When Walgreens and Express Scripts finally came to terms and agreed to again do business with each other in mid-2012, it marked the formal end of one of the costliest disputes in the history of pharmacy retailing and managed care. 


Who needs the services of community pharmacists and the nurse practitioners who staff retail-based walk-in clinics and ambulatory care centers? Among others, the nearly 67 million Americans underserved by primary care physicians.

During Fred's third-quarter earnings call, the company told analysts it was testing a new, smaller format drug-dollar store concept and that its partnership with Diplomat was creating new clinical capabilities for the chain, which still sees pharmacy as a major growth opportunity.

The more Memphis-area patients continue singing those Delta blues, the more they're going to be scuffling through Fred's doors in their blue suede shoes. Effectively serving that economically-challenged patient is just one reason why Fred's third-quarter call this week should resonate across the industry. Because Fred's is in pursuit of two trends that are critical to its future — a specialty pharmacy solution that gains Fred's entree into the only growth-game in pharmacy, and an answer to its big-box competitors with a small-footprint, dollar-store/pharmacy hybrid.

Each year, we say goodbye to the current year and welcome in the New Year full of hope and aspirations for a successful year ahead. Customers turn out in droves for “New Year, New You” specials and when they reach the register, the retail pharmacy world knows the scenario quite well.

RediClinic employees and their families lost a combined 700 pounds — an average of 19.5 pounds per participant for those who completed the program — while participating in a company-wide competition aimed at promoting weight loss and health improvement, the retail-based clinic operator announced.

Kroger announced Thursday it will acquire the outstanding shares of Axium Pharmacy Holdings, a leading specialty pharmacy, and merge the two companies. By now, it should be clear that specialty is becoming an increasingly important part of the retail pharmacy mix, having grown more than sixfold in revenues between 2000 and 2011, with everyone from Rite Aid to Costco to Hy-Vee biting off a piece for themselves.

As Specialty Pharmacy magazine reported in its fall 2012 issue, specialty drug development is starting to play a much bigger role in drug development overall than traditional pharmaceuticals. According to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, seven of the top 20 drug therapy classes will be in specialty by 2016, including cancer, autoimmune disorders and antivirals, and specialty and bioengineered drugs remain one of the few growth centers in the drug industry in 2012. And according to Express Scripts, the market for specialty and bioengineered drugs is expected to grow from 2011's 17.1% to 22% by 2014.

Mike Cirilli has joined Rite Aid as senior director of OTC and private label, Rite Aid said.

People with diabetes in Cleveland enrolled in UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored health plans can obtain free diabetes management services from Rite Aid, the retail pharmacy chain said Friday.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores on Thursday applauded the Tricare Retail Pharmacy Vaccination Program’s announcement that 1 million vaccinations have been administered in retail pharmacies for military families and veterans.

Sales of facial anti-aging products continued to slip — perhaps as consumers continue to watch their spending or try to navigate the inundated anti-aging market — while sales of facial moisturizers experienced an uptick, according to data from SymphonyIRI Group.


Publix on Thursday announced six new officer positions that will begin work in 2013 across human resources, information technology and retail operations.

“When you create something for [our various retail concepts], you are creating a new experience and environment that makes us different than our competitive set. Exclusivity of the experience is a large differentiator.” That was a key message that keynote retail speaker Shannon Curtin, Walgreens divisional VP and GMM for beauty, personal care and seasonal, had for attendees of the Oct. 17 Mack Elevation Forum.