Drug Store News articles from January 2005

Drug Store News archives from January 2005

New York--Gloria Forbes, wife of Jay Forbes, vice president of customer relations for Drug Store News and DSN Retailing Today, passed away Jan. 19 after a long illness.(NEWSBITES)(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... NEW YORK -- Gloria Forbes, wife of Jay Forbes, vice president of customer relations for Drug Store News and DSN Retailing Today, passed away Jan. 19 after a long illness. In lieu of flowers or gift baskets, the family asks that anyone wishing...

Pittsford, N.Y.--Donald E. Bain, interim president of St. John Fisher College, announced that Robert B. Wegman has donated $5 million to be used for the creation of the Wegmans School of Pharmacy at the college.(NEWSBITES)(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Donald E. Bain, interim president of St. John Fisher College, announced that Robert B. Wegman has donated $5 million to be used for the creation of the Wegmans School of Pharmacy at the college. The school is expected to...

Novi, Mich.--the Chain Drug Marketing Association recently launched the Quality Choice HealthCard.(NEWSBITES)(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... NOVI, Mich. -- The Chain Drug Marketing Association recently launched the Quality Choice HealthCard. The program will allow access to a prescription discount program, senior discount prescription card and medical benefits plan. The CDMA also...

Supervalu.(NEWSBITES)
January 26, 2005... MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu has appointed former Snyder's Drug executive Rich Juliano as its new vice president of general merchandising and health and beauty care for its National Retail Merchandising Organization. Previously, Juliano was...

Medicare drug coverage rules juggle industry interests.
January 26, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Juggling a slew of competing interests, the Bush Administration released its final rules governing Medicare Part D drug coverage on Friday. The regulations--which take effect in January, 2006--extend comprehensive prescription...

Jean Coutu 2Q down slightly, Eckerd integration on track.
January 26, 2005... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- The integration of 1,539 Eckerd stores at Brooks Pharmacy is on track, and the new Eckerd network is now in "operational and selling mode," stated parent company Jean Coutu Group in a conference call to discuss second...

Meijer makes spate of changes to merchandising exec lineup.
January 26, 2005... GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Meijer on Monday announced several promotions in its merchandising department. The promotions are as follows: * Tim Lesneski, vice president of health and beauty care/pharmacy, will be promoted to group vice...

Oklahoma mulls reimportation to trim state health plan costs.(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Gov. Brad Henry recently proposed a new drug benefit program that could provide some Oklahomans with relief from the high cost of prescription medication. The three-pronged plan includes using a state-sponsored...

GPhA urges FDA to step up biogeneric approval rate.(Generic Pharmaceutical Association)(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- Kathleen Jaeger, Generic Pharmaceutical Association president, in a letter to acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Lester Crawford requested a meeting with agency officials to avoid what she termed "flawed and...

FDA misses PDUFA date for review of Plan B sNDA.(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. -- Barr Pharmaceuticals recently confirmed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has informed the company that it was unable complete its review of Barr's supplemental new drug application to market the Plan...

Safeway reaches agreement with UFCW in Nev. and Calif.(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Safeway on has reached a tentative agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 711 for a collective-bargaining agreement covering approximately 1,500 employees in Las Vegas and also has reached a...

Camp Hill, Pa.--Rite Aid has confirmed its previously announced guidance for sales, net income and adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2005.(FINANCIALS)
January 26, 2005... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid has confirmed its previously announced guidance for sales, net income and adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2005. On Dec. 16, 2004, the company announced that it expects fiscal 2005 sales to be between $16.7 billion and...

New York--according to a report issued by Redbook Research, U.S. chain store sales rose in the third week of January, as the winter storms helped lift sales.(FINANCIALS)(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... NEW YORK--According to a report issued by Redbook Research, U.S. chain store sales rose in the third week of January, as the winter storms helped lift sales. Month-to-date sales for January were up 1.1 percent compared with December. Sales at...

New York--the Institute of Medicine recently issued report recommending that the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 be amended to strengthen consumer protection.(FINANCIALS)(Brief article)
January 26, 2005... NEW YORK -- The Institute of Medicine recently issued report recommending that the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 be amended to strengthen consumer protection, research into how supplements are used by consumers,...

Kenilworth, N.J.--Schering-Plough and NeoGenesis Pharmaceuticals announced that they have entered into an agreement for Schering-Plough to acquire most of NeoGenesis' assets.(FINANCIALS)
January 26, 2005... KENILWORTH, N.J. -- Schering-Plough and NeoGenesis Pharmaceuticals announced that they have entered into an agreement for Schering-Plough to acquire most of NeoGenesis' assets. The deal is expected to close later this quarter, the companies...

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.--generic drug maker Andrx Corp. enlisted Banc of America Securities to help sell off its branded drug business, primarily a sales and marketing organization with a limited number of products.(NEWSBITES)
January 12, 2005... FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Generic drug maker Andrx Corp. enlisted Banc of America Securities to help sell off its branded drug business, primarily a sales and marketing organization with a limited number of products. The drug maker's branded...

Atlanta--Rayovac Corp. announced that Philip Pellegrino will join the company as executive vice president of global sales.(NEWSBITES)
January 12, 2005... ATLANTA -- Rayovac Corp. announced that Philip Pellegrino will join the company as executive vice president of global sales. Pellegrino joins Rayovac after a 40-year career with Kraft Foods, where he most recently served as president of North...

Greenville, S.C.--BI-LO Holdings LLC, parent company of BI-LO and Bruno's Supermarkets, announced that as part of the company's business plan, it will transfer the ownership of its warehouse facilities and management of its distribution and replenishment functions to C&S Wholesale Grocers.(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... GREENVILLE, S.C.--BI-LO Holdings LLC, parent company of BI-LO and Bruno's Supermarkets, announced that as part of the company's business plan, it will transfer the ownership of its warehouse facilities and management of its distribution and...

Rochester, N.Y.--Fortune has named Wegmans Food Markets the No. 1 company on the magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for 2004.(rankings)(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Fortune has named Wegmans Food Markets the No. 1 company on the magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for 2004. Other industry names on the list include Whole Foods Markets and Publix for retailers and Genentech,...

CVS comps, sales up in December, fourth quarter, full year.
January 12, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS on Tuesday announced that total sales for the five-week period ended Jan. 1 increased 8.9 percent to $3.66 billion. Total sales for December reflect the impact of the acquisition of 1,268 Eckerd drugstores in July, as...

Canada mulls ban of online drug sales to United States.(prohibiting prescriptions for foreigners)(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... OTTAWA -- Canadian government officials are drafting a proposal to put a stop to Internet sales of prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies to U.S. consumers. Canada's Health Ministry is considering new rules on drug exports,...

Survey: employer-run drug plans to remain strong in 2006.(surveys)(Survey)
January 12, 2005... WASHINGTON -- According to a new survey conducted by the Human Capital practice of Deloitte Consulting, 90 percent of employers currently offering their retirees prescription drug coverage intend to continue offering drug coverage after the...

Drug retail industry contributes to tsunami relief efforts.(donations)(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... NEW YORK -- Drug retailers and vendors alike have contributed money and goods to various organizations providing relief to the victims of the tsunami disaster in southern Asia. The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust announced that it is...

Drug manufacturers debut new drug discount card.(drug manufacturers introduced a new drug discount cards)(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... NEW YORK -- A group of 10 major drug manufacturers unveiled a new prescription drug discount card this week dubbed Together Rx Access. The card is designed to help the approximately 45 million uninsured Americans better afford the rising cost...

Rx.com offers online fulfillment for chain drug pharmacies.(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... FORT WORTH, Texas -- Rx.com, an affiliate of PDX, recently launched online prescription fulfillment services by mail for chain pharmacies. The company announced that it has signed letters of intent with 15 pharmacy chains representing...

GlaxoSmithKline potential suitor for Bristol-Myers Squibb OTC biz.
January 12, 2005... NEW YORK -- Last week, speculation abounded that Bristol-Myers Squibb had placed its over-the-counter business, which includes the declining Excedrin analgesic, on the sales block. Published reports valued the business around $1 billion,...

NACDS, IACP, NCPA create Rx insurance certification.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Institute for the Advancement of Community Pharmacy)(National Community Pharmacists Association)(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... RESTON, Va. -- The Institute for the Advancement of Community Pharmacy, the NACDS Foundation and the National Community Pharmacists Association have joined forces create the Prescription Insurance Specialist Training Program, a certificate...

Montvale, N.J.--the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. announced that net sales for the third quarter were $2.52 billion, a 1.5 percent decline compared with $2.48 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2003.(FINANCIALS)
January 12, 2005... MONTVALE, N.J. -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. announced that net sales for the third quarter were $2.52 billion, a 1.5 percent decline compared with $2.48 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2003. Same-store sales for...

Walnut Creek, Calif.--Longs Drug Stores reported December sales of $512.6 million, a 3 percent decrease from sales of $528.3 million in the year-ago period.(FINANCIALS)
January 12, 2005... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Longs Drug Stores reported December sales of $512.6 million, a 3 percent decrease from sales of $528.3 million in the year-ago period. December comps decreased 3.4 percent from the same period last year. Pharmacy...

Reston, Va.--on Monday, comScore Networks released online annual spending figures for 2004.(comScore Networks released online annual spending figures)(Brief article)
January 12, 2005... RESTON, Va. -- On Monday, comScore Networks released online annual spending figures for 2004. Total online spending in 2004 grew 26 percent to a record level of more than $117 billion. For 2004, online retail spending amounted to $66.5...

New York--consumer spending on health care was up 7.7 percent in 2003, slowing from the 2002 pace of 9.3 percent, according to a published report.(FINANCIALS)
January 12, 2005... NEW YORK -- Consumer spending on health care was up 7.7 percent in 2003, slowing from the 2002 pace of 9.3 percent, according to a published report. Retail spending on prescription drugs increased 10.7 percent in 2003, compared with a nearly...