Drug stores urged to beef up in-store services.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

LOS ANGELES -- Drug stores need to step up in-store services like free health screenings to fend off increasing competition from fast-growing warehouse clubs and Wal-Mart super-centers. That was the word delivered by one analyst at the ACNielsen Category Masters conference held here last week.

Warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club, owned by Wal-Mart, now operate coast-to-coast and are one of the fastest-growing retail channels. Wal-Mart supercenters also are rapidly expanding.

While pharmacy sales in these stores account for only a fraction of total sales, they're claiming a significant share of the market. WalMart ranked fifth in 2000 with $7.2 billion …