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Retail News Breaks Archives Shopko Stores Operating Co. has acquired a pair of Health Mart pharmacies in Wisconsin from an independent operator. MinuteClinic entered a couple of new markets with the opening of three walk-in clinics inside CVS/pharmacy stores in the Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, metropolitan areas. Introductions of lower-priced generic drugs contributed to a dip in same-store sales at Rite Aid Corp. for September. New research by Walgreen Co. reveals a disconnect between consumer beliefs and behaviors when it comes to immunizations. Thrifty White Pharmacy and LDM Group, a provider of behavior-based health management programs, have teamed up to support the Million Hearts Initiative, a national effort led by the Department of Health and Human Services that aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. Rite Aid has taken its "wellness store" concept to the next level. MinuteClinic has become an in-network provider with TriWest, the Western region plan contractor for TRICARE, the health insurance program for the U.S. armed forces. Winn-Dixie pharmacists are participating in a free flu vaccination clinic for seniors in the Jacksonville, Fla., area as part of a health fair hosted by ElderSource (Area Agency on Aging). Walgreen Co. saw comparable-store sales drop by double digits in September as the drug chain reported sharp declines in prescription count and pharmacy revenue, which took a hit from introductions of lower-priced generic drugs. Responding to an article in The Wall Street Journal, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores called for more collaboration between the health care community and law enforcement in the battle against abuse of prescription painkillers. Walgreen Co. and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation are partnering to operate a specialty pharmacy for the disease that will provide patients enhanced access to medications and expanded pharmacy services. The American Diabetes Association announced CVS/pharmacy as the sponsor of American Diabetes Month, which is held in November. For American Pharmacists Month in October, Rite Aid Corp. is turning the spotlight on the whole pharmacy team. RxAlly member pharmacies are slated to begin accepting a new federally qualified Medicare Part D prescription drug plan on Jan. 1. Bi-Lo has added generic Plavix (clopidogrel) to its discount generic prescription program.
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