In the second installment of a two-part interview, George Rafferty, who has announced his retirement after heading AmerisourceBergen’s Corporate Partnerships Group for the past five years, and his successor, Claire Biermaas, talk about the leadership transition and the unique culture that enables the drug wholesaler to stay in sync with the evolving needs of its
Christine Baeder, chief operating officer for generics and biosimilars at Teva USA and newly named chair of the Association for Accessible Medicines, tells this week’s Video Forum about the threats facing the generic pharmaceutical industry and what should be done to counter them. She also discusses the relatively slow pace of adoption of biosimilars in
No one knows for certain what the new year will bring for chain pharmacy operators. Prognostications about the course that the industry would take made at the start of 2020 were swamped by the arrival of COVID-19 and the role that pharmacies were subsequently called on to play in combating the disease (a contribution for
The United States devotes many more resources to health care than any other nation in the world. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, per capita health care spending in this country reached $12,318 in 2021, well ahead of No. 2 Germany, at $7,383, and more than double Canada, at $5,905. For its
“We’re on a journey to transform health care, connecting more people to the right care at the right time — at a cost that makes sense.” So said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon following the launch of the retailer’s new 10-year collaboration with UnitedHealth Group. While the remark refers specifically to the companies’ multifaceted project to
Amidst the vicissitudes that have buffeted President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, one constant has been widespread support for provisions that address health care. In the latest iteration of the bill, hammered out by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Joe Machin of West Virginia, both Democrats, the legislation would extend
Brian Nightengale, the incoming chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and head of AmerisourceBergen’s Good Neighbor Pharmacy network, tells this week’s Video Forum about how he views NACDS’ role in the industry and outlines his priorities for the association. Securing relief from burdensome DIR fees, expanding the scope of pharmacy practice
In the last issue of Chain Drug Review, this space was devoted to an assessment of brick-and-mortar drug stores’ future in the wake of market dynamics forever changed by the COVID pandemic, the pressing need to revamp health care delivery in America, and shoppers’ enthusiastic embrace of digital technology. Chain drug retailers were praised for
Despite the precipitous decline in new COVID cases in the U.S. and the return to a degree of normalcy in everyday life, chain drug store operators and other mass market retailers continue to face uncertainty. Disruptions in the supply chain and labor markets persist, inflation has reached a level not seen for 40 years, and
This week’s Video Forum features the second installment of a two-part interview with George Rafferty and Claire Biermaas, president and vice president of corporate partnerships, respectively, at AmerisourceBergen. Among the subjects they discuss are the importance of communication and diversity of thought in finding the best solutions for customers, the enhancement of the technology
Two recent developments in the nation’s capitol — one at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the other at the Supreme Court — merit close scrutiny from pharmacy operators and other large retailers. Impacting different aspects of the business, each of the moves by the federal government has the potential to produce significant consequences
President Biden last month signed an executive order intended to limit the clout of big business and enhance competitive prospects for small and mid-sized companies. The sweeping document — which includes 72 specific elements, among them provisions instructing the Food and Drug Administration to clear the way for prescription drug imports from Canada (a very
In the first of three episodes leading up to the NACDS Annual Meeting later this month, Video Forum talks with Rick Keyes, president and CEO of Meijer Inc., about his year as the association’s chairman. Among the topics discussed are chain pharmacy’s response to COVID-19, other issues of importance to the industry and NACDS’ ability
As more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19 every day and hope for a restoration of pre-pandemic conditions intensifies, pharmacy operators are thinking about how their stores will fit into the retail landscape as the new normal takes shape. Consumer behavior has changed considerably over the past 12 months, as restrictions on businesses and risk aversion
