Drug Store News articles from June 2008

Drug Store News archives from June 2008

Election may be good for pharmacy, but changes likely slow, experts predict.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
June 23, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Whether American voters hand Barack Obama or John McCain the keys to the White House next fall, the election of a new president may herald better times both for retail pharmacy and the generic drug industry, financial and health...

FTC balks at Illinois clinic bill.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Federal Trade Commission )(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The convenient care clinic industry is applauding the Federal Trade Commission on its recent approval of staff comments regarding the proposed regulation of retail healthcare facilities in Illinois. The comments were filed by...

CVS Caremark locks up GE contract for '09.(General Electric Co.)
June 23, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- It appears CVS Caremark's "power of one" pharmacy benefit model continues to gain favor among big healthcare payers--not to mention share in the PBM market. Early this month, Drug Store News learned that the company had...

Wal-Mart envisions larger role in health care.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
June 23, 2008... FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- 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 uniquely...

'New Ways' rewrites rules for buyers and sellers.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
June 23, 2008... NEW YORK -- Globalization. Rising energy costs. Increased dependence on technology. Growing channel diversification. And a more informed, and so ever more demanding, consumer. These were just a handful of reasons 15 leading retailers and...

Longs braces for challenge in Hawaii.(NEWS)(Longs Drug Stores Corp.)
June 23, 2008... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Longs Drug pulled up stakes in three states last year to focus on its core markets, and that move is helping it reinforce its base in Hawaii, a place it's dominated for more than 50 years but is now home to newcomer...

Import-reform bills could rewrite business, labels.(NEWS)
June 23, 2008... NEW YORK -- On May 14, several industry leaders testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Health, regarding the potential impact the yet-to-be-filed but widely anticipated Food and Drug Administration...

Walgreens grows in Hawaii, sets sights on Alaska.(NEWS)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Culminating its 107-year march across the United States, Walgreens revealed May 28 its quest to reach an unprecedented milestone in the history of drug store retailing next year, with the planned opening of its first drug...

Requirements of draft Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act.(NEWS)
June 23, 2008... IN GENERAL * Requires annualized registration of all importers of food, drugs, devices and cosmetics, including payment of al corresponding registration fees (listed at $10,000). * Establishes within one year a unique identification...

Survey: clinic satisfaction remains high.(RETAIL CLINICS)(Survey)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Patient satisfaction with retail-based health clinics remains high, according to a WSJ.com/Harris Interactive healthcare study. Adults who have used one of the 900-plus retail clinics remain pleased with the quality of...

Kroger takes equity in The Little Clinic.(RETAIL CLINICS)(Kroger Co.)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... CINCINNATI -- Looking to support the rollout of The Little Clinic retail-based clinics, grocery chain Kroger has made an investment of an undisclosed amount into the company. The Little Clinic, which opened its doors in 2003 with its first...

Take Care patient count hits half-million.(RETAIL CLINICS)(Take Care Health Systems)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. -- Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens, hit a major milestone earlier this month, celebrating the treatment of its 500,000th patient since opening its doors in November 2005. "The fact that Take Care...

PPH Expresscare clinics debut in SoCal Albertsons stores.(RETAIL CLINICS)(Palomar Pomerado Health partners with Albertson's Inc. Southern California Div. to open retail clinics)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Southern California health system Palomar Pomerado Health has partnered with Albertsons/Sav-on pharmacy to open retail clinics, dubbed Expresscare, in its Rancho Penasquitos and Escondido, Calif., stores. Based on the PPH Community...

Pharmacy vet Fagen heads for Winn Dixie: wonderly, Berman assume top pharmacy posts at Ahold.(NEWS AND PEOPLE)(John Fegan of Winn-Dixie Stores Inc.)(Jim Wonderly and Joel Berman of Ahold USA Inc.)
June 23, 2008... BRAINTREE, Mass. -- Ahold USA has a new pharmacy chief. Veteran pharmacy executive John Fegan left Ahold May 23, after 12 years with the company and its Stop & Shop supermarket division, to take a position in pharmacy management for...

CVS moves Phillips from PBM business to lead MinuteClinic.(NEWS AND PEOPLE)(CVS Caremark names Chip Phillips as president of the company's retail clinic division)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Michael Howe has stepped down from his post as chief executive officer of MinuteClinic, and CVS Caremark has named Chip Phillips as president of the company's retail clinic division. Phillips, who moves over from the PBM...

Walgreens names Chawla to head new e-commerce initiative.(NEWS AND PEOPLE)(Sona Chawla of Walgreen Co.)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Signaling its aggressive plans for building its online business, Walgreens has named Dell and Wells Fargo veteran Sona Chawla to the new position of senior vice president of e-commerce, effective July 1. Chawla, who was...

McKesson's Canning to lead Health Mart.(PEOPLE)(McKesson Corp. promotes Tim Canning to the role of president )(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- McKesson Corp. has promoted Tim Canning to the role of president of its fast-growing Health Mart franchise pharmacy division. Canning, an early proponent of the company's fledgling franchise efforts, replaces Stefan Linn, the...

AmerisourceBergen overhauls management.(PEOPLE)(AmerisourceBergen Corp.)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- AmerisourceBergen Corp. has undergone a major restructuring of its operations with the aim of what company spokesman Michael Kilpatric said is a "more streamlined organizational structure designed to drive increased...

FDA salutes CHPA's Suydam.(PEOPLE)(Food and Drug Administration )(Linda Suydam of Consumer Healthcare Products Association)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Food and Drug Administration commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach recently recognized Linda Suydam, president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, as an honored recipient of the FDA's Distinguished Alumni Award, honoring...

Party people at DrSN's invitation-only bash.(THE SCENE AT NACDS ANNUAL)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Kenlon with Ilean and Frank DeStefano of Walgreens [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chuck Felig and Paul Beahm of Wal-Mart with Vijay Shankar of Henkel Consumer Adhesives and Doug Degn of Wal-Mart ...

Students In Free Enterprise.(THE SCENE AT NACDS ANNUAL)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jeff Rein from Walgreens talks up the value of engaging former SIFE participants. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Kenlon of Drug Store News, Larry Merlo of CVS and Rob Eder of Drug Store News at the SIFE...

DrSN/Active International Golf.(THE SCENE AT NACDS ANNUAL)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Erie Savitch of Drug Store News and Bill Fogarty from Adams Respiratory lead the way to the links for the Drug Store News/Active International Golf Outing.

Connecting the links of the 'chain of influence'.(OPINION)(Viewpoint essay)
June 23, 2008... Here it is once again, NACDS Marketplace time. Hundreds of buyers representing more than 145,000 retail doors with total buying power topping a half-trillion dollars; more than 700 vendors. By the time the show floor actually opens for business...

Drugstorenews.com among top BtoB media sites.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... NEW YORK -- Drugstorenews.com, the online news home for The Drug Store News Group, was ranked among the top five fastest-growing Web sites in terms of new, unique visitors, according to a recent report in Mins b2b, a weekly industry newsletter...

Probiotic Align ready to upset digestives category.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Procter & Gamble Co. has developed a probiotic supplement )
June 23, 2008... Americans, always obsessed with germs, are at least getting more sophisticated about the bugs that live in their guts. And that's good news for Procter & Gamble. P&G has developed a probiotic supplement under the brand name Align, marketed...

New protein products power Kellogg beyond cereal.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Breakfast foods from Kellogg Co.)
June 23, 2008... Kellogg Co. in the past year has effectively parlayed its success in promoting heart-healthy breakfast foods into a line of good-for-you meal replacement bars intended to reach the busy mom on a diet who's looking for something fast and easy to...

No-gimmick Alli fattens up diet sales.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... All those concerns that some significantly embarrassing treatment effects would render the latest over-the-counter diet aid just the latest diet fad to flash and flop can be officially laid to rest. Not only is GlaxoSmithKline's 1-year-old...

Calpis bets Ameal bp is category's new 'cardiac kid'.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Almost 70 million Americans suffer from hypertension. In response, Calpis USA late last year brought Ameal bp--which has proven highly successful in Japan--to America. AmealPeptide, the active ingredient in Ameal bp, is a proprietary...

New Bayer revives pulse of nutraceutical market.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Bayer HealthCare L.L.C. Consumer Care Div.)
June 23, 2008... Bayer Consumer Care recently launched Bayer With Heart Advantage, one of the first products that couples a low-dose aspirin with a cholesterol-lowering supplement to improve heart health. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's a product launch...

New Whitestrips for kinder, gentler, faster routine.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... The teeth whitening market continues to evolve, prompting manufacturers to now create products that have added benefits and features. One such example is Procter & Gamble's new Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening Plus Tartar Protection. ...

Father and child reunion only home test away.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Identigene Inc.)
June 23, 2008... Studies indicate that questions of paternity may exist in as much as 10 percent of the general population. In many cases, a DNA paternity test is needed for legal purposes, such as for issues of child support or child custody. In response...

Dr. Miracle's set to bring magic to ethnic skin care.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Following its success J in the ethnic hair care segment, niche player Dr. Miracle's is breaking into the ethnic skin care market with its new My Goodbye Acne System. The three-step preventative acne solution is the first of the brand's new...

New pain-relief plug music to ear care.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Cirrus Healthcare Products L.L.C.)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cirrus Healthcare Products recently launched a new ear care product, EarHURTS, that could prove to be an incremental sale to the already-robust ear drop category--a category that generated $66.4 million across food,...

Energi To Go powers increasingly portable world.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Energizer Battery Co.)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... With the number of battery-powered instruments in U.S. households now in the billions, consumers need a way to keep those items powered on the road, and Energizer is making it easier with its new portable power packs. In the past 18 months,...

New Venus 'Embraces' 5-blade lady shaver.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new Venus Embrace shaving system by Procter & Gamble's Gillette is positioned as the biggest launch since the 2001 introduction of the original Venus. According to the company, more than 40 million women...

New adult chewable supplements not gummy kid stuff.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Cosrich Group Inc.)
June 23, 2008... Many consumers take vitamins in an effort to keep healthy. The Cosrich Group took this idea to heart in March when it released its new line of gummy vitamins, but instead of marketing it toward children, the company has aimed the line of...

Unexpected flavors keep jelly bean fans on their toes.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Earlier this year, Jelly Belly added a mix of off-the-wall flavors, Jelly Belly BeanBoozled, to its lineup of products. BeanBoozled flavor packs were designed to keep Jelly Belly fans guessing about what taste a...

Gray areas: gradual men's formula to heat up hair color.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Boomer men want to look younger, or do they? While there are some men who are going under the knife, lathering on cosmeceuticals and eradicating every gray hair in an effort to retain their youth, there are others who don't mind showing...

Special K20 alters chemistry in enhanced water.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One of the downsides to dieting is the inevitable loss of nutrients dieters suffer when they cut back on calories, a loss that leads to problems ranging from fatigue to an inability to concentrate. And it's a problem...

Listerine saves time in teeth-whitening segment.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Most people would like to have whiter teeth, but not everyone has time to wait for the strips to perform their whitening magic. That was the thinking behind the development of Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips. The product, from...

Smart Rinse teaches kids what parents can't.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(McNeil-PPC Inc. Personal Products Company Div.)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For many parents, getting children to brush their teeth is only half the battle. The other challenge is getting them to maintain healthy oral care habits. To help parents, the Listerine brand, by the Johnson &...

MiraLAX makes major moves in first year OTC.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... It's been on the market for only a year, but MiraLAX has managed to surpass Metamucil as the leading laxative brand on sale in food, drug and mass outlets today in terms of dollars. According to Information Resources Inc. data, MiraLAX reached...

Nestea turns over new leaf behind new green teas.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The health benefits of green tea are well-known, and Nestea has raised its profile in the category with two green teas with more antioxidants. Nestea in May introduced green tea citrus and diet green tea citrus...

New cellulite regimen puts Nivea in supplement business.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Nivea France)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... Nivea, a Beiersdorf brand, is taking the fight against cellulite to a new level with the introduction in April of the Cellulite Body Beauty Program, a 30-day program that consists of gel-cream and dietary supplement capsules. The Good-Bye...

Clio's NXT line a bright idea in men's skin care.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Today's younger men are all about looking good, and many have no qualms with buying skin care products. Men in this technology-savvy consumer group also love gadgets. So, what better way to catch their eye when they're shopping for personal...

PenAgain rewrites rules for writing instruments.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Pacific Writing Instruments Inc.)
June 23, 2008... Pacific Writing Instruments has won accolades for its wishbone-shaped PenAgain pens, and its innovative design has led to big sales, increasing 45 percent in 2007 over the previous year, and mainstream acceptance at mass merchants and pharmacy...

Perfect 10 helps storied brand live up to name.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... For years, women had to compromise when coloring their hair, but not anymore, at least, that is according to executives at the Clairol division of Procter & Gamble Beauty. After nearly 10 years behind laboratory doors, researchers emerged...

New Planters line redefines the term 'health nut'.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... As much as science has made of the nutritional benefits of eating nuts in recent years, you could say that Kraft's new high-fiber/low-sodium NUT-rition lineup redefines the term "health nut." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Planters NUT-rition...

Tropicana's 'orange-elite' Pure taps premiums.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(PepsiCo Inc. launches Tropicana Pure Valencia)
June 23, 2008... The trend in premium products seeped into the juice category early this year. Alongside juice smoothies and organic choices in the refrigerated juice aisle, PepsiCo has launched a higher-end version of its popular Tropicana orange juice line,...

Titanium shaves away line between razor/trimmer.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The growth of the men's grooming segment and their desire for convenient solutions has prompted Energizer Holdings to develop the new Schick Quattro Titanium Trimmer. At a suggested price tag of $10.99, the...

Snapple's new lineup enhances specialty water.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)(Snapple Beverage Group Inc.)
June 23, 2008... Bottled water was a novel concept when it first appeared 20 years ago, but now that the novelty has worn thin, people want more than just plain water for their money. And that's a need Snapple has addressed with its new line of Antioxidant...

Timing is everything for men's sexual wellness.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Last fall, Barmensen Labs launched Vivaxa male enhancement topical, a new cream that doesn't employ a numbing agent, for the gentleman concerned about stamina. Between Vivaxa and the company's already-on-the-market topical Maxoderm,...

Dark chocolate should sweeten ZonePerfect sales.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Sales of Abbott Laboratories" ZonePerfect bars may be slightly down across the latest 52 weeks, but ZonePerfect is still king of the nutrition bar hill. And Abbott is still launching innovation into the category. Abbott Laboratories...

Zyrtec sneezes up $100m in first six months on shelf.(2008 Editor's Picks: HOT PRODUCTS)
June 23, 2008... Zyrtec may soon challenge Claritin for the top spot as king of the allergy hill, as OTC powerhouse McNeil Consumer Healthcare wields its marketing might behind its switch of Zyrtec, the second of three second-generation antihistamines to make...

Indies harness strengths in push for legislation.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Editorial)
June 23, 2008... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Faced with threats from slower and lower drug reimbursements and a pending shift in power in Washington, the nation's 23,000 independent pharmacies have dramatically stepped up efforts to influence policy through lobbying and...

Bidding plan for diabetic sales draws fire from NACDS leader.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
June 23, 2008... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Pharmacy retailers should be free to continue selling much-needed diabetic supplies to patients enrolled in Medicare without having to bid competitively for the right to do so, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores...

Hasty pedigree would cost billions.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
June 23, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association and the Food Marketing Institute are waging a campaign aimed at slowing the drive by the Bush administration and Congress to require...

H-E-B Rx exec warns Congress on likely impact of Medicaid cuts.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
June 23, 2008... The White House appears determined to push through cuts in Medicaid prescription reimbursements for generic drugs, but that hasn't deterred retail pharmacy leaders from pressing Congress to overturn the proposed cutbacks. The latest salvo...

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... Wyeth Pharmaceuticals received an approvable letter from the Food and Drug Administration for a drug to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis, the company announced. The FDA requested further analysis concerning stroke and venous thrombosis...

Novo Nordisk.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... Novo Nordisk has asked U.S. and European regulators to approve its new diabetes treatment, liraglutide. Liraglutide is a synthetic version of glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. Diabetics...

Counterfeit drugs a growing worldwide danger.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
June 23, 2008... Fake drugs not only are dangerous, but they also pose a growing threat around the world. Between 2000 and 2006, the Food and Drug Administration saw an eightfold increase in the number of new counterfeit cases, according to the medical journal...

Google Health launches medical information management.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
June 23, 2008... As the Internet becomes a storage shed for personal information ranging from vacation photos to bank records, it's inevitable that people will begin storing and managing medical records online. Google's latest addition to its repertoire of...

Sepracor launches site for nasal allergy suffers.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
June 23, 2008... Sepracor has launched the Web site www.myallergiesinamerica.com, which takes off where its recently completed Allergies in America survey leaves off. The site, meant to be a full-service resource for physicians and consumers, offers users...

Survey: diabetes drugs now costliest.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
June 23, 2008... FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. -- Diabetes treatments have become the leading driver of prescription drug spending growth, replacing lipid-lowering agents--which fell from the top spot after a decade-long reign--due largely to generic drugs cutting the...

Tough economy drives up OTC and supplement sales.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)(Over the counter drugs)
June 23, 2008... Sales of over-the-counter medicines are likely to improve as a result of a down economy--they're need-based items. People don't want to get sick, but when they do, they need to feel better. Couple that with the fact that cost-conscious folks...

Estroven helps women reach 'Menopauseland'.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... CROMWELL, Conn. -- Amerifit Brands recently introduced an integrated, multi-channel advertising platform to support its dietary supplement Estroven. The $20 million campaign is focused around a destination called "Menopauseland," a...

Clif 'hanger': Halloween nutrition bars?(WHAT'S HOT)(Clif Bar Inc.)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... BERKELEY, Calif. -- Clif Bar is introducing a limited-edition, healthy-for-you Halloween treat that isn't going to leave kids feeling tricked into eating a snack that's good for them, too. It's a premium positioned bar that's 95 percent...

Diagnostic prognostic: Bob Kondraske, Omron Healthcare.(Q&A)(Interview)
June 23, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Omron Healthcare in February tapped Bob Kondraske as its chief operating officer, bringing an executive with consumer packaged goods and OTC products experience, from McNeil Consumer Healthcare, into the diagnostics...

Diet bars aim to gain sales.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... BATTLE CREEK, MICH. -- Overall, meal replacement bars generated more than $539.2 million in sales for the 52 weeks ended April 20 across food, drug and mass channels (minus Wal-Mart) according to Information Resources Inc., representing...

Supplements seal natural fate.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Enzymatic Therapy in June began shipping a new line of six organic supplements called True Organics, the only supplements to feature the USDA organic seal, with another eight supplements to come by the end of the year, said...

NBTY proposes Leiner buyout.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)(Leiner Health Products )(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... RONKONKOMA, N.Y. -- NBTY last month proposed buying troubled private-label manufacturer Leiner Health Products in a deal worth $230 million plus the assumption of certain liabilities. The proposed buyout of Leiner, which filed for...

Allergy sufferers can plan ahead with forecasting site.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. -- Forecasting potential allergens in far-away vacation spots or for business trips just got a little easier. Pollen.com, a division of Surveillance Data Inc., earlier this month announced the addition of two new features...

Intimacy category goes mainstream, but not bawdy.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... Two things are happening in the family planning section, also known as health and intimacy. First, products that were once considered too risque to merchandise in mass outlets are actually finding a home at retail, and being bought there....

Non-latex protection.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)(Ansell Healthcare Inc.'s non-latex condom )(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... RED BANK, N.J. -- Ansell Healthcare is introducing its LifeStyles Skyn, a non-latex condom composed of polyisoprene, that can be used as a prophylactic against both pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases without causing an allergic...

Certification set to ramp up telehealth's profile.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... Significant opportunities for pharmacy operators are just around the bend, as members of the Continua Health Alliance--the standards bearer for telemedicine across consumer products and services--are currently ramping up development of a...

Bill would increase access to telemedicine.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Management of chronic conditions isn't the only advantage associated with telemedicine--it's also likely to increase access to health care in remote, rural areas. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., in April introduced a bill that, if...

Report indicates flex spending accounts on rise.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... Consumer-driven healthcare programs like flexible spending accounts are on the rise, and so is the potential to capture the self-care healthcare consumer. The convenience associated with FSA-debit cards which have become popular in the...

Online retailers turning to FSA spenders.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... Internet sellers of OTC products are turning their attention to customers with FSAs--flexible spending accounts. For one, Amazon.com is in the process of implementing an FSA program for its shoppers, revealed Jeff Fernandez, buyer of...

Speed, accuracy boost home tests' popularity.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... As life is conducted at an increasingly fast pace, those of us living it have diminishing amounts of patience. And that's part of the reason behind the success of home-test kits, which are appearing more regularly on drug store shelves,...

Convenience, assortment drive online OTC sales.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... It's been four years since Amazon.com stepped into the OTC business, and there is no looking back. "Our OTC business continues to grow at triple digits," stated Jeff Fernandez, buyer of health and personal care and consumables for...

Pseudoephedrine sales up despite BTC status.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... Sales of pseudoephedrine products sold behind the pharmacy counter are on the upswing again, some 32 months after being mandated to BTC placement by federal legislation with the passing of the Combat Meth Act, and accordingly, are attracting a...

Lip care brands present all-natural lineups.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... When it comes to buying natural products, consumers are starting to put their money where their mouths are--literally. Natural and organic lip care products are becoming more widely available as even such major players as Wyeth's ChapStick...

Futuro's new campaign focuses on possibility, not disability.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... WILTON, Conn. -- Fresh from a recent round of consumer research, this fail Beiersdorf wig be changing the face of its Futuro franchise with more of an emotional appeal to shoppers--braces and supports that focus on enabling them to do more of...

Automated kiosks act as virtual OTC advisers.(TRENDS: OVER THE COUNTER)
June 23, 2008... A spate of new automated kiosks that allow customers to input their symptoms or the product they're looking for and receive customized recommendations and information is helping to drive big business in OTC aisles--as much as high-single-digit...