DEERFIELD, Ill. — Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA), brings a unique global perspective as the incoming chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Most of Gourlay’s career was spent at the U.K.’s largest drug store chain, Boots, and its eventual parent company Alliance Boots PLC. In 2013
Staying competitive in the fast-moving chain drug store world is hard enough in the best of times. But things may be about to get even tougher. Chain drug operators with significant imports, and the corresponding consumer packaged goods partners, now face potentially significant challenges to their profitability in the form of the uncertainty and mixed-signals
NEW YORK — Entering the second quarter of 2017, the chain drug industry was awaiting answers to a couple of big, lingering questions. First, what will the chain drug landscape look like? A significant change in the field of players is likely in store pending antitrust clearance of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.’s (WBA’s) deal to
Imagine you are a 40-year-old woman who is one of the 1.5 million people in the U.S. with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic condition for which you take regular medication to control flares of the disease, stiffness and pain. But before you get to the pharmacy counter, early in the year you receive a painful
ARLINGTON, Va. — One of the many strengths of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has been its advocacy role in public policy. In the wake of last November’s election and the resulting turmoil and uncertainty in Washington, that expertise takes on greater importance than ever. At the same time, with U.S. health care
A young man who suffered from schizophrenia — we’ll call him Andrew — was due for a monthly injection of his long-acting antipsychotic medication on a Wednesday. But his regular prescription was held up due to a discrepancy over Andrew’s insurance benefits. Days went by without Andrew having access to his critical antipsychotic treatment. The
WASHINGTON — The effort to end Obamacare is not over, although whether the Affordable Care Act will be completely shelved or recast is unclear. Despite last month’s aborted House vote on a replacement bill, Republicans continue to seek an alternative to the ACA that the whole party — and possibly some Democrats — can get
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has joined the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and Washington State Pharmacy Association (WSPA) in suing Washington state over a rule they say would reimburse pharmacies for less than the cost of dispensing Medicaid prescriptions. The plaintiffs last month filed an emergency motion in Superior
ST. LAURENT, Quebec — McKesson Canada has agreed to purchase 380-store suburban Montreal-based Uniprix. Terms of the deal, which will lift McKesson Canada’s store count over the 2,500 mark, were not disclosed. The acquisition is a natural step for two companies with deep roots in Quebec that have a long history of working together to
SEATTLE — Bartell Drugs is searching for a new chief executive officer following the resignation of Brian Unmacht. Unmacht, the first person outside the Bartell family to hold the president and CEO title, resigned to pursue other personal and professional opportunities, a company spokesman said. The senior executive team led by chief financial officer Rob
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health has appointed Thomas Moriarty to the new position of chief policy and external affairs officer. He had been executive vice president, general counsel and chief strategy officer. In addition, CVS has consolidated corporate communications, legal, government affairs and public policy into one operating unit under Moriarty, who continues to report
NEW YORK — Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) executive vice chairman and chief executive officer Stefano Pessina has expressed confidence that the company’s planned merger with Rite Aid Corp. will be approved by the end of July. “I am still optimistic that we will bring this deal to a successful conclusion, but there is no
SEATTLE — In an effort to bring more accessible and affordable health care to its customers, as well as its employees, Bartell Drugs has expanded its range of pharmacy services to include treatment for a host of noncritical medical services. Starting last month, 12 of the company’s more than 64 stores began offering treatment for
LANGLEY, British Columbia — Pharmasave Drugs celebrated a major milestone last month with the opening of its 600th drug store. The store network spans nine provinces of Canada and will be supplemented by many more outlets now in the pipeline for 2017, according to Carmen Churcott, chief executive officer of Pharmasave National. “Since 1981, when
