Drug Store News articles from September 2005

Drug Store News archives from September 2005

Washington--total holiday retail sales are expected to increase 5 percent over last year, bringing holiday spending to $435.3 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.(FINANCIALS)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Total holiday retail sales are expected to increase 5 percent over last year, bringing holiday spending to $435.3 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. In comparison, holiday sales in 2004 rose 6.7 percent to...

New York--the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association joined other plaintiffs in an anti-trust lawsuit against Visa, MasterCard, Bank of America, Citibank, Bank One and several other banks.(FINANCIALS)
September 28, 2005... NEW YORK -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association joined other plaintiffs in an anti-trust lawsuit against Visa, MasterCard, Bank of America, Citibank, Bank One and several other...

Harrisburg, Pa.--Rite Aid is suing company founder Alex Grass and his imprisoned son Martin Grass, alleging they secretly profited from the company's 1994 sale of Sera-Tec Biologicals, a blood plasma business.(FINANCIALS)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Rite Aid is suing company founder Alex Grass and his imprisoned son Martin Grass, alleging they secretly profited from the company's 1994 sale of Sera-Tec Biologicals, a blood plasma business. The civil suit alleges that...

Feds unveil Medicare coverage network.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The Dept. of Health and Human Services on Friday formally approved a nationwide network of prescription drug plans. At least three major drug chains--Walgreens, CVS and Longs--will participate directly as benefit administrators...

Speculation surrounds FDA commissioner's resignation.(Lester Crawford resigned as commissioner of Food and Drug Administration)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Lester Crawford resigned Friday as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, ending a FDA career that included separate stints as acting FDA commissioner and two months as a confirmed commissioner. One day...

Walgreens rides out Katrina to continue earning streak.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- In one of the industry's first clear signs of the financial damage wrought by one of the nation's worst natural disasters, Hurricane Katrina took a hefty bite out of Walgreen Co.'s bottom line late in the fourth quarter and...

Rite Aid posts 2Q loss of $1.6 million, comps up 0.5%.
September 28, 2005... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid reported a second quarter loss of $1.6 million for the period ended Aug. 27 on account of weak pharmacy sales, the No. 3 drug chain reported. However, Rite Aid posted positive comp gains of 0.5 percent overall,...

DrugMax opens worksite pharmacy for Scotts Miracle-Gro.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... FARMINGTON, Conn. -- DrugMax, a specialty pharmacy and drug distribution provider, is opening its second worksite pharmacy and selling more than 40 million shares and warrants to expand its worksite pharmacy initiative, bolster its specialty...

Eschewing Albertsons buy, Tesco is eyeing Safeway.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... LONDON -- Tesco has installed a 65-strong team of top executives in America to weigh up the acquisition of a leading U.S. grocery chain, according to published reports that cited a Tesco source. Though Tesco has denied interest in...

Judge dismisses lawsuit for drug importation.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Vermont's lawsuit against the Bush administration demanding authority to import low-cost prescription drugs from Canada was dismissed by a federal judge Sept. 21. U.S. District Court Judge William Sessions said the...

Indianapolis--Minute-Clinic entered the Indianapolis market Monday with its opening of seven health care centers in CVS locations throughout the metropolitan region.(NEWSBITES)
September 28, 2005... INDIANAPOLIS -- Minute-Clinic entered the Indianapolis market Monday with its opening of seven health care centers in CVS locations throughout the metropolitan region. The company now operates 33 health care centers in Minneapolis-St. Paul,...

LONDON--Ahold announced on Monday that it had appointed John Rishton from British Airways as chief financial officer, to replace Hannu Ryopponen, who at the beginning of September.(NEWSBITES)
September 28, 2005... LONDON -- Ahold announced on Monday that it had appointed John Rishton from British Airways as chief financial officer, to replace Hannu Ryopponen, who at the beginning of September. Rishton will take over duties on Jan. 1, 2006. He has been...

Washington--Amerisource Bergen Corp. has severed ties with secondary pharmaceutical suppliers in an effort to curb entry points for counterfeit drugs.(NEWSBITES)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Amerisource Bergen Corp. has severed ties with secondary pharmaceutical suppliers in an effort to curb entry points for counterfeit drugs. The move comes after legislation was introduced to tighten regulations governing drug...

Bentonville, Ark.--Wal-Mart Stores is lowering the price of digital prints to 15 cents each for two-day developing, and to 13 cents at its Sam's Club stores.(NEWSBITES)
September 28, 2005... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores is lowering the price of digital prints to 15 cents each for two-day developing, and to 13 cents at its Sam's Club stores. The pricing will be in all stores by the end of October.

London--GlaxoSmith-Kline on Thursday announced the retirement of Jack Ziegler, president of GSK Consumer Healthcare, effective Jan. 31, 2006.(NEWSBITES)
September 21, 2005... LONDON -- GlaxoSmith-Kline on Thursday announced the retirement of Jack Ziegler, president of GSK Consumer Healthcare, effective Jan. 31, 2006. John Clarke, head of GSK Consumer Healthcare's global marketing team, has been named as his...

Pleasanton, Calif.--Safeway, the Washington area's second-largest supermarket chain, has begun offering its online shopping and delivery service in the region.(NEWSBITES)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Safeway, the Washington area's second-largest supermarket chain, has begun offering its online shopping and delivery service in the region. Safeway.com will go head on with Giant's online business, Peapod LLC which has...

White House rejects delay proposals for drug benefits.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The White House on Monday ruled out delaying the Medicare prescription drug benefit program as a way of offsetting some of the costs of rebuilding the Gulf Coast after being hit by Hurricane Katrina three weeks ago. So far,...

Katrina still leaving a mark on chain drug stores.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... NEW YORK -- Three weeks after Hurricane Katrina devasted the Gulf Coast, chain drug stores are still working to return to regular operations. Walgreens on Thursday said it has reopened 38 of its 74 stores that initially closed after...

Wal-Mart invests in Central America's largest retailer.
September 21, 2005... BENTONVILLE, Arkansas -- Wal-Mart International on Tuesday announced the purchase of a 33.33 percent interest in Central American Retail Holding Co. Wal-Mart acquired its interest in CARHCO from Royal Ahold NV. The purchase price was not...

Walgreens adds another exclusive to shelves.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens will be the exclusive retailer of Theragran-M in the United States after the company signed a deal with Bristol-Myers Squibb on Monday to buy the rights to the brand name. Terms of the agreement were not...

Rite Aid, CVS to be honored at awards ceremony.
September 21, 2005... NEW YORK -- Drug Store News, in conjunction with Time Inc., has announced the winners of the first Community Awards. The prestigious awards recognize the contributions made by retail pharmacy companies and executives, both on national and...

E-Rx advocates buoyed by e-health initiative.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... NEW YORK -- SureScripts is praising a move by Health and Human Services Sec. Mike Leavitt to set up an advisory group aiming to promote standards for the eventual adoption of a nationwide electronic health information technology system. ...

Katz preps Pharma Plus for new format, 'rebranding'.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... TORONTO -- Katz Group Canada's Pharma Plus Drugmarts division will host a grand opening here Friday for a new, redesigned flagship store. Katz Group is withholding details of the new prototype, but indicated that the occasion would also mark...

British retailer may be interested in Albertsons.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... BOISE, Idaho -- Tesco chief executive officer Terry Leahy denied reports the British retailer is considering a bid for Albertsons, telling BBC Radio the company has "no interest in Albertsons." His comments address published reports...

Survey: consumers don't talk to pharmacists about meds.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Fewer than half of Americans tell their pharmacists about other prescriptions they're taking, and only 1-in-3 disclose which OTCs they use, according to the new "Know Your Medicine/Know Your Pharmacist" survey from AphA and...

New York--a new survey by media and marketing-research firm Arbitron found that consumers who viewed in-store advertising were 1.5 times more likely to buy a product.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... NEW YORK -- A new survey by media and marketing-research firm Arbitron found that consumers who viewed in-store advertising were 1.5 times more likely to buy a product. About 41 percent of shoppers made purchases they weren't planning on...

Salisbury, N.C.--Food Lion has promoted Cathy Green to chief operating officer.(NEWSBITES)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... SALISBURY, N.C. -- Food Lion has promoted Cathy Green to chief operating officer. In her new position, Green has responsibility for Food Lion's retail operations, merchandising, marketing and distribution network. She reports to Food Lion...

London--Tesco posted an 18.7 percent rise in first-half profit yesterday, but the share price took a hit from an outlook clouded by higher oil prices and weak consumer confidence.(NEWSBITES)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2005... LONDON -- Tesco posted an 18.7 percent rise in first-half profit yesterday, but the share price took a hit from an outlook clouded by higher oil prices and weak consumer confidence. Group sales rose 14.1 percent to $33.9 billion, a figure...

Atlantic City, N.J.--openings are set to start today in Merck's second trial concerning the company's liability over Vioxx.(FINANCIALS)
September 13, 2005... ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Openings are set to start today in Merck's second trial concerning the company's liability over Vioxx. Almost 5,000 cases have been filed against Merck and analyst estimate if found liable for them, it could cost Merck...

Carteret, N.J.--Pathmark Stores reported a wider second-quarter loss on Thursday.(FINANCIALS)
September 13, 2005... CARTERET, N.J. -- Pathmark Stores reported a wider second-quarter loss on Thursday. Pathmark posted a loss of $5.1 million versus a loss of $1.6 million last year. Sales declined 1.1 percent to $1 billion from $1.01 billion a year ago....

Walnut Creek, Calif.--Longs Drugs Stores reported a second quarter income of $16.8 million, up from $3.4 million last year.(FINANCIALS)
September 13, 2005... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Longs Drugs Stores reported a second quarter income of $16.8 million, up from $3.4 million last year. Sales were up 0.6 percent to $1.16 billion. Same-store sales increased 0.3 percent, with pharmacy same-store sales...

Brooks-Eckerd signs with Take Care Health Centers.
September 13, 2005... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Brooks-Eckerd Pharmacy has partnered with Take Care Health Systems in select stores throughout the 18 East Coast states where the chain operates. Take Care Health Centers employ certified nurse practitioners to diagnose...

Walgreens rolls out e-Rx system to help after Katrina.(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens has rolled an experimental, pharmacy-based communications system into the hard-hit Gulf Coast region in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The system, which has been quietly in test in Florida since early this year,...

Albertsons sale raises--and furrows--brows.(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons decision to put itself up for sale has generated a positive response from investors and some concern among employees. Albertsons stock price rose nearly 8 percent to $24.86 on Sept. 9 following reports that...

Senate passes bills to change status of PSE.(pseudoephedrine)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Federal legislation restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine to behind the pharmacy counter may have moved one step closer to becoming law last week as the Senate unanimously approved the Talent-Feinstein pseudoephedrine bill on...

Walgreens launches line of skin care for dark tones.( Dr. Jan Adams Women of Color Total Skin Care System)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens has teamed up with Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jan Adams to launch an exclusive skin care line for medium to dark skin tones. The collection, called the Dr. Jan Adams Women of Color Total Skin Care...

Bonne Bell ex-chairman, Jess Bell, dies at 80.(Obituary)
September 13, 2005... NEW YORK -- Bonne Bell chairman emeritus Jess Bell died Sunday at the age of 80. Bell was appointed president in 1959, 32 years after his father, Jesse G., founded the company. "Jess will be remembered as a loving husband, father,...

Wal-Mart, CVS increase number of in-store clinics.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... NEW YORK -- MinuteClinic has opened six health care centers inside CVS stores in the Nashville area, giving the Minneapolis company its first presence in Tennessee. Staffing the clinics are family nurse practitioners who treat and write...

Speculation surrounds Gillette's new product launch.
September 13, 2005... NEW YORK -- The Gillette Co. has been tight-lipped on the details of its latest innovation--scheduled to launch this morning at an event in Manhattan--but industry observers speculate it may be a four-blade, self-lubricating razor. The...

Hoffman Estates, Ill.--Sears Holdings has named Aylwin B. Lewis as chief executive officer and president of the company, effective Sept. 30.(NEWSBITES)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears Holdings has named Aylwin B. Lewis as chief executive officer and president of the company, effective Sept. 30. Lewis will replace Alan J. Lacy, who will remain vice chairman and a director and member of the...

Washington--in an effort to curb organized retail theft, the National Retail Federation is gearing up for the rollout of its new Retail Loss Prevention Intelligence Network.(Retail Loss Prevention Intelligence Network)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... WASHINGTON -- In an effort to curb organized retail theft, the National Retail Federation is gearing up for the rollout of its new Retail Loss Prevention Intelligence Network. The database enables retailers to share theft information and work...

Carlisle, Pa.--Ahold's Giant Food Stores is set to open a prototype store in Camp Hill, Pa.(NEWSBITES)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... CARLISLE, Pa. -- Ahold's Giant Food Stores is set to open a prototype store in Camp Hill, Pa. The 91,000-square-foot prototype with a 27,000-square-foot mezzanine will be the largest in the Giant chain. The new store will feature a full-time...

Emeryville, Calif.--Chiron Corp. on Monday rejected Novartis' offer to buy the approximately 58 percent of Chiron shares that Novartis does not already own.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- Chiron Corp. on Monday rejected Novartis' offer to buy the approximately 58 percent of Chiron shares that Novartis does not already own. According to the company, Chiron's board felt Novartis' asking price of $40 per...

Parsippany, N.J.--Novartis last week closed the deal on the North American rights to Bristol-Myers Squibb's over-the-counter product portfolio.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- Novartis last week closed the deal on the North American rights to Bristol-Myers Squibb's over-the-counter product portfolio. Novartis paid $660 million in cash for the transaction.

Minneapolis--Target reported August net sales of $3.86 billion, up 12.2 percent from last year.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target reported August net sales of $3.86 billion, up 12.2 percent from last year. Same-store sales were up 6.3 percent.

Bentonville, Ark--Wal-Mart Stores reported August sales of $15.71 billion, up 9.9 percent from last year.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... BENTONVILLE, ARK -- Wal-Mart Stores reported August sales of $15.71 billion, up 9.9 percent from last year. same-store sales were up 2.6 percent.

Drug store chains flock to hurricane victims' aid.
September 7, 2005... NEW YORK -- As federal, state and local emergency relief workers rush in to coastal Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, retail pharmacy chains and key suppliers also stepped up to answer the...

Albertsons up for sale; analysts speculate on buyers.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons announced Friday that it has put itself up for sale and has hired two investment firms to help explore a potential transaction. The chain hired Goldman, Sachs & Co. and the Blackstone Group to assist in the...

Major drug chains post August sales results.
September 7, 2005... NEW YORK -- The Eckerd stores acquired last year by CVS helped the drug chain boost same-store sales by 64 basis points. Meanwhile, Walgreens' August sales came in on the lighter side as sales surged in the former Eckerd stores CVS bought in...

Former Medicine Shoppe president Abrahamson dies.(David A. Abrahamson)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
September 7, 2005... ST. LOUIS -- David A. Abrahamson, retired president and chief executive officer of Medicine Shoppe International, died of pancreatic cancer. He was 65. From 1990 to 2000, Abrahamson was president and chief executive officer of Medicine...

Wal-Mart cancels meeting; names new marketing exec.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Stephen Quinn)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores canceled its annual managers meeting for holiday planning in Dallas because the city's convention center is being used as a shelter for Hurricane Katrina evacuees from New Orleans. In other news,...

FDA asst. commissioner resigns over Plan B delays.(Susan Wood)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Following the Food and Drug Administration's delay of its decision to switch the emergency contraceptive Plan B from prescription-only to over-the-counter, five-year veteran Susan Wood, assistant FDA commissioner for women's...

Publix, Costco, Valu-Rite rate high with customers.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... NEW HOPE, Pa. -- After surveying more than 20,000 people, Wilsons Health Information found that in terms of customer satisfaction, Publix Pharmacy is the No. 1-rated supermarket pharmacy nationally, Costco Pharmacy is the top mass pharmacy...

Woodcliff Lake, N.J.--Barr Pharmaceuticals approved Teva to launch a generic Allegra product within its 180-day exclusivity period in exchange for a percent of the profits, the two companies announced Tuesday.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. -- Barr Pharmaceuticals approved Teva to launch a generic Allegra product within its 180-day exclusivity period in exchange for a percent of the profits, the two companies announced Tuesday. However, the trial surrounding...

Bridgewater, N.J.--Sanofi-aventis said Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration approved an extended-release version of its popular insomnia medication, Ambien CR.
September 7, 2005... BRIDGEWATER, N.J. -- Sanofi-aventis said Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration approved an extended-release version of its popular insomnia medication, Ambien CR. The bi-layered tablet is delivered in two stages--the first layer...

Oak Brook, Ill.--The president of Quaker Foods, Mary Dillon, resigned Aug. 31 and will join McDonald's Corp. as successor to chief global marketing Officer Larry Light, who will retire at year's end.(Quaker Foods and Beverages)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... OAK BROOK, Ill. -- The president of Quaker Foods, Mary Dillon, resigned Aug. 31 and will join McDonald's Corp. as successor to chief global marketing Officer Larry Light, who will retire at year's end. Dillon, 44, will join the McDonald's...

New York--In a move similar to Meijer's last month, Duane Reade now offers a "tap and go" payment option with MasterCard PayPass.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2005... NEW YORK -- In a move similar to Meijer's last month, Duane Reade now offers a "tap and go" payment option with MasterCard PayPass. All 254 stores will offer the option by the end of the year.