Wendy future of retail top

Issues

Walgreens sells PBM unit to Catalyst Health

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. is stepping out of the pharmacy benefits management (PBM) business. President and chief executive officer Greg Wasson said Walgreens’ deal to sell Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (WHI), its PBM unit, to Catalyst Health Solutions Inc. for $525 million will enable the company to concentrate on the prescription drugs and health

Magnacca rises at Walgreens

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Joe Ma­gnacca, who was integral to the renaissance at Duane Reade before its purchase by Walgreen Co., has been named president of daily living products and solutions for Walgreens. In the newly created position, Magnacca will oversee marketing and merchandising operations led by Walgreens chief marketing officer Kim Feil and chief merchandising

NACDS puts spotlight on the supply chain

SAN DIEGO — The changing retail environment is putting new demands on the supply chain, according to Kantar Retail chief knowledge officer Bryan Gildenberg. Gildenberg spoke earlier this month at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Supply Chain & Logistics Conference here. His presentation was called “Retail Economics: The Operational Skills Required to Deliver

AmerisourceBergen tabs Collis as CEO

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — Ameri­sourceBergen Corp. chief executive officer R. David Yost plans to retire from the company on July 1. Steve Collis, who has been AmerisourceBergen’s president and chief operating officer since November, has been named to succeed Yost as the company’s top executive. “Ten years after we announced the merger that created AmerisourceBergen,

Rite Aid simplifies drug disposal

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. pharmacies are carrying specially designed drug disposal envelopes, targeting them to customers who want to safely get rid of unused, outdated or unwanted medications. Customers can put unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications in the envelope and, once sealed. place the envelope in any U.S. Postal Service mailbox. The

NACDS Marketplace keeps pace with changes in industry

BOSTON — The dramatic growth of the food and beverages category at drug chains and its intersection with the channel’s wellness positioning will be a focus of this year’s National Association of Chain Drug Stores Marketplace Conference. “Take a look at what’s happening in the front end,” says Jim Whitman, senior vice president of member

Branded drug prices increase faster than other costs

WASHINGTON — Prices for branded prescription drugs rose at a faster rate than costs for other medical goods and services over the last four years, according to a federal report. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the “usual and customary” (U&C) price index for the top 100 commonly used drugs increased by an annual

Walgreens medical officer sees bigger role for pharmacy

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Face-to-face interaction between patients and pharmacists can boost medication adherence and cut costs from the health care system, says Dr. Cheryl Pegus, chief medical officer at Walgreen Co. Pegus discussed the evolving role of pharmacists and the growing impact of pharmacist interventions on clinical outcomes earlier this month at the 11th annual

Retail/PBM Rx model still holds promise

Walgreens’ decision to sell its pharmacy benefits management business to Catalyst Health Solutions for $525 million is sure to intensify the debate about whether drug chains are well served by owning and operating such entities. For Walgreens, at least, the answer is clearly no. The retailer’s homegrown PBM is not insignificant, administering prescription drug coverage

Social media: A game-changer for retailers

Social media: A game-changer for retailers

NEW YORK — Is social media the retailing wave of the future, or will it minimize store visits and decrease basket sizes? Whatever the answer is, retailers and suppliers agree that it’s here to stay, and they are dramatically boosting their links with shoppers through Facebook and Twitter as well as through mobile web sites

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