter's Notebook)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... The FDA late last month extended the indications for Cephalon's Provigil (modafinil), a medicine prescribed previously only to narcoleptics, to include a broader range of sleep disorders, including excessive sleepiness in people who have been...

Schering-Plough.(Reporter's Notebook)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Schering-Plough last month introduced Rebetol (ribavirin, USP) oral solution for use in combination with Intron A (interferon alfa-2b, recombinant) injection for treating pediatric chronic hepatitis C. Previously, there was no therapy...

Eisai.(Reporter's Notebook)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Eisai assumed the U.S. distribution responsibilities for Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium) from Janssen Pharmaceutica, last month. Eisai and Janssen will continue to co-promote Aciphex, a proton pump inhibitor, however. Aciphex had U.S. sales of...

Forest Laboratories.(Reporter's Notebook)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... According to a study published in the Jan. 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Forest Laboratories' Namenda (memantine hydrochloride) when combined with donepezil lessens the decline in cognition and activities for...

Kmart boosts pharmacists' ability to counsel for diabetes, supplements.(Chain Pharmacy)
February 16, 2004... TROY, Mich. -- Leveraging one of its most valuable resources--the expertise and reputation of its pharmacists--Kmart Corp. has launched a chainwide effort to boost sales in two key categories in front of the prescription counter. The effort is...

FDA quickens approval pace in 2003.(Chain Pharmacy)(United States. Food and Drug Administration)
February 16, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration nnounced last month that its approval rate for new and innovative drugs rebounded in 2003 and that the time it took to review and approve most new-drug applications-including biologics-was growing...

Hit with rising co-pays, patients may abandon Rx therapy.(Chain Pharmacy)
February 16, 2004... FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. -- Confirming fears about the impact of higher out-of-pocket costs on Americans' health care, a recent study has found that patients confronted with a steep increase in prescription drug co-payments may stop taking...

TV ads are pointing consumers to drug products' Web sites.(Chain Pharmacy)
February 16, 2004... NEW YORK -- About 13 million consumers visit pharmaceutical product Web sites after seeing a drug advertised on TV, according to a newly released study from Manhattan Research, a health care consulting firm. The so-called ePharma Consumer...

In health care, survey finds, retirees paying more for less.(Chain Pharmacy)
February 16, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Nearly 1-out-of-every-3 U.S. employers have already or are likely to terminate subsidized-health benefits for future retirees, according to a recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Hewitt Associates. The study,...

Americans confused by formularies, researchers assert.(Chain Pharmacy)
February 16, 2004... BRONXVILLE, N.Y. -- Most Americans remain in the dark about drug formularies, a new survey has found. And that confusion extends to the increasing array of multi-tiered co-pay plans health care consumers grapple with at the pharmacy counter....

Stars align for generic drug industry.(Special report: generic drugs)
February 16, 2004... For the generic drug industry, the stars are moving, once again, into alignment. After a year of relatively modest growth, me-too drug firms may be in for a new surge in demand from consumers, corporate health plan sponsors, state Medicaid...